Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race winner, six-time Iditarod champion Dallas Seavey, is not competing in this year’s race. That development, paired with the Official Restart being moved to

Downtown Anchorage, Alaska, was turned into a giant dog lot on Saturday as the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race held its 53rd annual ceremonial start in Alaska’s largest city.

The Iditarod is a 1,000-mile race held annually in Alaska. Many argue that the race, which starts this weekend, is a form of animal abuse.