The Iditarod requires mushers to belong to Mush with P.R.I.D.E., a group that encourages the abuse of Iditarod sled dogs. P.R.I.D.E. stands for Providing Responsible Information on a Dog's Environment. See below for the actions you can take against Mush with P.R.I.D.E.
 

Mush with P.R.I.D.E. promotes killing dogs:

In the section entitled Keeping Your Kennel the Right Size of the Mush with P.R.I.D.E. guidelines, there is a subsection entitled "What to Do With Dogs You Don't Want to Keep." Here they not only advocate killing dogs in cases of deformity, serious injuries, sickness, or old age, but also killing dogs who do not perform as sled dogs and are "behaviorally unsuitable" as pets. Obviously, this policy does not comport with the usual standards of animal care.

Dogs run to the end of their tethers and are jerked back by their chains. [click for a larger image]

There are many dogs who are old and deformed, but who nevertheless still enjoy life and continue to provide pleasure to their human companions.  Old or deformed Iditarod dogs are put to death simply because they are no longer profitable to their owners. This drops even the pretense of humane and proper treatment of these dogs. According to Mush with P.R.I.D.E., "many sled dogs do not make good pets". If these dogs are unsuitable as pets, it is because of the mistreatment they received during their lives as sled dogs.

Iditarod kennels acquire and breed many more dogs than can be used in the Iditarod race. The reason for this is simple; it is impossible to predict which dogs will become good racing dogs or for how long a good racer will remain a good racer. Therefore, the kennel owner maintains a large pool of dogs, and ultimately many become unwanted or "surplus."
 
 

Mush with P.R.I.D.E. promotes debarking, the mutilation of dogs:

In the section entitled The Dog Yard and Housing, there is mention of debarking and tethering dogs. Debarking is a form of mutilation involving the complete and irreversible destruction of the dog's larynx or vocal cords. This painful surgical procedure leaves the dog permanently defenseless and psychologically damaged.

- Debarking is mutilation:

"To accommodate my clients, I was obliged throughout my career to do many interventions and procedures that I came to dislike enormously, like...debarking dogs...."

These amputations are strictly for the benefit of the owner. They serve no therapeutic or medical purpose. They are not surgeries in the true sense of the word.

The word mutilation is much more appropriate."

- Charles Danten, DVM, in a speech presented to the Montreal Rotary Club on January 6, 2000, and published on Dr. Danten's website


- Debarking interferes with breathing:

"Excessive tissue removal results in scar tissue formation that can interfere with breathing."

- Letter from Christine M. Runnels, DVM, Diplomat, American College of Veterinary Surgeons, March 7, 2005


- Debarked dogs more prone to aspirate digestive juices leading to pneumonia:

Dr. Paula Kislak: "This surgery is especially bad, because even under the best of circumstances animals, because of the messing around in the throat area, that are debarked are more prone to aspirate their own digestive juices. And when dogs are put under these intense circumstances of racing and they're gasping all the time, they're constantly aspirating or inhaling any vomit or digestive juice that comes up in their mouth, and that sets them up for life-threatening aspiration pneumonias. So that's a double whammy of the debarking."

Rob Moore: "This debarking, what is the procedure?"

Dr. Paula Kislak: "It's a surgical procedure requiring general anesthesia. There's two actual procedures one goes from the outside of the throat and one goes from the inside of the throat, but it's the cutting of the vocal cords basically."

- Dr. Paula Kislak, DVM, is president of the Association of Veterinarins for Animal Rights
- Rob Moore hosts Animal Voices, a radio show in Toronto Canada.
- This interview was done on February 28, 2006


Mush with P.R.I.D.E. promotes deformity and disease:

In the section entitled Exercise and Training there is a subsection entitled "Weight Pulling." Dogs are specifically bred to perform many tasks including herding, gathering, burrowing, pulling wheelchairs etc., but pulling exceptionally heavy loads is not one of them. Training dogs to pull great weight goes against the dogs' natural instincts. Making them behave so unnaturally involves abusive training that results in harm and deformity to the dog.
 
 

Mush with P.R.I.D.E. promotes inhumane kennel practices:

The USDA policy, under the Animal Welfare Act, rejects tethering as an inhumane practice that is not in the animal's best interests. The permanent chaining of dogs is prohibited in all cases where federal law applies. In the sections entitled Tethering Policy Statement and The Dog Yard and Housing, Mush with P.R.I.D.E. opposes this conclusion and encourages mushers to permanently tether their dogs on five foot chains. The USDA has determined that tethering causes many injuries. It eliminates normal dog interactions and severely limits the dog's ability to exercise.

Our beliefs and what you can do to help:

We believe that kennel owners should immediately end their mistreatment of dogs as we described above. Please use the email links below to write to Cabelas and the other sponsors of Mush with P.R.I.D.E. to ask them to stop sponsoring this group because its guidelines promote the abuse of dogs.

Sample letter to P.R.I.D.E. sponsors Dear Please end your sponsorship of Mush with P.R.I.D.E. because this group encourages the abuse of Iditarod sled dogs. They promote killing healthy dogs who are no longer considered profitable.  They condone dog mutilation, practices that cause deformity and disease, and keeping dogs permanently tethered on five foot chains. The USDA policy, under the Animal Welfare Act, rejects tethering as an inhumane practice that is not in the animal's best interests. The permanent chaining of dogs is prohibited in all cases where federal law applies. Mush with P.R.I.D.E. opposes this conclusion. The USDA has determined that tethering causes many injuries. It eliminates normal dog interactions and severely limits the dog's ability to exercise. Mush with P.R.I.D.E. should be ashamed of itself for encouraging dog abuse. Sincerely,

Sponsor contact information:

Dick and Jim Cabela
Cabela's
One Cabela Drive
Sidney, NE 69160
email: customer.service@cabelas.com


Ronald Duncan, CEO
GCI
Email:admin_mgmt_external@gci.com

International Sled Dog Veterinary Medical Association
Email: isdvma@isdvma.org

Please also help the Iditarod dogs by emailing Iditarod/musher sponsors.
These sponsors are listed on our sponsor page .
 

 

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