OMG that video is horribl!!!!
I've never sseen it before and it's just gruesome. Those poor pits!!!
That other website seemed a bit too over zealous!
Isn't there someone on here that is a musher? Well do her dogs get treated like this?:
(The Dog - Sport - 01) One of the sled dogs is being dragged on the ice. It is either dead or unconscious, and most likely the musher has fallen asleep in the sled. This is using dogs for the pleasure of humans, and as we can see here, it can result in injury and death.
(The Dog - Sport - 02) The sled dogs in this compound are tethered to poles with just enough length to allow the dogs to enter their shelters and to get food and water. It is obvious to us, from this photo, that these dogs are not companions, they are possessions. They may be "cared for" in much the same way as car racers care for their vehicles, but they are not loved.
(The Dog - Sport - 03) This photo gives us a closer look at the chain tethers that are used to keep these sled dogs confined. This dog is obviously bored and frustrated and has resorted to digging as a way to occupy his or her time. These dogs aren't even allowed the pleasure of playing together.
(The Dog - Sport - 04) There has been a lot of "glamour" associated with mushing and dog sled racing, particularly with the Iditarod. But the glamour is for some humans and not for the dogs. The dogs may seem eager, since being faced with a choice between the boredom of the compound or pulling a sled, the dogs may choose to pull the sled; but that is really the result of the psychology of raising sled dogs. All the pent-up energy and boredom is channeled into sled pulling; in other words, the dogs are being manipulated. Do not support these inhumane practices. Dogs should not be USED. They should be loved
I don't think so! (I hope not) But this site claims that it is cruel to have dogs pull sleds like this. I think it gives them something to do and makes the dogs happy, but that's just my opinion.
I just think that site is being a little over kill about most of those issues.