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A20 SPORTS
Thursday 17 OcTOber 2019

Iditarod changes tack, will meet with animal welfare leader

By RACHEL D'ORO durance racing and apply race multiple times with no
Associated Press the result to dogs who are harm, Urbach said, not-
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) driven past their limits," she ing that Iditarod dogs are
— The new head of Alaska's said. outdoor animals that train
Iditarod plans to meet with The Thursday summit, as Ur- daily and are at their prime
a leader of an animal wel- bach calls it, comes after a in sub-zero weather.
fare group that's devoted difficult time for the Iditarod "There might have been
to ending the world's most that was marked in recent some culling years ago, but
famous sled dog race, years by escalating pres- that's not part of the Iditar-
which it sees as a cruel, sure from animal activists od's culture going forward,"
deadly event for its canine over multiple dog deaths, a Urbach said.
participants. 2017 dog-doping scandal Reiman said human ath-
Organizers of the 1,000-mile and the loss of big-name letes aren't chained out-
wilderness trek have for de- sponsors. side in freezing weather
cades ignored or taken a Urbach said the Iditarod and they get proper nu-
defensive stance against In this March 3, 2018, file photo, Anchorage resident Terry Fisch- and PETA both care about trition and hydration. Her
er, with his Alaskan Husky Litho, happens into the People For the
People for the Ethical Treat- Ethical Treatment of Animals, PETA protest prior to the ceremoni- animal welfare, and he group has documented
ment of Animals, said Iditar- al start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage, Alaska. hopes the two can find that Iditarod dogs are "fed
od CEO Rob Urbach, who Associated Press common ground through rotten slop" and frozen wa-
took the helm of the orga- education about the race ter, she said.
nization in July. about animal welfare," time she has talked with Ur- and treatment of the dogs. "We're not opposed to a
The old response hasn't Urbach said Tuesday. "If bach. The Thursday meet- However, he said PETA has thousand-mile race, but
worked, Urbach said. He there's something we can ing will be the first in per- long spread "grossly inac- the true test of endurance
has started talking to PETA learn from their organiza- son, after Urbach asked to curate and inflammatory" is when humans do it under
about dog care and will tion, I'm willing to listen." meet. information about the Idi- their own power — as some
meet Thursday with the Reiman plans to talk about Reiman noted that as a for- tarod, saying it ruins dogs have — and leave dogs out
group's executive vice the differences between mer CEO of USA Triathlon, that don't die on the trail; of it," she wrote. By PETA's
president Tracy Reiman in "the needs and behavior Urbach knows endurance dogs are kept outdoors in count, more than 150 dogs
Los Angeles. of dogs and those of hu- sports but not when ap- freezing temperatures; and have died in the race, in-
"I'm coming in with open mans," she said in an email plied to dogs. ones that can't make the cluding one this year. Five
ears and eyes, to have an to The Associated Press. "You can't extrapolate from grade are killed. dogs connected with the
objective conversation She said it will be the third human experiences in en- Plenty of dogs have run the 2017 race also died.q