For immediate release:
April 28, 2021
Contact:
David Pearl 202-483-7382
Nome, Alaska – PETA sent a letter to Nome Mayor John C. Handeland and Nome City Councilors this morning urging them to reject the $ 100,000 Iditarod request –10 times The city’s typical sponsorship is to host a race next year while the city is under fire due to lack of clean water and vital public services, as well as high unemployment rates.
PETA explains that the world has woken up to the fact that more than 150 dogs have died as a result of Iditarod, and hundreds of dogs are withdrawn from the distance each year after being pushed to their limits, so the event sees its former sponsors, including ExxonMobil, annually giving 250,000 dollars, do not want to have anything to do with a cruel spectacle.
“It’s insulting to ask Nom to spend more money on supporting Iditarod than on preschool or homeless housing,” says PETA executive vice president Tracy Reiman. “PETA encourages the city to invest in its residents, rather than channeling funds into a spectacle that makes dogs die.”
PETA – whose motto, among other things, is that “animals do not belong to us to be used for entertainment or abuse in other ways” – opposes arrogance, a worldview focused on human superiority. For more information visit PETA.org or subscribe to the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram…
This is followed by a letter from PETA to Handeland and the Nome City Council members.
April 28, 2021
The Honorable John C. Handeland, Mayor of Nome
Nome City Council
Dear Mayor Handeland and Council members!
I am writing on behalf of PETA and over 6.5 million of our members and supporters around the world regarding Iditarod’s request for $ 100,000 from the City of Nome – 10 times more than a typical city sponsorship, while money is urgently needed to support the community programs. This amount is equal to your combined an allocation last year of $ 5,000 for unemployment employment, $ 65,000 for the Nome Preschool Association, and $ 30,000 for an emergency shelter in Nome.
It’s outrageous to suggest that any city should literally give more money for this. dying event, but the request is especially offensive when there are so many programs in your area that need resources, from suicide prevention to improving the availability and quality of drinking water and reducing unemployment.
There are good reasons why many companies have turned down Iditarod sponsorship. These include ExxonMobil, which previously gave $ 250,000 a year, as well as Alaska Airlines, Chrysler, and even the Alaska-based Anchorage Distillery and Medical Park Family Care. The world woke up to the fact that over 150 dogs died in the race, not even counting those who died in the off-season, being shackled outside in freezing conditions with little or no shelter, or those who died immediately. killed because they missed the cut. People learned that the dogs used in the Iditarod are forced to haul a heavy sled 1,000 miles in less than two weeks, exposed to high winds, blinding snow storms and freezing temperatures.
In your city, residents are seeking help to fix poor housing and public infrastructure, lack of recyclability, and other problems that require funding. It is inconceivable that the budget would instead be used to support such a shaky and offensive spectacle.
In the midst of a global pandemic and a growing awareness of inequality, people and cities are exploring how they can be more responsible with their resources and more empathetic. For most organizations, this social calculation involves thinking about all of the deeply disturbing uses of animals. In this vein, we hope you decide not to sponsor Iditarod. Thanks for attention.
Yours sincerely,
Tracy Reiman
Executive Vice President