ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – The world’s most famous sled dog race has lost a major backer, and Alaska race officials are blaming animal rights organizations for pressuring corporate sponsors outside the state like Wells Fargo with “manipulative information” about the treatment of the dogs.
Wells Fargo spokesman David Kennedy said Wednesday the banking institution’s investment in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race has declined since 2010. He said he could not discuss specific reasons for the San Francisco-based bank dropping the sponsorship altogether.
“Wells Fargo regularly reviews where we allocate our marketing resources to build and enhance relationships with customers and the broader community,” he said in a statement. “As part of this process, we have decided not to sponsor the Iditarod in 2018.”
PETA, or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, lauded the decision. The organization has been a longtime critic of the race and said it alerted the bank that five dogs connected to this year’s race died. Those deaths bring the total dog deaths to more than 150 in the Iditarod’s history, the group said.
“The Iditarod can count on losing more sponsors, and PETA is now urging Coca-Cola to do right by dogs and be the next one to flee,” PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman said in a statement.