(ANCHORAGE, Alaska) — Ashley Keith used to always dream about joining the world of professional sled dog racing.
She got her first sled dog when she was 13 years old and fantasized about one day participating in the renowned 1,000-mile race in Alaska, the Iditarod.
In 2003, she thought her dream was coming true when she was asked to work as a handler for a prominent family that has competed in the Iditarod for decades.
But in reality, “that was what really killed my dream,” Keith told ABC News.
During her time as a handler, she said she was appalled by the conditions the dogs were living in — inspiring her to start Humane Mushing, a movement that fights to raise the standards for sled dog welfare.
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, also known as the “Last Great Race,” is a 1,000-mile race held annually in Alaska since its start in 1973. The competition always occurs during the peak of Alaska’s winter, requiring dogs and mushers — the drivers of the sled — to travel through frozen rivers, mountains and blizzards, according to the race’s website.
The 53rd annual Iditarod will begin with a ceremonial start on Saturday, with the official start taking place Monday. The race will not conclude until the last musher crosses the finish line, which is projected to occur on March 11.
Due to a lack of snow, this year’s race has a different starting point in Fairbanks, Alaska, which extends the competition by an additional 150 miles, according to the race organizers.
The race is a core part of Alaska’s history, stemming back to the Iditarod Trail, a path that was used as a mail route in the 20th century and was critical for transportation in the winter months when roads were obstructed, according to the race’s website.
Despite its tight connection to the culture of Alaska, some argue the race is a form of animal abuse, with dogs working under high levels of stress in extreme weather conditions.
Iditarod officials did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment. ABC News also reached out to the World Sleddog Association, Humane World for Animals and the International Sled Dog Veterinary Medical Association for comment.
Race alerts concerns of animal abuse
More than 150 dogs have reportedly died from the race since its start, including three that occurred in the 2024 race, according to PETA. Those deaths do not include dogs that died during training or the off-season, PETA noted. While these recent deaths prompted calls for the race to end, organizations have been protesting the Iditarod for decades, according to Melanie Johnson, a senior manager at PETA.
“This cruelty needs to end now,” Johnson told ABC News. “The number of dogs who die is just going to keep going up as long as the race continues.”
According to a 2001 study by the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, more than 80% of dogs that finish the Iditarod sustain persistent lung damage. A 2003 study by the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine found that dogs forced to participate in endurance racing had a 61% higher rate of stomach erosions or ulcers.
Johnson said the leading cause of death for dogs who race in the Iditarod is aspiration pneumonia, which is when the dog inhales its own vomit.
“Whenever a dog is forced to run 100 miles a day, their bodies are going to be pushed past their limits,” Johnson said.
Campaigns and protests by PETA have led several Iditarod sponsors to drop out, including Alaska Airlines, ExxonMobil and the Anchorage Chrysler dealership. With very few sponsors left, Johnson said the race is “really in dire straits.”
Veterinarian treatment at the race
Others argue the race is safe for dogs to compete in, including Dr. Lee Morgan, a veterinarian who previously provided care to canines competing in the Iditarod. In his 14 years working at the race, Morgan told ABC News only seven of the 14,000 dogs he saw have died.
“I’m not diminishing their deaths, but I see that sort of thing with any event that involves people,” Morgan said. “I’ve seen dogs that have died running on the beach with their owner. I’ve seen dogs overheat. Almost any event that involves dogs and humans, there’s a chance for unforeseen circumstances.”
Morgan, who wrote the book “4,000 Paws: Caring for the Dogs of the Iditarod,” said all dogs are required to provide blood work, a urinalysis, an EKG and must undergo a physical exam prior to competing in the race. He also said the race places multiple medical personnel on site at different checkpoints, where each dog is examined and treated for any issues.
Legality of the Iditarod
Despite the accusations of abuse, the Iditarod is a legal competition in the state of Alaska, according to Matthew Liebman, associate professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law.
Similar to other parts of the U.S., Alaska’s anti-cruelty law states a person commits cruelty to animals if the person knowingly inflicts severe or prolonged physical pain on the animal or has a legal duty to care for an animal but fails to do so, causing prolonged suffering to the animal or its death.
Liebman pointed out that Alaska includes an exemption to this law, allowing “generally accepted dog mushing or pulling contests or practices or rodeos or stock contests” to continue to operate.
“This just represents Alaska’s legislature making the determination that even if mushing does cause animals to suffer, it’s something they’re willing to tolerate for the sake of sport or tradition,” Liebman told ABC News.
Liebman said many states prohibit the “overworking” or “overdriving” of animals, meaning the Iditarod might violate anti-cruelty laws in other states.
‘No way do I want any dog on my team to die’
Typically, around 50 mushers compete in the Iditarod each year, with the record being 96 mushers in 2008, according to the race’s website. But those numbers continue to decline, with only 33 mushers registered to compete in this year’s race, which “ties for the record of the smallest field of competitors in the race’s history,” according to Johnson.
Musher Erin Altemus, who competed in the race last year, said it’s impossible to force these racing dogs to run if they don’t want to, which is exactly why she wasn’t able to complete the race in 2024.
“Ultimately what happened to me in the Iditarod is that my dogs didn’t want to run anymore,” Altemus told ABC News. “I had to respect that. There’s nothing I can do to change their minds.”
Keith said the way the dogs are strapped in, with one strap around their neck and another around their back, causes the dogs to be dragged if they ever wish to stop running. Some dogs even have to go to the bathroom without stopping, also known as “pooping on the fly,” according to Keith.
Vets and mushers claim the dogs are able to stop when they need to and are allowed time to rest at different checkpoints throughout the race, where they are also examined by a veterinary team.
At last year’s race, Altemus said she witnessed nothing but kindness and love toward the dogs, both from mushers and staff. The four-legged athletes received treats, massages, copious amounts of hay to sleep on and Prilosec to prevent stomach ulcers, Altemus said.
“If you were at a checkpoint and seeing the dogs coming and going and seeing how much they love to run and how much the mushers do care for their dogs, I think that speaks for itself,” Altemus said.
Altemus said she and other mushers “live in fear” of making a wrong decision for her dogs.
“Going into that race, you think, ‘No way do I want any dog on my team to die,'” Altemus said.
PETA will hold demonstrations at the race throughout the weekend, with one protest at the Mushers Banquet on Saturday and another at the Official Restart on Monday.
As for the future of the Iditarod, Ketih thinks the race’s “days are numbered.”
“No one who cares about their dogs is going to drive them 1,000-plus miles in one week,” Keith said. “Nobody that loves their dogs is pushing them that hard.”
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
