The American Beagler Forum

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (March 8) - A dog in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race died on Saturday. The 7-year-old male, named Zaster, was the first dog death in this year's race.

Rookie musher John Stetson left the dog with officials at the Ophir checkpoint early Friday. The dog had been showing signs of pneumonia.
.....Does anyone else find this race cruel? I'm sorry BUT I do,,,,I say let the dog's ride the sled and let the mushers pull them for miles! Shannon

Know the breed before you judge!!!!!!!!!

They are bred to work and pull. That is unfortunate that he died. Remember not to criticize another persons sport, you wouldn't want someone to take away yours!!!!!!!!!

If you have ever spent any time around a musher or mushers, most of these folks are very in tune to what is going on with their dogs, they also pay very close attention to diet and exercise etc. These dogs are bred for one thing-to run and I think every musher would tell you that they have dogs in their kennel that would run themselves literally to death! So no I dont find it cruel it is a hell of a test for man and beast. Kurt Robinson

i dont think it is cruel, the dogs are breed for this purpose, when i have watch the iditarod the musher take very good care of the dogs, they are vet checked during the race, their food is cooked, they are bedded down , the mushers are in daily, hourly and almost every minute in contact with their dogs, it is unforutnate a dog died, to me it would be an adventure to get a chance to run in one, just my opinion !

shannon, since you post on here, I assume that you are a beagler, so I will relate a story that happened at a trial I was at. It was just a derby trial and the turnout was not all that great. In one of the packs, as the hounds were persuing a rabbit, the rabbit took them under a brushpile. One of the dogs either slipped or miscalculated or something and fell and was impaled by a piece of wood. The dog died.. DO YOU THINK BEAGLING IS CRUEL????? Point is, anytime you do something, it comes with a certain degree of risk. Our hounds choose to take the risk when chasing rabbits. Sled dogs choose to take the risk when doing what they are bred to do. Remember, those sled dogs are not forced to pull that sled, they do it eagerly and willingly, much the same as our merry little hounds approach their tasks for us. Enjoy what you do and remember life without some risk is not worth living, it is the challange before us that drives us. Joe K.

Point is, anytime you do something, it comes with a certain degree of risk. Our hounds choose to take the risk when chasing rabbits. Sled dogs choose to take the risk when doing what they are bred to do. Remember, those sled dogs are not forced to pull that sled, they do it eagerly and willingly, much the same as our merry little hounds approach their tasks for us. Enjoy what you do and remember life without some risk is not worth living, it is the challange before us that drives us. Joe K.

I completely agree. I'm sure there are many people out there who think beagling is cruel out of pure ignorance.

I think most everyone has covered most aspects other than..... let's keep in mind the origin of dog sledding was a must in order for the survival of human life. Yes it is unfortunate that this dog died and others have and will also but it happens in our sport as well. Joe related a story of it at a trial but I have read MANY other stories about other incidents from being hit by cars to hangings, electrocutions etc. As a fellow dog sporting enthusiast we need to support others instead of bashing them. Although I run beagles and not sled dogs I support them as I would hope they support us. PETA will be all over this incident in an effort to stop all dog related sporting events let's please not act like them.

the dog handlers is them races know them dogs better than you know your wife they keep a close eye on them

I thought this was a beagle sit not the iditerod site. I am sure there are other sites to discuss this, but not here. Mike

Mike, you are right that this is a beagling website and that the Iditarod is far from beagling, but I have been a member of this board since its inception in the '90s (this is actually the third board the American Beagler has had, given renovations and changing of the guard) and I can see where this could directly affect our sport. Peta looks for things like this to attempt to shed a bad light on all perceived "uses" of dogs, including hunting dogs. It is good for this board to discuss happenings like this to be aware of how Peta handles it so we can be ready when they come looking for us. The members here look uot for one another this way. I'm sure you would rather be warned than caught by surprise. Besides, there is plenty of hunting and running info to keep us informed that way as well. ALways look for something useful in every post.

We are definitely 3 boards later, bandwidth upgraded twice, but don't forget me just yet, David. There's been no changing of the guard, lol. I'm still hangin' in here after 8 years of owning the board.

About the Iditarod dog. I'm 100% confident that we have each lost a dog or dogs, despite the best care and mothering we could give them. As in people, they all have their time. I'm sure that musher is heartbroken. They spend much more time with their dogs than most of us and their bond is very strong.

You sure are on the wrong side with this one. are you a vegetarian also ?????

good post joey k.

People have a choice. These dogs do not. Most of these comments must be being posted by Iditaroders or their shills. Saw it years ago when a local pound was under investigation for cruelty and there was evidence a foot deep in the files of extreme cruelty, but the shills for the pound kept sending in letters about how wonderful the pound was, how well the animals were treated, and what lovely people run the place. If any reader cares about the dogs, go to helpsleddogs.org and see the injuries the dogs suffer, how mushers have admitted to falling asleep on the sled (big, tough athletes), beating and whipping the dogs to make them go when they don't want to. How the dogs are chained up when not pulling a sled, attacked and killed by bears because they can't escape. How dogs and puppies are "culled" (nice euphemism) by hanging, drowning, axing to death, etc. If you want to know the truth, don't listen to people who have a vested interest or who have had a nice sanitized show put on!!!!!!
and just for everyone INFO,,,I DO not attend trials anymore due to seeing beagles beat in the field and the cheating and fighting among so called sportsmen all the time,,,Shannon

Dog sledding is a sport. They don't need dogs for transportation. Beagling is a sport. We don't need rabbits for food. The sports are different but also simular. We need to support the guys who use sled-dogs. We may need their support one day. I may or may not agree with how others use their dogs, but i'm not going to say they are wrong, because i don't want them to say i'm wrong for hunting with beagles.