Since 1973, annual Iditarod The sled dog race involves teams of dogs, typically Siberian Huskies, and a hound to see who can make the 938-mile trip from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska the fastest.
So when a sled dog named Leon accidentally escapes his collar at a checkpoint and is forced to face the frozen, unforgiving wilderness of Alaska, they aren’t sure if Will he survive or not?
Iditarod is basically the “Super Bowl” for sled dogs. Not just any puppy fit to survive inclement weather or endure the harsh Alaskan landscape. The race includes wilderness, including two mountain ranges, the frozen Yukon River and ice from the Bering Sea. Alaska doesn’t quite include the most comfortable, warmest conditions.
So when one of the 14 dogs on musher Sebastien Dos Santos Borges’s The team accidentally escapes, they’re unlikely to see him again. Dogs are usually placed in the care of professional handlers at checkpoints, where they can rest and get medical attention if needed. Leon was waiting at a checkpoint in Ruby, Alaska, when he squirmed off his harness and dashed into the wilderness in a frenzy.
But it wasn’t long before word of what happened spread throughout Ruby town, and the community came together to search for Leon. A helicopter even flew around the area to see if they could spot the stealthy sled dog. But sadly, by the time the race was completed, there was still no sign of Leon.
“It goes on and on. And we’ll hear, you know, maybe this is the dog, maybe it’s the wolf trail – back and forth,” said Mark Nordman, Iditarod’s racing director. .
Days and weeks passed, and before long, three months Leon was lost in the untamed Alaskan wilderness. Come spring, a Husky was spotted several times near the cabin 121 miles south of the checkpoint that had returned to town. Together, the cabin residents and a local hunter forage the area and were eventually able to locate and capture the lost sled dog.
“I don’t know if you would say it’s a miracle, but it just shows how people work together and how difficult these sled dogs can be,” says Nordman.
Leon is now back with his doggy dad, and it’s a great reunion. Not only feels Leon’s happiness, but Sebastian also shares that he is absolutely delighted to be back with his baby.
“Everybody said, as long as Leon can talk because I’m sure he’ll have a good story to tell!”
