Sled dog group seeks donations to illuminate dog teams on the trail
January 18 to January 24
After two separate incidents of snowmachines colliding with sled dog teams on the Denali Highway left several dogs dead and survivors maimed for life, an organization called The August Foundation, a group for rehoming retired sled dogs, began an effort to seek donations to purchase light collars for sled dog teams across Alaska.
One team struck by a snowmachiner belonged to 5-time Iditarod champion Dallas Seavey, they other to Iditarod veteran Jim Lanier.
The August Foundation partnered with AK Bark, a pet supplies store in Anchorage, and launched a safety campaign to illuminate sled dogs on the trail. AK Bark struck a deal with Noxgear, a company that makes LED dog harnesses and LED vests for humans. According to a press release from the August Fund, the snowmachine driver who struck
Lanier’s team was a test driver for Polaris. The Polaris Foundation donated $8,500 towards the goal to provide LED safety gear for 100 dog teams across Alaska. The Polaris grant is enough to outfit 55 teams, but the August Fund and AK Bark continue to seek donations.
In Nome, the Nome Kennel Club also actively works on a campaign to remind snowmachiners to slow down and giving wide berth to dog teams on the trail. In addition to reflective signs on trail markers that caution trail users that dog teams are on the trail, the club aims to raise awareness that dog teams are traveling on shared trails with motorized participants, especially on the Iditarod Trail.
“AK Bark and the August Funds campaign to light up the dog team is a wonderful community initiative to help dog teams stand out on the trail, in an effort to prevent more accidents,” said NKC President Jessica Lemaire. “The Nome Kennel Club is also working to get the message out to snowmachiners to please, please slow down on trails, especially multi use ones, and in places where visibility is poor.”
She also added to not drink and drive. “In the 1980s Mothers Against Drunk Drivers started their campaign and those who grew up in the 80’s and 90’s grew up with the strong message that drinking and driving was not ok. We need to be spreading the same message in our communities that drinking and snowmachining is not ok, not just for the sake of dog team safety but for the wellbeing of all of our community members.”
The August Fund and AK Bark welcome donations at https://theaugustfund.com/donate.html
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