Please send protest emails and forward this alert widely.
From the Sled Dog Action Coalition, http://www.helpsleddogs.org
Sled dog puppies may die in the Iditarod or during training.
Contact information, blocks of email addresses and sample letter are below.
Please help end the horrific treatment of dogs by sending protest emails to organizations that support the Iditarod. Six dogs died in the 2009 race, including two dogs on Dr. Lou Packer’s team who froze to death in the brutally cold winds. What happens to the dogs during the Iditarod includes death, paralysis, frostbite (where it hurts the most!), bleeding ulcers, bloody diarrhea, lung damage, pneumonia, ruptured discs, viral diseases, broken bones, torn muscles and tendons and sprains.
During training runs, Iditarod dogs have been killed by moose, snowmachines, and various motor vehicles, including a semi tractor and an ATV. They have died from drowning, heart attacks and being strangled in harnesses. Dogs have also been injured while training. They have been gashed, quilled by porcupines, bitten in dog fights, and had broken bones, and torn muscles and tendons. Most dog deaths and injuries during training aren’t even reported.
Dog beatings and whippings are common. During the 2007 Iditarod, eyewitnesses reported that musher Ramy Brooks kicked, punched and beat his dogs with a ski pole and a chain. Jim Welch says in his book Speed Mushing Manual, “A training device such as a whip is not cruel at all but is effective.” He also said, “It is a common training device in use among dog mushers…”
Iditarod dog kennels are puppy mills. Mushers breed large numbers of dogs and routinely kill unwanted ones, including puppies. Many dogs who are permanently disabled in the Iditarod, or who are unwanted for any reason, are killed with a shot to the head, dragged, drowned or clubbed to death.
Most Internet service providers allow people to send up to 40 email addresses at a time. For your convenience, the addresses have been divided into groups of 40. Please email the first group first. Individual email addresses are given under the sample letter. The groups contain addresses for the 2010 Iditarod sponsors, promoters, and musher sponsors. Email blocks with semicolons and commas are on http://www.helpsleddogsorg/sponsors.htm.
SAMPLE LETTER (Please personalize)
Dear Iditarod Supporter:
For the dogs, the Iditarod dog sled race is a bottomless pit of suffering. Please end your organization’s support of this event. Six dogs died in the 2009 Iditarod, including two dogs on Dr. Lou Packer’s team who froze to death in the brutally cold winds. What happens to the dogs during the Iditarod includes death, paralysis, frostbite (where it hurts the most!), bleeding ulcers, bloody diarrhea, lung damage, pneumonia, ruptured discs, viral diseases, broken bones, torn muscles and tendons and sprains. For more facts, visit the Sled Dog Action Coalition website, http://www.helpsleddogs.org .
During training runs, Iditarod dogs have been killed by moose, snowmachines, and various motor vehicles, including a semi tractor and an ATV. They have died from drowning, heart attacks and being strangled in harnesses. Dogs have also been injured while training. They have been gashed, quilled by porcupines, bitten in dog fights, and had broken bones, and torn muscles and tendons. Most dog deaths and injuries during training aren’t even reported.
Dog beatings and whippings are common. During the 2007 Iditarod, eyewitnesses reported that musher Ramy Brooks kicked, punched and beat his dogs with a ski pole and a chain. Jim Welch says in his book Speed Mushing Manual, “Nagging a dog team is cruel and ineffective…A training device such as a whip is not cruel at all but is effective.” He also said, “It is a common training device in use among dog mushers…”
Iditarod dog kennels are puppy mills. Mushers breed large numbers of dogs and routinely kill unwanted ones, including puppies. Many dogs who are permanently disabled in the Iditarod, or who are unwanted for any reason, including those who have outlived their usefulness, are killed with a shot to the head, dragged, drowned or clubbed to death. “Dogs are clubbed with baseball bats and if they don’t pull are dragged to death in harnesses…..” wrote former Iditarod dog handler Mike Cranford in an article for Alaska’s Bush Blade Newspaper.
Jon Saraceno wrote in his March 3, 2000 column in USA Today, “He [Colonel Tom Classen] confirmed dog beatings and far worse. Like starving dogs to maintain their most advantageous racing weight. Skinning them to make mittens. Or dragging them to their death.”
During the race, veterinarians do not give the dogs physical exams at every checkpoint. Mushers speed through many checkpoints, so the dogs get the briefest visual checks, if that. Instead of pulling sick dogs from the race, veterinarians frequently give them massive doses of antibiotics to keep them running.
Please end your organization’s association with this horrific race.
Sincerely,
IDITAROD RACE SPONSORS:
Cabelas
Emails: Christopher.Gay@cabelas.com, joe.arterburn@cabelas.com
Chrysler Group LLC
Emails: car8@chrysler.com, rick.deneau@chrysler.com
Coca-Cola – Odom Corporation
Emails: jodom@odomcorp.com, sustainability@na.ko.com
Millennium & Copthorne Hotels
Emails: skenyon@mill-usa.com, david.curtis-brignell@mill-cop.com
Wells Fargo & Company
Emails: richard.d.levy@wellsfargo.com, Dana.L.Rogers@wellsfargo.com, investorrelations@wellsfargo.com
Kroger Company (Fred Meyer Stores)
Email: kroger.investors@kroger.com
Chevron Corportation
Emails: pubaffmr@chevron.com, invest@chevron.com
Exxon Mobil Corporation
Emails: capital.markets@exxonmobil.com, craig.a.haymes@exxonmobil.com
Anchorage Daily News (Mc Clatchy Company)
Emails: PDoyle@adn.com, ptira@mcclatchy.com
Providence Health System
Email: jo.norton@providence.org
Alaska Airlines (Alaska Air Group)
Emails: newsroom@alaskaair.com, Susan.Bramstedt@alaskaair.com
Peninsula Airways, Inc. (Pen Air)
Email: info@penair.com
Trimble Navigation Limited
Email: investor_relations@trimble.com
K & L Distributors, Inc. (AB-Inbev distributor)
Emails: Investor.Relations@ab-inbev.com, DaveScott@KLDistributor.com
Alaska Brewing Company
Email: cburchfield@alaskanbeer.com
The City of Anchorage
Email: mayor@muni.org
The City of Nome
Email: manager@ci.nome.ak.us
5th Avenue Mall (Simon Property Group)
Email: gwells@simon.com
Horizon Lines
Email: kprivatsky@horizonlines.com
City of Wasilla
Email: vrupright@ci.wasilla.ak.us
General Communication, Inc. (GCI)
Email: dmorris@gci.com
Crowley Maritime Corporation
Email: resumes@crowley.com
Anton/Bauer, Inc. (Vitec Group)
Email: info@vitecgroup.com
Anchorage Municipal Light and Power
Email: AskMLP@muni.org
Alcan Signs
Email:alcansigns@alaska.net
Alaska Serigraphics
Email: dpowers@akserigraphics.com
Electrochem Commercial Power (Greatbatch, Ltd.)
Email: Marketing@ElectrochemSolutions.com
IonEarth
Email: dwspencer@microlinetc.com
Iridium
Email: investor.relations@iridium.com
Roadpost
Email: billing@roadpost.com
Northern Air Cargo
Email: enisson@nacargo.com
LifeMed Alaska
Email: Luke.Welles@lifemedalaska.com
WorkSafe, Inc.
Email: info@worksafeinc.com
Alaska Toy Rental
Email: rentme@valleycarrental.com
IDITAROD RACE PROMOTERS:
Target Corporation Target Corporation
E-mails: investorrelations@target.com, susan.kahn@target.com, laysha.ward@target.com
Harcourt School Publishers
Emails: hbspcs@harcourt.com, rick.blake@harcourt.com
Carnival Corporation
Email: TGallagher@carnival.com
Discovery Network (Discovery Communications)
Emails: elizabeth_hillman@discovery.com, investor_relations@discovery.com
Scholastic Corporation
Email: kgood@scholastic.com
Chicago Park District
Email: dhibbler@depaul.edu
Lance Armstrong Foundation
Email: greg.lee@livestrong.org
Nike
Email: jeanne.jackson@nike.com
All Things Considered (National Public Radio)
Email: asilverman@npr.org
Toronto International Film Festival
Email: jgooding@tiff.net
Nick.com
Email: David.Bittler@nick.com
Outside Magazine
Email: sparmelee@outsidemag.com
Jackson-Madison County Library – National Endowment for the Arts
Emails: Richard.Salmons@lssi.com, chairman@arts.gov
Smithsonian Enterprises
Email: ottt@si.edu
National Science Foundation Digital Library
Email: abement@nsf.gov
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Email: bcumming@cmnh.org
Robert Tuchman, author
Email: robert@100sportingevents.com
Riverview Counseling Center
Email: Mary-Michael@RiverviewCC.com
Education World (EDmin)
Email: Investor_Help@edmin.com
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Email: information@RSSC.com
REI and Boulder Digital Arts
Spirit of the Outdoors Film Festival
Emails: lynne@boulderdigitalarts.com, board@rei.com
Kaukauna Area School District
Email: mccabel@kaukauna.k12.wi.us
Montana State Reading Council
Email: buschk@billings.k12.mt.us
Schade Vineyard & Winery
Email: info@schadevineyard.com
Des Plaines Park District
Email: jh@desplainesparks.org
AAA of Arizona
Email: publicrelations@arizona.aaa.com
Stranger Than Fiction
Emails: raphaela.neihausen@gmail.com, thom@sugarpictures.com
Auto Show with Greg Damon
Email: swmoore@cbs.com
Catawba County Schools
Email: tmarkley@catawba.k12.nc.us
Angels Program
Email: ccampbell@wmcnet.org
Natrona Country School District
Email: joel_dvorak@natronaschools.org
McMurry Foundation
Email: bwalker@mcmurry.net
Humane Society of Central Oregon
Email: pmroden@hsco.org
Northfield Community Elementary School
Email: jfipp@ncs-nj.org
Columbus Torah Academy
Email: rabbikahn@torahacademy.org
Sylmar Dogwear
Email: info@sylmardogwear.com
Calvary Baptist Church
Email: pastor@calvaryws.com
Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association
Email: desa@diabetes-exercise.org
DOXA Documentary Film Festival
Email: joni@doxafestival.ca
National Education Association
Emails: HR_Service_Center@nea.org, espence@nea.org
Atlas Cruises & Tours
Email: tours@atlastravelweb.com
Exploritas (Elderhostel)
Email: newsmedia@Exploritas.org
Forest Preserve District of Will County
Email: jmcfarland@fpdwc.org, jprince@fpdwc.org
MUSHER SPONSORS:
Clarion Suites and Comfort Inn (Choice Hotels International)
Emails: david_peikin@choicehotels.com, investor_relations@choicehotels.com
Courtyard by Marriott (Marriott International, Inc.)
Email: investorrelations@marriott.com
Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville
Emails: info@margaritaville.com, keywest@margaritaville.com, margaritaville@universalorlando.com
Hawthorne Suites (Wyndham Hotel Group)
Email: Alyson.Johnson@wyndhamworldwide.com
Harley-Davidson, Inc.
Email: bob.klein@harley-davidson.com
Jiffy Lube International, Inc. (Shell Oil Company)
Email: ir-newyork@shell.com
Blockbuster Video
Email: investor.relations@blockbuster.com
McDonalds Restaurants (McDonald Corporation)
Email: danya.proud@us.mcd.com
Taco Bell (Yum! Brands, Inc.)
Email: yum.investor@yum.com
Batteries Plus
Email: customersupport@batteriesplus.com
Oomingmak
Email: qiviut@gci.net
Kaladi Brothers Coffee Company
Email: sales@kaladi.com
Inlet Tower Hotel & Suites
Email: info@inlettower.com
Colorado Altitude Training
Email: larry@altitudetraining.com
J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.
Email: sdean@jjkeller.com
Western Products (Aurora Capital Group)
Emails: info@westernplows.com, glparsky@auroracap.com
Macgellan.com
Email: Macgellan@mac.com
Eagle Pack (WellPet)
Email: jobs@wellpet.com
FogTech (Motosolutions)
Email: orders@motosolutions.com
Redpaw Feed
Email: contact@redpawfeed.com
Lynden Incorporated
Email: information@lynden.com
General Physics Corp. (GP General Strategies Corp.)
Email: ablank@gpworldwide.com
National Lake Rescue Institute
Email: info@lake-rescue.org
Trabits Group, LLC P.O.
Email: info@trabitsgroup.com
Trapper Creek Smoking Company
Email: info@trapperscreek.com
Canada Goose
Email: info@canada-goose.com
The Eldorado Hotel
Email: eldorado@yknet.ca
Janssen Funeral Homes, Inc.
Email: info@janssenfuneralhomes.com
Great River Journey Inc.
Email: info@greatriverjourney.com
Queo Media
Email: ruediger.henke@queo-media.com
MTA
Email: kbernier@mta-telco.com
Usibelli Coal Mine
Email: info@usibelli.com
Udelhoven Companies
Email: JJohnston@udelhoven.com
Kenai River Seafoods
Email: sean.karin@alaska.net
Horizon Lines, Inc.
Email: boardofdirectors@horizonlines.com
Grabber Hand Warmers
Email: sales@handwarmers.com, amanda.fowler@warmers.com
Wiggy’s Outdoor Gear
Email: wiggys@wiggys.com
Jamaica Tourist Bureau
Emails: info@visitjamaica.com, groups@visitjamaica-usa.com
Caribou Creek Dog Food
Email: rambler@cariboucreekgold.com
Blackwood Pet Foods
Email: info@blackwoodpetfood.com
Senator Dan Kotowski
Email: lailani@kotowski4senate.com
Wedgewood Resort (Fountainhead Hotels)
Email: hotelrep@fdifairbanks.com
Chukka Caribbean Adventures
Emails: info@mychukka.com, info@chukkacaribbean.com
West Jet Vacations (West Jet)
Email: investor_relations@westjet.com
Alaska Zoo
Email: plampi@alaskazoo.org
Annamaet Pet Food
Email: info@annamaet.com
Chempetitive Group
Email: info@chempetitive.com
Invicta Law Group, PLLC
Email: mjordan@invictalaw.com
Striker Securities, Inc.
Email: info0808@striker.com
Topnotch Resort & Spa
Email: oberlander@topnotchresort.com
FoxFury
Email: fox@foxfury.com
Double Up Farms
Email: info@doubleupfarms.com
Loki Gear
Email: loki@lokiusa.com
Archie McPhee
Email:unicorn@mcphee.com
Energi Tea ( Freed Teller & Freeds)
E-mail: info@freedscoffeetea.com
Ocean Beauty Seafoods, Inc.
Email: info@oceanbeauty.com
Hawk Pointe Golf Course
Email: rcotton@hawkpointegolf.com
Pacific Tugboat Service
Email: ted@pacifictugboats.com
Neos Overshoe
Email: neos@overshoe.com
Go Athletic Apparel
Email: ma@goathleticapparel.com
Todd Communications
Email: tlange@tcinc.us
Grasso Glass & Stone
Email: catchg.glassandstone@runbox.com
Point 6 Socks
Email: kco@verdepr.com
Red Ledge
Email:jrotepel@tahsinusa.com
Equine Direct (Minnetonka Laboratories)
Email: webmaster@equinedirect.net
1st Security Bank of Deer Lodge
Email: fsb@1stsecuritydl.com
Krokodil
Email: admin@krokodil.be
Foresight Multi-Media
Email: info@foresightmultimedia.com
Bradley Reid & Associates
Email: info@brcomm.com
Darn Tough
Email: cs@darntough.ca
TiGenix
Email: frank.hazevoets@tigenix.com
Activeion
Email: chris.deets@activeion.com
Fresh Catch Ltd
Email: enquiries@freshcatch.com
Baffin, Inc.
Email: marketing@baffin.com
Brander Recruitment
Email: ian@brander.co.uk
Aberdeen Snow Sports Centre
Email: garthdeesports@btconnect.com
Tunnocks Tea Cakes
Email:sales@tunnock.co.uk
Reichenbach Spezialmaschinenbau
Email: rene.reichenbach@t-online.de
Circles
Email: circles@pandora.be
41 Clubs Belgium
Email: secretariat@41clubs.be
GoNorth Travel Center
Email: GoNorth@alaska.net
Plaidfish Communications
Email: reach@plaidfish.com
Spenard Builders
Email: ewaite@sbsalaska.com
K9 Hydrotherapy Centre
Email: admin@k9hydrocentre.com
Ten Squared Racing
Email: info@10squaredracing.com
Wild Things
Email: brian@wildthingsgear.com
Diamond M Ranch Resort
Email: stay@diamondmranch.com
Petro Marine Services
Email: jimb@harborent.com
Big G Electric & Engineering, Inc.
Email: bgabriel@biggelectric.com
Advanced Pain Centers of Alaska
Email: anchorage@alaskapain.net
Adventures in Alaska RV Rentals
Email: owner@adventuresakrv.com
Jeff Schultz Photography, Inc.
Email: prints@alaskastock.com
Yukon Zinc Corp.
Email: info@yukonzinc.com
Eldorado Logwork & Construction
Email: dax@polarcom.com
Zolfe
Email: ken@zolfeeast.com
Federal Premium Ammunition
Email: pressroom@atk.com
Alaska Direct Bus Line
Email: info@alaskadirectbusline.com
Holy Cross
Email: jleege@powercom.net
A Voice For The Innocent 