Illuminate

Growing up we had an Alaskan Malamute named Badger. He was a gentle dog, with lovely brown eyes (one of the characteristics that dintinguish malamutes from huskies) and thick, oily fur. His howl would cut to the bone and often drove our neighbors crazy. Badger liked to chew many things, his favorites were the living room sofa and my newest box of 64 crayons. He died in his sleep at the age of nine. I was the one who found him curled up in his usual spot as if he were merely sleeping.

I came across this article about the famous Alaskan Sled dog race and discovered a sadder side of the story: Cruel Traditions: The Alaskan Iditarod