Anchorage, Alaska - Two dogs have died amid the 2024 Iditarod sled race, leading to fervent calls to end the competition.

On Sunday, two-year-old dog Bog collapsed and died shortly after a veterinarian performed CPR for 20 minutes, as reported by the Associated Press.

Four-year-old pup George later collapsed and died 629 miles into the race, marking the second death of the event.

A cause of death has not yet been determined for either dog.

A dog has not died during Iditarod since 2019, but the tragedies have sparked renewed concern for the safety of the animals in the competition that sees mushers and their dogs race through mountains and ice.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) slammed the event in a statement shared on Sunday.

"The death count keeps climbing for dogs who are forced to run until their bodies break down, all so the human winner can get a trophy while the dogs get an icy grave," PETA Senior Vice President Colleen O'Brien said.

PETA has claimed that over 150 dogs have died in the history of the race, but Iditarod has never provided a verified number of fatalities.