Many of them drink water from hard-to reach rusty cans that are bolted to their doghouses and are rarely cleaned or disinfected. Injured and old, arthritic dogs are kept outside in the winter when the average daily minimum temperatures range from -24 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. It is painful for these dogs to be in the intense cold. Some dogs are never bathed, and nothing is done to help them cool off no matter how hot it gets in the summer. The only shade they get is inside their dirty doghouse, or under their doghouse if they are lucky enough to have one that's raised off the ground.
Some kennels have few employees, so that each dog gets little attention.
Dogs who are permanently disabled in the Iditarod, or who are unwanted for any reason, are killed with a shot to the head. This race is condemned by animal protection groups across the United States. Dog deaths and injuries are common in the race. All the material is true and verifiable. The Iditarod violates accepted standards regarding animal cruelty as is shown by the laws of 38 states and the District of Columbia.