As the 1,000-mile Yukon Quest dog-sled race draws to a close, race officials have confirmed that a canine competitor perished over the weekend, becoming the first dog to succumb during this year's event.
His name was Taco and he belonged to Alaskan musher Brent Sass, who continued to race after dropping the animal off at a spot called Slaven's Roadhouse.
Allan Hallman, head veterinarian for the Yukon Quest, declared in a statement that there were "no obvious disease processes or signs of trauma" and that "at this time the cause of death is not evident."
Sass told CBC News, "I will be thinking about Taco for a long time but there was never any question that I would not continue to race -- Taco would want that."
The historic race covers the frozen expanse between Whitehorse, Yukon, and Fairbanks, Alaska. Hugh Neff is the current leader, having been the first to cross the Central checkpoint late Sunday night.
-- Pete Thomas
So sad story....Dogs are a faithful friend...they deserve to live long.
Posted by: potty training a puppy | Feb 18, 2011 at 03:40 AM
This is so very sad,--no dog should die! No musher in the Quest has all 14 dogs they started out with on February 5th,-- 4, 5 and even 6 dogs have been dropped so far by certain mushers and the race continues. They are dropped due to exhaustion, injuries, or illness.
The Yukon Quest and the Iditarod sled dog races are too long, and the conditions and terrain too grueling for the dogs. These dogs are among the best-conditioned dogs in the world due to their training year-round, yet many of the dogs do not make it to the finish line. There are laws in at least 38 US states against "over-driving" and "over-working" animals, which is exactly what these races do.
These dog-killer races are cruel, inhumane, and must stop!
Posted by: Lucy Shelton | Feb 14, 2011 at 06:17 PM