No Ram pickup for Iditarod winner this year

A Fiat Chrysler Automobiles dealership in Alaska has dropped its sponsorship of the Iditarod dog sled race in response to an aggressive campaign by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

The animal welfare group got 250,000 supporters to email FCA, ran TV commercials in Detroit and held more than a dozen protests around the country.

FCA was never directly involved with the 1,000-mile race across Alaska, but Anchorage Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram had been one of its top sponsors for three decades. The dealership gave each year's winner a new Ram pickup at the finish line in Nome.

"We understand and can confirm the dealership will no longer continue sponsoring the race," FCA told the Anchorage Daily News last week. "As such, FCA and the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram logos will no longer be associated with the race."

Alaska Airlines also is dropping its sponsorship of the race, which PETA says is cruel to the dogs.

The race went on as planned last week, despite the global coronavirus outbreak. The racers had no problem keeping a safe distance apart; Norwegian Thomas Waerner, who won in just under 9 days and 11 hours, finished more than five hours ahead of his closest competitor.

PETA said it expressed its thanks to FCA with a box of dog-shaped vegan chocolates.