Final decision on Iditarod abuse case.

[lakotasong]

By CRAIG MEDRED
Published: May 18, 2007
Last Modified: May 18, 2007 at 02:34 PM


The board of directors of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Friday unanimously voted to suspend Ramy Brooks of Healy for two years and place him on probation for another three.

Action came after an appearance by Brooks before the board followed by about three hours of private deliberation. Brooks made no public comments afterwards, but his attorney said he contested claims he'd beaten, kicked and hit dogs with a sled pole in the village of Golovin during this year's race.

Brooks had earlier admitted to spanking his dogs with trail-marking lathe after they stopped along the trail in that village. He was subsequently disqualified from the 2007 race.

The board met Friday to consider further sanctions in the light of accusations that arose later that the musher did far more than spank the dogs.

The board received a 21-page report from Anchorage attorney Bob Stewart that detailed interviews with six Golovin residents who witnessed what happened. Reports of witness were consistent that Brooks kicked his dogs.

One of them, Maude Paniptchuk, "saw Ramy try to kick a dog or dogs in the middle of the team," according to the report.

Robert Moses, another witness quoted in the report, said that after hearing dogs crying he "turned around and saw Brooks kicking his leaders. ... Some of the dogs were lying on their side."

Another Golovin resident, David Amuktoolik Jr., also said Brooks kicked his dogs.

Brooks appeared for about an hour before the board. While he later declined to speak with reporters, his wife, Cathy, did so.

Near tears at times, she defending her husband, saying, "He's been very honest and upfront from the get go.

"He loves his family. It breaks his heart to see them hurt."

After Brooks left the board meeting, his attorney, Thomas Wang, said his client was hoping to remain in dog mushing and had no plans to sue the Iditarod. "We're not remotely thinking about a lawsuit," he said.

source: adn (http://www.adn.com/front/picture_inset/story/8896278p-8796313c.html)

You can also read the investigation documents here: http://www.adn.com/static/includes/news/brooks.pdf

NOTE: The above link (.pdf) contains a little profanity (what Ramy was screaming at his dogs as he beat them). The things that Ramy admits to are absolutely horrible.

[Nancy]

lakotasong - you've been an investigator - what do you think of this outcome?

BTW, I went to your website - amazing pack you have! Strong work too!

[lakotasong]

I think that, considering who is on the Iditarod board, it's no wonder Ramy's punishment is so lenient. I don't like the race in and of itself, and this is one more reason why it should be changed or stopped. Ramy should be out of dogs for life.

[Rottweilerlvr]

I am not one for abuse or neglect when it comes to dogs but the Iditarod has alot of history and just like any piece of history, I think it should be preserved and continued...

[lakotasong]

Actually, the Iditarod as it is run today does not honor any history. A single team did not originally run 1,000+ miles.

Is the Iditarod a commemoration?

The Iditarod Trail Committee promotes the Iditarod as a commemoration of the 1925 Anchorage to Nome diphtheria serum run. However, the race actually celebrates the memory of musher Leonhard Seppala. The Iditarod was patterned after the All-Alaskan Sweepstakes which were races held in the early 1900s. The Iditarod was not patterned after the serum run.

The idea for the Iditarod started with Dorothy Page.

"(In 1967) run in two heats over a 25-mile course, the race was officially named the Iditarod Trail Seppala Memorial Race, in honor of mushing legend Leonhard Seppala." "Over the years, the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race's origins have been closely linked with the 'great mercy race' to Nome. Most people believe the Iditarod was established to honor drivers and dogs who carried the diphtheria serum, a notion the media have perpetuated. In reality, 'Seppala was picked to represent all the mushers,' Page stressed. 'He died in 1967 and we thought it was appropriate to name the race in his honor. But it could just as easily have been named after Scotty Allan. The race was patterned after the Sweepstakes races, not the serum run.'"

- Dorothy Page, co-founder of the Iditarod, discussing the origins of the race
- Sherwonit, Bill. Iditarod, Seattle:Alaska Northwest Books, 1991

(Bill Sherwonit reported on sled dog racing for over ten years for the Anchorage Times. He wrote articles for numerous publications including National Wildlife magazine and the Anchorage Daily News.)

Joe Redington, Sr. later expanded the original 1967 event making it longer and more lucrative. There are few similarities between the route of the serum run and the
present-day Iditarod dog sled race routes. In the serum run, a train carried the medication from Anchorage to Nenana. From there the dogs ran the remaining 674 miles in relays to Norton Sound and up the Bering Sea Coast to Nome. There were 20 serum mushers with dog teams and no dog ran over 92 miles.

The Iditarod race follows a northern route in even-numbered years and a southern route in odd numbered years. The northern route goes from Anchorage to Ophir and then north to Ruby. The southern route goes from Anchorage to McGrath and then on to Unalakleet. Only the trails from Ruby to Nome and Unalakleet to Nome have similarities to the serum run route.


Iditarod does not honor history:

Anchorage Daily News - Letters to the editor, May 22, 2005:

"Serum run of 1925 was a relay

With reference to Thomas Thuneman's letter, it needs to be said that the Iditarod Race does not honor history ("Iditarod dogs love running, and race reminds us of history," May 14). The serum run was done in relays and not a grueling, money-oriented 1,100-mile race. Change the direction of the Iditarod race to honor "true history" and there will be more support and far less criticism.

---- Ethel D. Christensen Anchorage

EDITOR'S NOTE: The writer is director of a local animal welfare organization."

(Sled Dog Action Coalition Note: Mrs. Christensen is the executive director of the Alaska SPCA.)


source SDAC (http://helpsleddogs.org/faq.htm#4)

[turnerlvv]

All dogs need some kind of work. And to find out who is the best, we need competitions. Iditarod is the ultimate of sled racin So I too think it should be continued. Of coarse the dogs need to be treated right and well cared for.

Thank you for the link. Lol I hadnt heard anything on this case ;)

[Nancy]

I think some of the rules & practices in the race are issues to question. Allowing to "spank" the dogs, drivers carrying whips but denying they use them, dropping a sick dog but not allowing a replacement which increases the burden to the remaining, viruses/diarrhea/sicknesses can pass from the front dogs to the rear dogs due to diarrhea while they're running or through the whole pack, drivers can't be "too" drunk, drivers can "lease" a pack for the run without even knowing the dogs. Vets are at checkpoints but some racers don't stay long enough for a vet to inspect the team. The race started as a 27 mile race to commemorate dog teams used in transportation and hauling. It's since turned into a 1,000 miles for tens of thousands of dollars and people from all over the world compete. As in any racing, including my favorite (bicycling) there are some that abuse the rules, and this case it can be abusive to a dog - obviously not all. I've seen a documentary on tv about the dogs and how hard it is on them.

I'm sure it brings many dollars to the economy & opens the area to something that isn't usually available. Other races have instituted some more humane rules. Thank goodness someone rescues those dogs and looks after them!

Are there any other animal races that are this long & harsh on the animal? Besides horses, are there other races that people are allowed to beat the animals (I know they're called crops but they sure look like they're beating them at the finale).