2 dogs die during 1,000-mile Iditarod, prompting call from PETA to end the race across Alaska

By MARK THIESSEN
Associated Press

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Two dogs have died during Alaska’s annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, marking the first time a dog has died during the race in five years and prompting renewed calls from an animal rights group to end the 1,000-mile race. Dogs belonging to mushers Hunter Keefe of Alaska and Issac Teaford of Salt Lake City collapsed and died despite efforts to revive them. Both mushers voluntarily quit the race, per Iditarod rules. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals called for the race to end before more dogs die. The organization had staged a protest ahead of the start of the race.