As dog lovers we know the feats of strength, endurance, and loyalty that our canine companions demonstrate are truly unbelievable. One of the most impressive and joyous showing of dogs-at-work, in my opinion, is the Iditarod sled-dog race.

Held each year in Alaska, the Iditarod commemorates a rescue mission in the winter of 1925. During that year, the town of Nome on the Bering Sea Coast was hit with a diphtheria epidemic. Medicine was available in Anchorage but there was no way to transport it to the sick; the weather was too bad for flying and there were no roads or railroads that came near enough to Nome.

Sled dogs saved the day. 18 dog teams each took a turn carrying the medicine a total of 674 miles to reach Nome. Balto was the famous lead dog of the team that brought the medicine the last miles to Nome.  The sled dogs were heroes, and a statue of Balto was placed in Central Park in New York City.

The 2007 Iditarod will be run in March. You can get race updates through the Iditarod website or via pod cast.

Iditarod

Posted by Paula.