Please vote for ANYONE BUT LANCE MACKEY in this category [please do not reward animal cruelty].

From the Sled Dog Action Coalition, http://www.helpsleddogs.org/

ACTION ALERT: 2007 Yukon Quest and Iditarod champion Lance Mackey was nominated by ESPN for an 'ESPY Award' in the 'Best Outdoor Athlete' category. Winners are picked by people voting online.

Go to http://espn.go.com/espy2007/#/vote/ http://espn.go.com/espy2007/ and on the right side of the page click on "Best Outdoor Athlete." You have to scroll down to find the category. Highlight someone other than Lance Mackey and click the submit button. Voting ends July 7.

The Iditarod and Yukon Quest have long, well-documented histories of dog deaths, illnesses and injuries. What happens to the dogs during these races includes death, paralysis, penile frostbite, bleeding ulcers, bloody diarrhea, lung damage, pneumonia, ruptured discs, viral diseases, broken bones, torn muscles and tendons, vomiting, hypothermia, sprains, torn footpads and anemia.

In the Iditarod and Yukon Quest, dogs do all the work. Mushers sit or lie down on their sleds and sometimes sleep while racing their dogs into the ground. Iditarod and Yukon Quest animal cruelty should not be rewarded.

Pet-abuse.com: Lance Mackey's dog 'Wolf' regurgitates food, then chokes to death on it in 2004 Iditarod race.