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Feds' Lone Dog-Mushing Job Opens Up

Must like Alaskan wilderness, dog poop and bureaucracy

By Will McCahill,  Newser Staff

Posted Nov 9, 2009 8:22 PM CST
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(Newser) – Love dogs? Pristine Alaska wilderness? Then you’ll be pleased to learn that the lone federal dog-mushing job is open. The position at Denali National Park pays up to $66,542 (plus cost-of-living adjustment), but it’s not all easy sledding. The kennel manager is in charge of 31 dogs, and all the shots, poop and bureaucracy-mandated paperwork that comes with them.

It’s “a great job,” the outgoing musher tells the Anchorage Daily News. “There’s really nothing that quite compares to being out on the trail in the middle of winter. It’s beautiful, it’s completely silent.” Karen Fortier says helping out researchers is cool, too, and there are summertime tours for park visitors. But, she sighs, “you think it’s going to be this glory job, but so much is managing the operation behind the scenes.”



Unfortunately, this kind of thing is only part of the job.
Unfortunately, this kind of thing is only part of the job.   (AP Photo)
The kennels manager at Denali National Park is responsible for 31 dogs.
The kennels manager at Denali National Park is responsible for 31 dogs.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 4 comments
chicken
Nov 11, 2009 5:33 AM CST
riffran
Nov 10, 2009 11:32 AM CST
the lead dog looks a bit like pelosi....shame, they might have to put it down due to heart"less".worms and parvo
schmidtkoff
Nov 10, 2009 6:51 AM CST
i was thinking more along the lines of former first dude's wife.
US • Money • Science

 
Alaska • bureaucracy • sled dogs • dogs • Denali National Park • dog musher

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