Stop The Iditarod!!
By: H A R I N I
Grade - IV
Grade - IV
How did the Iditarod Sled Dog Race start? Well, it started way back in 1925, when a deadly disease called diphtheria struck Nome, Alaska. Mushers had to go get the only cure which was the antitoxin serum. The mushers got the serum and passed it along in a relay until they finally got to Nome. The children and adults all got cured and years later the Iditarod was born! The Iditarod is ran every year, and is a tradition. But is it also a tradition to hurt these poor, innocent, self defenseless dogs? So, these dogs should not run the Iditarod Sled Dog race. Read on to find out how these poor dogs are being mistreated!!
To begin with, the Iditarod Sled Dog Race is way too dangerous!! For example, a dog might be facing severe frostbite, but, a musher might be too busy to notice and by the time that a musher reaches a checkpoint, it might already be too late for the dog!! Another reason is that there might sometimes be a moose attack! A moose is probably one of the dangers of running the Iditarod! A dog could be teared to pieces and a musher wouldn't be able to do anything! A poor dog's life is gone and can never be replaced!! The last reason is one that I dread, dogs could fall through ice! A dog could be walking over the frozen ice when CRACK!! The ice breaks and a dog falls in. In 1997, The Anchorage Daily News reported that “at least 107 dogs have died”
Also, some dogs get mistreated by mushers!! Some mushers who focus more on running the race forget about the need of their dogs and sometimes mushers don't give dogs enough food so the dogs perform poorly, and as said in The Anchorage Daily news it states that “ There is an undeniable need in some cases for negative reinforcements. One of the most effective tool for doing this is an electrical shocker.” Iditarod winner Joe Runyan wrote in "Winning Strategies for Distance Mushers" (1997) that he gave slackers blasts from electrical shockers. And that's not the worst part, dogs don't get enough rest, mushers sometimes race for days without stopping, but, some mushers fall asleep on the sled while those poor dogs do all of the work! And, the weather could be too cold for the dogs! Imagine a poor dog in the snow feeling cold. Would you want a dog to suffer? I wouldn't. The Anchorage daily news states that “killing unwanted sledge-dog puppies is part of doing business. Most Mushers shoot unwanted dogs in their head”
Finally, a dog could be forced to run the Iditarod! When a dog is just a puppy, the hook a sled on their backs and tell them to pull the sled that might weigh more than them!! Another reason, is that the dogs could dislike running the Iditarod, but, they have no choice. They have to run the Iditarod. Last but not least, the dogs could pass out from exhaustion. Imagine a dog running then suddenly passes out! Is it alive or gone? This sometimes happens and innocent dogs close their eyes….forever!!
To conclude, dogs should not run the Iditarod because it might be dangerous, mushers might mistreat the dogs and the dogs are sometimes forced to run the Iditarod! In 1997, The Anchorage Daily News reported that “ At least 107 dogs have died since 1997”. PeTA, otherwise known as People for the ethical Treatment of Animals, is a worldwide organization and alarms people about the cruelty of dogs on the Iditarod. It has recently reported on March 15,2017 that a 2-year-old dog named Deacon, died during the March 2017 Iditarod Sled dog Race between the race checkpoints. And it reports that “He is at least the 150th dog to die during the history of the Iditarod.” I know that the Iditarod is ran to honor the dogs, but, can we think of another way of honoring them instead of mistreating them?So many dogs are being held hostage to this horrible race, so stand with me because I vote for no more mushing!!
