Promoting Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race in Yukon Classrooms

'Yukon Quest-mania' is so all-pervasive in the Yukon that the event is even promoted to elementary school children in Yukon classrooms. The Quest has an 'Education Section' on its website with suggested lesson topics to teach school children about the Quest. Perhaps if parents were aware of the various forms of harm inflicted on Quest sled dogs, they would not condone having their children being indoctrinated into the 'ways of the Quest.'

Yukon school teachers would make better use of their teaching skills by educating students about respect for animals, something that is direly needed in the Yukon. These students will then develop a compassionate ethic with regard to how they should treat animals throughout their lives. As an alternative to the Quest classroom propaganda, please visit the http://www.teachkind.org/teachtipsmarch.asp website, which contains information for teaching children about the 'other side' of Alaska's Iditarod, lessons that are equally applicable to the Yukon Quest.