A spokesperson for the dogs

Marit Holm (32) signs up for the fifth time as the chief veterinarian in Finnmarksløpet. Five other veterinarians will be working with her this year. As there is a growing interest in the race, the more need is for Marit and her co-workers in her veterinarian team.

Marit Holm has great anticipation towards this years race. She looks forward to work with the race, which consists in meeting dogs, drivers, volunteers and spectators. Finnmarksløpet has become a necesary part of her life, and as such it is something she can not do without.

The dogs need me

When asked about her motivation for signing up every year as a volunteer, she says: I love racer dogs, they are spectacular individuals and I feel that they in one way or another need me. It is possile to say that I, and of course the other veterinarians, am their spokesperson during the competition.

We know that Holms´ possibility to sleep during the race is as little as the drivers. During 7 days, her average sleep is three hours each night. It is always somebody who needs to contact her or the other veterinarians in need of help with the dogs, volunteers who need professional advice, etc. In last years race, it got so far that Holm dreamt the last night that she was a little dog who was sleeping amongst the other four legged friends! Holm has in her personal life a near contact with racer dogs, and is known to be active in outdoor activities, which she practices both here and in Alaska.

Research

Holm hopes that in this years race, with her work controling and helping the dogs, she has the opportunity to make a research project about the racer dogs; about their skills as racer dogs while competing. She says it could be of interest for all correspondants. Seh says that this research is of course not actual without the cooperation with the drivers and the organisation, something she belives is not going to be a problem. The result from the research can be used in the surroundings and eventually in scientifical context. This kind of research has not been done before.

New job in Greenland

Holm will be travelling to Greenland one of these days, where she has been hired as a veterinarian. She will be primarily be working with the greenland dog. There are aproximatly 30.000 dogs in her precinct, and her job consists in vaccinate them and check if they have rabia. Holm looks forward to begin her new job and says that, amongst other things, she got it because of her experience from Finnmarksløpet.

Chief veterinarian Marit Holm from when she was working in last years Finnmarksløpet race.
Photo: Hanne Rosenberg