Iditarod 2007

Ummm snownose... therre is so much that is false about that link that you posted, I will post one of my own...
http://sunhusky.com/Facts/
That is a link that refutes many of the myths the HSUS is perpetuating about the Iditarod.
It seems like this thread was started to cause conflict.
I have a few things to say... First, as the owner of the dog sled kennel I work for likes to say... "you can't push rope". these dogs run b/c they want to and enjoy it. When I take a dog out on a sled if the whole team doesn't want to go, we don't go, simple as that, there is nothing you can do to force a dog to run, and honestly, the more you ask them to go when they don't want to, the more stubborn they are!
Second, just because dogs are tied out or "tethered" does not mean they do not interact. It allows them rest and their own space, but often kennels allow dogs to interact during the day and play with one another (different dogs are allways running free and playing at ours)
Thirdm before i got into this I held many of those myths to be truse as well but when you walk into the dog yard... you are greeted by some of the happiest, most loving, well adjusted dogs you could imagine...honestly if I walked down the street and pulled 100 housedogs out to interact with I'll bet that they would not be as non-aggressive and well adjusted as the one you seem to claim are maltreated in the dogyard I work for.

I would encourage you to get involved in a dog sledding kennel and learn the truth with an open mind as I did before you believe everything you read online...

Seems to me you are reporting a little too much on the positive side[]
 
Do a little research and find out how many mushers had to scratch, because the team just didn't want to run anymore, or how many dogs had to be dropped for the same reason.
 
I have no problem with mushing in general, but mushers are pushing their dogs to run 1150 miles in less than 2 weeks, many dogs just poop out.

you get these same ethical concerns in all animal sports-- horses drop dead in the campground the night after endurance races; horses crash and die over fences in eventing; foxhounds break legs and get torn up racing after their quarry; hog dogs get torn up by their quarry. And you wonder if it's fair to ask animals to do these things. But you can't really FORCE a dog to run and pull-- ask one of my dogs, who flat-out said NO to being a scooter dog. Most working animals love their jobs and it would not be fair to take that away from them. All we can do is try to make it as safe as possible for them.

From what I've understood of the history of the Iditarod, it started out much shorter and was intended to honor Lenoard Seppala, who founded the Seppala line of Siberian Huskies. In the 70's, the race was expanded to its current size and took on the historical significance of honoring the Diptheria Serum Run of 1925. The original serum run transported by plane and train and then by a series of dog teams. The last team on the journey was led by a magnificent dog named Balto. A statue stands in his honor. These days, one team is making the entire journey in less time.

H$U$...lol aka PeTA-Lite...lmao..

Yeeah. I'd like to point out that the HSUS and PETA are both very pro-BSL and part of their agenda is the elimination of companion animals in general. Not trying to get this thread off track, just pointing out that the HSUS may not be the best source for that kind of info.

Actually HSUS is quite anti-BSL and pro-pet.

Here's their BSL statement: [linkhttp://www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/dangerous_dogs.html]http://www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/dangerous_dogs.html[/link]

One can in fact be quite pro-pet but still feel queasy about breedings dogs who are so drivey that they will in fact run themselves to death if some less than scrupulous person lets them.

Ah, scratch what I said about the HSUS then. I had always heard their anti-pet agenda was the same as PETA's. Nevermind. []

Moderator hat is on,
 
This thread is not a debate about Peta and HSUS...both can be discussed in a new thread. Stay on topic...the topic was the race...not BSL or any groups feelings on it.
 
I think everyone including myself needs to stop posting on this thread for a while and cool off. I will trust you to take a break and will not be locking the thread at this time.