Knowing that sled dogs are a unique breed of dog whose primary purpose is, and who gains pleasure from, the act of running, pulling and working together as a team, The Board of Directors of the Lake Minnetonka Klondike Dog Derby set forth these guidelines as the official Statement of animal care. The Guiding principles of this document come from our mission of celebrating the athleticism and passion of sled dogs and from our leading value of Safety.  

We believe that all dogs deserve humane handling, respect, and proper care.

We believe that no dogs should be pushed beyond that which their training has conditioned them for.  

We believe that all dogs should receive adequate nutrition.  

We believe that all dogs have the right to be healthy and comfortable.  

With these as our guiding principles, the Board of Directors, as well as the LMKDD veterinary team, will not allow any dog to participate or continue on in this race if an observation has been made that contradicts these statements. From the inception of this race, animal welfare has been of utmost importance, with veterinarians elected as some of the first board members.All race decisions will be made with the best interest of the dogs in mind and made in favor of the welfare of the animals.

This race will be run under the guidelines provided by the ISDVMA (International Sled Dog Veterinary Medical Association).

The Official Statement of Animal Treatment was instated by The Lake Minnetonka Klondike Dog Derby Board of Directors on October 14, 2019.