The Iditarod Trail Committee has decided to officially disqualify 2025 rookie musher Daniel Klein (bib #19) of Eagle, Wisconsin, following the death of Ventana, a dog on his team. Klein was previously reported to have scratched from the race on Friday, March 7 at 2:10 p.m. at the Galena checkpoint under Rule 42. Full necropsy found Ventana to be in a later stage of pregnancy. No other abnormalities were found on gross, microscopic, or toxicologic investigation.
This decision follows a thorough investigation conducted by a six-member panel appointed by the Iditarod Trail Committee Board of Directors, which included three independent investigators, the Race Marshal, and Co-Chief Veterinarians. The Panel concluded that the level of dog knowledge, and thus care, displayed by Klein did not meet the standards expected by the Iditarod Trail Committee.
The review of this incident caused the Panel to investigate and scrutinize the process from Musher Klein’s entry into the race until the passing of Ventana. From the Qualifying Review Board Musher pre-screening, the last-minute leasing of Ventana to Dan Klein’s team, to the veterinary trail exam and discussion with the musher and race judges, several inadequacies were found which highlighted the need for improved operations to protect both dog and Musher.
The Iditarod Trail Committee acknowledges that this responsibility is shared across the entire race community. It remains committed to the highest standards of dog care and takes this tragic event seriously. Efforts are underway to revise and strengthen protocols in these above-mentioned processes, to prevent this from happening again.
