"Iditarod disgrace: As death toll of dogs rises, so does the race's purse."
Columnist Jon Saraceno opens:
"I'm all for mutiny. Dog mutiny, that is".
"When it comes to the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race, how do we get more of our furry friends to lie down on the job? If they belonged to a union, there would be a strike every March when the 1,100-mile marathon of dog misery
is propelled by more than 1,000 members through the treacherous Alaskan wilderness.
"In that labor dispute, I would be all for the stressed-to-the-max dogs. They are overworked and underpaid. The money and the glory go to management -- in this case, mushers and their sponsors.
"Why does Alaska permit the 'Ihurtadog?'
"Easy. Commerce -- shameless, bloody business carried out on the backs of man's best friends."
Read the rest of story at link below.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/saraceno/2004-03-14-saraceno_x.htm