Missing Necropsies: PETA Slams Iditarod Secrecy Over Dogs’ Deaths

For Immediate Release:
August 19, 2024

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Unusually, the Iditarod has failed to release the necropsy reports for the three young dogs—Bog, Henry, and George—who died during this year’s race, even though the event concluded over five months ago. That’s why PETA sent a letter this morning to Iditarod CEO Rob Urbach demanding to know why he hasn’t released the necropsy results, as the event has done in previous years. The 2024 Iditarod was one of the deadliest in recent years. In addition to the deaths during the event, five dogs were killed during training before the race even began, and more than 200 others were pulled off the trail due to illness, injury, exhaustion, or other causes, forcing the remaining ones to work even harder.

Bog’s musher tries to force him to stand after he collapsed. Credit: PETA

“Three more young dogs were run to death during this grueling and cruel race, and the public deserves to know how they died,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA is calling on the Iditarod to release the necropsies for Bog, Henry, and George now and to stop forcing dogs to race until their paws bleed and their bodies give out.”

More than 150 dogs have died in the Iditarod, with aspiration pneumonia (caused by inhaling their own vomit) the most common cause. That number doesn’t include the countless others who have died during the off-season while chained outside in all weather extremes or those killed because they didn’t make the grade.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

PETA’s letter to Urbach follows.

August 19, 2024

Rob Urbach, CEO

Iditarod Trail Committee

Dear Mr. Urbach:

I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals—PETA entities have more than 9 million members and supporters globally—after receiving information that calls into question the Iditarod’s accountability regarding the deaths of three young dogs during this year’s race. The public and anyone who funds this race deserve to know what happened to these dogs, so why have you failed to release the necropsy results for Bog, George, and Henry?

As you know, this year’s Iditarod was one of the deadliest in recent memory. These three young dogs were forced to run hundreds of miles in the freezing cold until their bodies broke down and they collapsed and died on the trail. Even before the race began, five dogs were killed and eight others were injured during training. Approximately 200 dogs were pulled off the trail due to illness, injury, exhaustion, or other causes. It’s a despicable record of suffering, cruelty, and death.

The Iditarod’s history of condoning egregious animal abuse goes well beyond these deaths. This year, while a dog named Faloo had to be airlifted for emergency surgery after her musher prioritized winning over securing immediate veterinary care, the musher received only a two-hour penalty—and it was unrelated to Faloo’s delayed care. In 2023, the Iditarod allowed a musher to win the event despite being caught on video dragging his visibly exhausted dogs during the race. And in 2022, when mushers acted to prevent dogs’ deaths by sheltering them from a dangerous storm, the Iditarod initially penalized them.

Well over 150 dogs have died in this grueling vanity race, including Oshi, who died in 2019 from aspiration pneumonia after inhaling her own vomit; Smoke, who died in 2017 of hyperthermia; Dorado, who died in 2013 from asphyxiation after being buried by snow; and Snickers, who died in 2007 from an acute hemorrhage due to a gastric ulcer. The Iditarod released the necropsy results in those cases, so why hasn’t it done the same now?

Horrified viewers watched as Bog collapsed in his harness on the trail, lying motionless on the icy ground while his musher tried to make him stand before lifting his limp body. They have a right to know how Bog and the other young dogs died. Please let us know when you will be releasing the necropsy results for these dogs.

Sincerely,

Ingrid Newkirk

President