Written by PETA
Yesterday—the day after President Obama released his proposed 2012 budget cuts—PETA dashed off a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, pointing out a desperately needed cut to the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) budget: its $100,000 sponsorship of the 2011 Iditarod. Less than 24 hours later, we have received word that the TSA would withdraw its support of this cruel event.
We were scratching our heads over how forcing dogs to slog through more than 1,000 miles of snow and ice in roughly two weeks in any way aided transportation security, but the TSA says the money was part of an effort to recruit airport security screeners … which still has us scratching our heads …
Anyway, after learning from PETA that 20 Iditarod dogs have died since 2005—often from hypothermia, bleeding stomach ulcers, or "sled dog myopathy" (literally being run to death)—the TSA hustled to distance itself from Alaska's annual husky massacre.
A sled dog lot from 2010 Iditarod. jkbrooks85/cc by2.0
Tail-waggingly good call, TSA. And if you still need help recruiting airport screeners, we're really good at coming up with catchy ad campaigns.
Written by Alisa Mullins
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