by Morgan Lowrie

Created on: February 14, 2009   Last Updated: March 02, 2010

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, the eleven-hundred-mile dog-sled race across the inhospitable Alaskan wilderness, is often called "The Toughest Race on Earth." However, some animal-rights activists contend that it is more deserving of the title of Most Inhumane.

One journalist called it "maybe the cruelest sporting event in America." Jim Rome of Fox Sport prefers to call it the "I-killed-a-dog" sled race.[i] Leading the charge of accusers is the Sled Dog Action Coalition[ii], a group whose stated mission is to expose the dirty truths behind Alaska's most popular sport. On their website, they list numerous ways in which sled dog racing abuses dogs:

#1: Dog Deaths

The naked truth of the matter is that the Iditarod has never been run without the death of at least one dog.

At last count, over 136 dogs have died during the race since its inaugural run in 1973, although exact numbers are impossible to ascertain due to the fact that no official tally was taken in early years. Causes of death in recent years have included strangulation, hemorrhaging after being impaled by a sled, heart attacks, drowning, muscular arrest, pneumonia and being hit by a snowmobile.[iii] In 2008, three dogs died.

These numbers include only the dogs which die in the race itself. No statistics exist to show how many dogs die in training, or in the aftermath of the race, but arguably these numbers could be much higher.

#2: Poor Veterinary Care

Although the dogs undergo stringent physical exams before the race, and veterinarians are present at all checkpoints, the Sled Dog Action Coalition cites several published comments by mushers who pushed dogs to continue to race despite being sick with viruses or suffering from diarrhea. Although veterinarians may be present at every check point, there is no requirement for the mushers to stop to have their dogs examined, and many don't.

Furthermore, the distances between some of the checkpoints range from 60 to 120 miles, with no veterinary care available during these large portions of wilderness.

Finally, even if a vet does examine a dog and find it to be sick, there is no rule that a dog must be pulled from the race if a vet advises it; the decision is left up to the musher.

#3: Mistreatment of Dogs During Races

Animal rights activists point out that, unlike many other races, the Iditarod has no law banning whips.

They also claim that in some instances dogs are beaten and forced to run when they were tired or reluctant. Jerry Riley, the winner of

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