After dog death, Frekking to finish race
Jennifer Frekking, the Minnesota musher who saw one of her Iditarod sled dog team killed and another injured when they were struck by a snowmobile, is staying in the race.
Frekking's dog was the second that has died in this year's race. The first death was that of rookie musher John Stetson, who pulled out of the race after one of his dogs died from apparent pneumonia.
Here's the message posted on Frekking's website Monday after her 3-year old dog Lorne was killed and another, Aries, injured:
After a good rest and reflection, we decided as long as the rest of the dogs were healthy and ready to go, we would continue to Nome. Aries spent the night here at the school getting IV fluids and pain meds. He was flown out this morning for further care. He has been a really good boy through all this. He has a lot of soft tissue damage beneath his left shoulder, but he has been stable and calm the whole time. Hopefully, he will be able to recover fully.
Lorne had been an incredible member of the team the whole race. She had eaten well and performed 100% the whole way... I was so very proud of her. The accident was the worst nightmare imaginable. We are so lucky neither Blake (her husband) or I was struck and more dogs were not injured. I thought we had just witnessed half my team killed at the time.
After 3 hours of sleep, we went out to feed and the dogs were all quite perky and ate great. At the time of the accident, we were both sure our race was over. However, on the long run to the checkpoint we realized we would be working through this tragedy whether we were on the trail or scratching. If we were not traveling together as we are, it would be harder to go on. But we have each other for support and company. We just want to travel the rest of the trail with no thoughts of competition at all.
Thank you for all your support.
Jen and Blake
Comments
I think - as many animal lovers and activists do - that the Iditarod is a cruel tradition that allows for the abuse, suffering, and deaths of wonderful dogs. Any true dog lover would NEVER participate in such an event. If you want to win a race, run on your own two feet.
Posted by: Lee Ann | March 12, 2008 11:46 AM
You have no idea what its like to live in Alaska, and for that I'm thankful. So please stay where your at!!! We don't need your kind here and we don't need your comments either. ..So go find something else to complain about. By the way it seems nobody else cares what you think because nobody else has taken the time or to waist any energy on replying to what you have to say! SO... Have a nice life... Worry about our own life....
Posted by: True Alaskan | March 12, 2008 7:25 PM
I agree with Lee Ann. Animal races, though the Iditarod is barely even a race in any real sense of the word, are always about some kind of glory for the people involved, often with no true regard for the animals other than a dollar sign.
Posted by: Linda | March 12, 2008 7:48 PM