Ramy Brooks Incident
Witnesses said they saw Ramy Brooks punch and kick some of his dogs and hit them with a ski pole when they refused to leave a checkpoint during a March 15, 2007 stage in Golovin, Alaska, less than 100 miles (160 km) from the finish in Nome, Alaska. Brooks denies the more serious allegations, but acknowledged "spanking" the dogs in his team with a trail marking lathe. One of Brooks‘ dogs died the day after the incident, but a necropsy could not determine why the dog died and race officials said there was no evidence that Brooks was to blame. On March 17, 2007, the judges voted unanimously to disqualify Brooks from the 2007 Iditarod.
Shane Goosen who has taken part in the Iditarod three times, told the Iditarod board that during the Tustumena 200 Sled Dog Race in January 2007 five people said they saw Brooks kick, hit and drag his dogs and that "There is no doubt in my mind that he beat his dogs" and "It took three days to disqualify this guy, there went the credibility of the Iditarod right there — it's gone", said Goosen. Bud Smyth, a former race marshal and Iditarod musher, criticized race officials, saying the Iditarod officials were slow to interview and tape record witnesses. Musher Perry Solmonson stated "It is just a sad situation, I hope as a board you will have some integrity and do what is necessary for the dogs."
Chas St. George, the Director of Public Relations, stated "If you are, by Alaska state statute, convicted of animal abuse or cruelty, then you are not allowed to enter this race."
Iditarod Trail Committee President, Richard Burmeister announced on April 26, 2007, that the ongoing independent investigation being conducted by the Anchorage, Alaska law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine is not yet complete. Race officials are hoping the report will be ready for the board of directors meeting on April 26, 2007. Stan Hooley said it is unlikely the board will make an immediate decision on consequences ranging from doing nothing to a lifetime ban.
On May 18, 2007, the Iditarod Trail Committee Board of Directors announced that they had suspended Ramy Brooks for abusing his sled dogs. The suspension is for the 2008 and 2009 races, and following that Brooks would be on probation for 3 years.
Read more about this topic: 2007 Iditarod
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