Two-Time Runner-Up Ramy Brooks Disqualified From Iditarod for Abusing Dogs: Hits Each of 10 Dogs with A Lathe: One Dog Dies Next Day

Just last week we did a posting on the truth behind the Iditarod - http://geari.blogspot.com/2007/03/why-is-iditarod-cruel-and-what.html

As stated, these dogs are forced to run through abuse. Many end up dead or very sick. Well, telling proof has arrived in this story. Keep in mind that this isn’t some amateur here; this was a t two-time runner-up who was disqualified for abusing the dogs. So, it falls to conclude that is he is doing it, then it’s common place. And, as you’ll see, just after the abuse, one of the dogs actually died on the trail. So, not only abused, but then forced this dog to run sick and literally killed it. I can imagine the pain suffered as she ran sick and bruised from the musher’s abuse. Even more, the article claims the abuse came because the dogs were literally exhausted and couldn’t move. Just read these paragraphs from the article below. They really paint the true picture of what is actually behind the Iditarod:

“The 38-year-old Brooks hit each of his 10 dogs with a trail marking lathe, similar to a surveyor’s stake, after two refused to get up and continue running on an ice field, race marshal Mark Nordman told The Associated Press from Nome on Sunday.

Witnesses reported the incident to race officials. It happened Tuesday near Golovin, about 90 miles from the end of the 1,100-mile sled dog race in Nome.

“He lost his temper,” Nordman said. “He spanked each dog on the team, just a real frustrating moment for him.”

One of Brooks’ dogs died the next day on the trail, between White Mountain and Safety, the last checkpoint before Nome.”

For additional facts on why the Iditarod is cruel see http://www.helpsleddogs.org/faq.htm



Article:

Iditarod officials disqualify musher for hitting dogs

http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2007/03/19/
news/national/doc45fe8953ed06b757796574.txt

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Two-time runner-up Ramy Brooks was disqualified from the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race for abusing his dogs.

The 38-year-old Brooks hit each of his 10 dogs with a trail marking lathe, similar to a surveyor’s stake, after two refused to get up and continue running on an ice field, race marshal Mark Nordman told The Associated Press from Nome on Sunday.

“He felt it was a discipline he needed to get his team off the ice,” Nordman said.

Witnesses reported the incident to race officials. It happened Tuesday near Golovin, about 90 miles from the end of the 1,100-mile sled dog race in Nome.

“He lost his temper,” Nordman said. “He spanked each dog on the team, just a real frustrating moment for him.”

One of Brooks’ dogs died the next day on the trail, between White Mountain and Safety, the last checkpoint before Nome.

Nordman said based on inconclusive necropsy results on Kate, a 3-year-old female, he has no reason to believe the two incidents were related. Further tests were being conducted.

An animal rights group was upset about the incident because it came when the dogs did not want to run.

“I’m sure they’re exhausted and sick of the whole thing,” said Lisa Wathne, a spokeswoman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.