Yes, my heart breaks over any musher losing a dog he/she loves. Yes, we need to pay attention to, and aggressively prevent, dog fatalities in this race, or any other. Yes, the Iditarod is increasingly about money, status and commercialization. Also, this dog died of overheating in the air, not of neglect or physical effects of running. Also, they do love to run. And also, the Iditarod and its industry, for all its flaws, help preserve a pastime that is historic, treasured and awesome; without it, mushing would probably die out faster. Long may sled dogs live, both in their own lives and in the culture.