The sled and dogs are the musher's lifeline. The rules of the race require that mushers carry certain items on their sleds at all times. There are 27 checkpoints along the route. The ghost town of Iditarod is one of the checkpoints along the Southern Route, which is used in odd-numbered years. No team can begin the race with fewer than 12 dogs.
Veterinarians examine the dogs at each checkpoint and determine whether they are fit to continue.
Dogs that are deemed unfit are flown home. The concerns of animal advocacy groups and heightened media scrutiny have increased the pressure on race organizers to ensure that all of the dogs are healthy and well cared for. According to race organizers, in recent years health and mortality statistics for dogs that participate in the Iditarod are similar to those of dogs everywhere. Native mushers from area villages, once prominent in Iditarod races, have all but disappeared from the racing scene. In recent years, rising costs have outstripped the ability of most mushers to afford the price of participation.