I'm sorry my reply is late, I took a bit of a break this long weekend. Thank you so much for taking the time to say this, it means a lot to me, truly. I'm learning as I go and I really don't know what I'm doing most of the time, but I feel my heart pulling me in this direction. <3 Rescue has grown so quickly to take up a large chunk of my life. I truly believe that the way we treat our animals and children is reflective of the best and worst in us as a species, so all we can do in our short time on this earth is the best that we can to make up for others doing their worst.
Dog sledding is not necessarily something I have a problem with, but unfortunately, in terms of competition, means that animals are often treated like tools. I want to see small, ethical mushers lifting the activity up to new heights while providing the best life and care for their dogs. Many mushers will say that is exactly what they are doing, but to me, warehousing dogs on chains in plastic barrels doesn't cut it.
I would recommend the documentary Sled Dogs (I am biased towards it, as my dogs are in it, briefly, full disclosure). This article is spectacular and is a great place to start that considers both sides of the issue, which is important. I don't want to end sledding entirely, but there is a lot of work to do.
RE: My Little Yellow Shadow — Portraits of a Broken Dog Learning to Heal