HUMAN

Name: JENNIFER SCHULTZ
Residence: TULSA, OKLAHOMA
Occupation: VETERINARIAN
Years involved with Iditarod: 2
Iditarod Role: TRAIL VETERINARIAN
Current Location: TAKOTNA, ALASKA
Date of Photo: MARCH 8, 2019
Temperature: 25F / OUTDOORS

What is your Why?.. Why are you here today and involved in Iditarod?:

I HAD WANTED TO DO THE IDITAROD FOR A LONG TIME, SINCE I WAS A KID. AND I HEARD IN VETERINARY SCHOOL THAT YOU COULD VOLUNTEER. SO ONCE I WAS ELIGIBLE TO VOLUNTEER, I FILLED OUT MY APPLICATION AND THEY LET ME COME DO IT.

Tell me about your most rewarding experience on Iditarod?:

MOST REWARDING IN GENERAL IS GETTING TO LEARN ABOUT SLED DOG MEDICINE, BEING EVEN JUST A SMALL PART OF THE RACE, AND MAKING SURE THAT THE DOGS ARE STAYING HEALTHY. MY MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE HAPPENED JUST A FEW DAYS AGO: JEFF KING ASKED ME IF I DID HUMAN WORK. AND I TOLD HIM HE WOULD HAVE TO BE WAY MORE SPECIFIC. AND HE ENDED UP NEEDING SOME DENTAL FLOSS TO GET SOMETHING OUT FROM HIS TEETH. THAT’S A “DEAR DIARY” MOMENT FOR SURE.

What do you know for sure?:

I CAN’T SAY THAT I TRULY THOUGHT THAT I’D GET TO BE A PART OF THE IDITAROD BUT NOW THAT I HAVE, I JUST HOPE THAT I GET TO KEEP HAVING NEW EXPERIENCES LIKE THAT AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT WHAT I HAVE FOUND TO BE IS TRULY A WAY OF LIFE. SO I’M GLAD I GET TO BE A PART OF IT.