Warm weather in Alaska forced organizers to alter the Anchorage-to-Nome course to reduce the risk of the dogs falling through thin ice or slipping on melting snow. But that means a race that is usually 1,100 miles is now longer by 70 miles.
"The move is simply to ensure that the race goes on, not that animals are not injured or killed," said Amy Rhodes, a spokeswoman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Chief race veterinarian Stuart Nelson points to the 35 volunteer veterinarians who monitor the dogs and a host of precautions, including mandatory rest stops and random drug testing.
The mild winter has left Anchorage with scattered piles of dirty snow and lots of muddy patches. Organizers are hauling in snow for the start, then trucking the dogs north 360 miles to begin their run.
"It's not the winter we all expected," Iditarod executive director Stan Hooley said. "It's created unusual demands to make logistical changes. It's a challenge but we're up to the task."
After today's ceremonial start in Anchorage, the 1,000 dogs will be driven to Fairbanks, where they will set off for real Monday. Running the course usually takes nine-to-12 days.
This year, the revised route will follow the Yukon River to Grayling, looping back up the Yukon to Kaltag. Mushers will then take the usual trail to the Norton Sound coast and on to the finish line in Nome.
Opponents have counted at least 118 dog deaths since the Iditarod began in 1973. The race commemorates the desperate run by sled-dog teams to deliver diphtheria serum to Nome during a 1925 epidemic.
Brian Sodergren, a spokesman for the Humane Society of the United States, said that while organizers have reduced the rate of dog deaths, the one or two a year are still too many.
"We're concerned with people trying to break time records," Sodergren said. "We're also concerned about the extreme length of the race. We're concerned when animal welfare issues are put in the background."
Iditarod officials have pursued medical research that's led to improved dog care, Nelson said.
- What: Sled-dog teams race for more than 1,000 miles in Alaska.
- When: Starts today in Anchorage.
- Notable: Field of 64 mushers includes two from Washington state, Perry Solmonson of Plain in northcentral Washington and Clint Warnke, of Bonnie Lake near Puyallup.
- On the Web: Check www.iditarod.com.