Protesters to Descend on Chrysler Over Iditarod Sponsorship

PETA Presence at Anchorage Chrysler Center Will Urge Dealership to Stop Bankrolling Race That Hurts, Kills Dogs

For Immediate Release:
March 6, 2019

Contact:
Brooke Rossi 202-483-7382

A Chrysler franchise in Anchorage still sponsors the Iditarod—even though 150 dogs have died since the race began—prompting protesters to stand with signs reading, “Chrysler: Stop Driving Dogs to Their Death” outside the Anchorage Chrysler Center on Thursday. Last year, 350 dogs were pulled from the race, likely because of exhaustion, injury, or illness—and one dog died, apparently from choking on his own vomit, the leading cause of death for dogs in this race.

When:    Thursday, March 7, 6 p.m.

Where:    Anchorage Chrysler Center, 2601 E. Fifth Ave. (at the intersection of E. Fifth Avenue and Mountain View Drive), Anchorage

“No company should want its name attached to a race that forces dogs to run so far, so fast, and in such extreme weather conditions that some choke to death on their own vomit,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA is calling on Chrysler to cut ties with the despicable, dog-killing Iditarod.”

PETA, whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment,” notes that hundreds of dogs are pulled from the Iditarod every year because they’re too injured or ill to go on—and countless dogs die immediately after the race, during training, or while chained to plastic barrels outside during the off-season.

Jack Daniel’s recently ended its 15-year Iditarod sponsorship, adding its name to a long list of companies—including Costco, Maxwell House, Nestlé, Pizza Hut, Rite Aid, Safeway, and Wells Fargo—that have cut ties with the race. 

 For more information, please visit PETA.org.