Steven W. Berglund, CEO
Trimble Navigation Limited
935 Stewart Drive Post
Sunnyvale, CA 94085

Subject: Please stop sponsoring the cruel Iditarod race

Dear Mr.Berglund,

Beauty Without Cruelty is an international educational charitable trust which works for the cause of animal rights. Many BWC members have informed us about the cruelties inflicted on dogs in Iditarod races. Mentioned below are some cruelty facts which are not disclosed by the organizers of these races. We request you to please go through them and consider our request.

Training:

As part of their training, many mushers force their dogs to pull very heavy loads, which can cause hip and spine injuries. The Iditarod Trail Committee does not release information about dogs that die after the race.

Some dogs are tethered to exercise wheels as part of their pre-race training. Because the dogs run at varying speeds, the slower runners are pulled along by the neck, which causes injuries. Dogs that are tired or ill are forced to run. The number of injuries from the exercise wheel goes unreported.

Torture during the race:

Some injuries and disorders that occur during the race include spinal injuries, bone fractures, sore and cut paws, ruptured tendon sheaths, torn muscles, sore joints, dehydration, stress and diarrhea. Intestinal infections occur when mushers feed their dogs food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. When temperatures rise, dog food dropped off and left outside during the race often spoils. On average, 50% of the dogs who start the race cannot make it across the finish line.

Inhumane treatment towards the dogs by participants and winners:

Jerry Riley, 1975 Iditarod winner was accused of striking his dog with a snow hook.

In 1996 Rick Swenson's dog died while he mushed his team through waist-deep water and ice. 

Dog deaths:

In almost all of the Iditarod races, at least one dog death has occurred. >From the year 1997 a total of 142 dogs have died. These counts are based on the deaths reported. There are many deaths which are not reported.

Cruelty in the kennels:

When the dogs are not racing they are kept in kennels where many dogs are treated cruelly. Some kennels have as many as 200 dogs.

In most kennels, dogs spend their entire lives chained up to their dog house. In these musher's kennels, a dog can have a chain as short as four feet long. The permanent chaining of dogs is prohibited in all cases where federal law applies.

"Killing unwanted sled-dog puppies is part of doing business" Anchorage Daily News, (October 6, 1991). The mushers cull by shooting dogs in the head. An animal who is not properly restrained when the musher shoots suffers an agonizing death. Mushers also cull dogs that are injured in the Iditarod, old but otherwise healthy dogs, or any dog that is not wanted for any reason.

No veterinary care:

Mushers who live in small towns where there are no roads and no veterinarians have to fly their dogs in small airplanes hundreds of miles to obtain treatment. This is the reason why many dogs that live in kennels far from veterinarians and animal hospitals don’t receive adequate veterinary care.

During the race, veterinarians do not give the dogs physical exams at every checkpoint. Mushers speed through many checkpoints, so the dogs get the briefest visual checks. Instead of pulling sick dogs from the race, veterinarians frequently give them massive doses of antibiotics to keep them running.

"Iditarod dogs love running, and race reminds us of history" Thomas Thuneman's. With this reference it needs to be said that the Iditarod race does not honor history. I am sure no organization especially an esteemed one like yours would like to associate themselves with this horrific race. Iditarod is an outrage and we request your organization to stop sponsoring and supporting this race.

Sincerely,