Guest guest Posted February 6, 2000 Report Share Posted February 6, 2000 From Sled Dog Action Coalition, http://www.helpsleddogs.org The Iditarod dog sled race spawns puppy mills. In Iditarod kennels or puppy mills, killing unwanted dogs is a common practice among mushers. These mushers breed many dogs, hoping to get a few who will be fast enough to race. According to an article in the Anchorage Daily News, " Killing unwanted sled-dog puppies is part of doing business " (October 6, 1991). Most of the mushers cull by shooting their dogs in the head. An animal who is not properly restrained when the musher shoots may suffer an agonizing death. Mushers also kill dogs who are injured in the Iditarod, old but otherwise healthy dogs, or any dog who is not wanted for any reason. Musher Lorraine Temple said, " They (the big racing outfits) can't keep a dog who's a mile an hour too slow " (Currents, Fall, 1999). Animal protection groups across the United States condemn the Iditarod dog sled race and the kennels it spawns. Please write to the Iditarod race sponsors and the Iditarod musher sponsors listed below. A sample letter is also provided for your use: Sample Letter: Dear I understand your company is associated with the Iditarod, and I would like to bring some facts to your attention about this brutal race and the kennels it spawns. Animal protection groups across the United States condemn the Iditarod dog sled race and the kennels for their cruelty. In the Iditarod, dogs are forced to run 1,150 miles over a grueling terrain in 9 to 14 days, which is the approximate distance between Denver and LA. Dog deaths and injuries are common in the race. Jon Saraceno, sports columnist for USA Today, called the race " Ihurtadog " and " an outrage. " Please visit the Sled Dog Action Coalition website http://www.helpsleddogs.org to see pictures and for more information. The Iditarod dog sled race spawns puppy mills. In Iditarod kennels or puppy mills, killing unwanted dogs is a common practice among mushers. These mushers breed many dogs, hoping to get a few who will be fast enough to race. According to an article in the Anchorage Daily News, " Killing unwanted sled-dog puppies is part of doing business " (October 6, 1991). Most of the mushers cull by shooting their dogs in the head. An animal who is not properly restrained when the musher shoots may suffer an agonizing death. Mushers also kill dogs who are injured in the Iditarod, old but otherwise healthy dogs, or any dog who is not wanted for any reason. Musher Lorraine Temple said, " They (the big racing outfits) can't keep a dog who's a mile an hour too slow " (Currents, Fall, 1999). It is standard for the dogs to spend their entire lives outside tethered to metal chains that can be as short as four feet long. In 1997 the United States Department of Agriculture determined that the tethering of dogs was inhumane and not in the animals' best interests. The chaining of dogs as a primary means of enclosure is prohibited in all cases where federal law applies. A dog who is permanently tethered is forced to urinate and defecate where he sleeps, which conflicts with his natural instinct to eliminate away from his living area. Being close to his own fecal material, a dog can easily catch deadly parasitical diseases by stepping in or sniffing his own waste. Please end your involvement with the Iditarod. Sincerely, IDITAROD MUSHER SPONSORS: Bernard Marcus,Chmn Home Depot 2455 Paces Ferry Rd. Atlanta, GA 30339-4024 Phone: 1-800-430-3376 (toll free) Fax: 770-384-2337 Email Message Box: http://www.homedepot.com/cgi-bin/prel80/index.jsp (Click " Contact Us " at top of page.) Vikki Jaramillo's students at James Baldwin Literacy Center c/o Dr. Judith Rizzo, Deputy Chancellor of Instruction New York City Board of Education 110 Livingston St. Brooklyn, New York 11201 Phone: (718) 935-2777 Fax: (718) 935-4174 Email: jrizzo Martin D. Feinstein, Chairman & CEO Farmers Insurance (Farmers Group, Inc.) 4680 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, California 90010 Phone: 323-930-4149 Phone: 1-800-332-4639 (toll free) Phone: 323/932-3341 Fax: 323-964-8095 Email: jbeyer David E. Shaw, Executive Chairman Blue Ridge Pharmaceuticals (IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.) One IDEXX Drive Westbrook, ME 04092 Phone: 207-856-0300 Phone: 207-856-8155 Fax: 207-856-0346 Fax: 207-856-0319 Email: investorrelations David W. Grainger, Senior Chairman W. W. Grainger, Inc. (business to business distributors of equipment & supplies) 100 Grainger Parkway Lake Forest, IL 60045-5201 Email: postoffice IDITAROD RACE SPONSORS: Peter H. Coors, CEO Coors Brewing Company P.O. Box 4030, NH 300 Golden, CO 80401 Phone: 1-800-642-6116 then press 2 (toll free) Fax: 303-277-5415 Email: consumers Andrall E. Pearson, Chmn/CEO Pizza Hut (Tricon Global Restaurants) 660 Steamboat Road Greenwich, CT 06830 Phone: 1-888-874-4986 (toll free) Fax: 502-874-2195 Email: PHICustomerValueTeam Edgar Bronfman, Jr.,CEO Seagram Company, Ltd. (owns 92% of Universal Studios and is a large distiller) 1430 Peel St. Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 159 Email: career_opportunities Steven A. Burd, CEO Carr (Safeway, Inc.) Safeway also operates Vons, Dominicks, Randall Food Markets 5918 Stoneridge Mall Rd. Pleasanton, CA 94588 Phone: 925-467-3000 Fax: 925-467-3321 Email Message box: http://www.safeway.com (Click " Feedback " on the left side of page.) Chris Sullivan, CEO Outback Steakhouse, Inc. 550 North Reo Street, Suite 200 Tampa, FL 33609 Fax: (813) 282-1209 Email message box: http://www.outback.com/html/email/contact.htm Jeffrey Brotman, Chmn Costco Companies, Inc. 999 Lake Drive Issaquah, WA 98027 Phone: 1-800-774-2678 (toll free) Fax: 425-313-8114 Email: CustomerService Erwin Potts, Chmn Anchorage Daily News/McClatchy Company (owns newspapers thoughout the U.S.) 2100 Q St. Sacramento, CA 95816 Phone: 916-321-1846 Fax: 916-321-1964 Email: elintecum ____ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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