The Iditarod sled dog race, which happens annually in Alaska, is no stranger to controversy. This year, a dog named Leon caused a stir when he went missing from a checkpoint along the race.
The race began in early March 2022. Leon disappeared, and no one saw him until May when residents of McGrath, Alaska, a city about 120 miles away from the checkpoint, claimed that they’d seen him near a cabin.
The resident of the cabin and another musher left food out for Leon, hoping to catch him. They finally succeeded in early June. Leon’s musher, Sebastien Dos Santos Borges, returned to bring the wayward pooch home to France.
Leon’s Big Escape
Leon is a three-year-old sled dog who apparently loves to run just a little too much.
When he vanished from the Ruby checkpoint about 500 miles from the start of the race, search helicopters and snowmobiles mobilized to find him. Searchers even raised thousands of dollars for Operation Find Leon. Unfortunately, they didn’t have much luck.
But residents of a city about 120 miles from the Ruby checkpoint spotted the pooch the following month. They said that they’d seen him near a local cabin.
Leon was finally captured after the resident of the cabin and another musher left food out to lure the dog. According to Iditarod spokesperson Shannon Markley, he was “understandably skinny but seemingly healthy.”
Borges, Leon’s musher, returned from France to bring the dog home.
The Iditarod: Is It Good For Dogs?
(Picture Credit: Lance King/Getty Images)The Iditarod is perhaps the most famous sled dog race in the world, covering nearly 1,000 miles of grueling terrain. The race commemorates the Great Race of Mercy when Balto, Togo, and other sled dogs raced to bring medicine to Nome during a diphtheria outbreak in 1925.
Every year, there are opponents and proponents of the race. Those against it claim that it’s dangerous for dogs and, at times, may even amount to abuse.
Supporters claim that the dogs are bred to race, and that they’re some of the best-cared-for dogs in the world. They’d say that the dogs love to run.
No matter who you agree with, the fact is that the race can be quite dangerous. Dogs often suffer injuries, such as swelling in their wrists or gastric ulcers, due to the sustained exercise. And as Leon proved, dogs can apparently even go missing.
You can read more about the controversy of the Iditarod dogs sled race here and make up your own mind.
Are you glad to see Leon safe and sound? What do you think of the Iditarod race? Let us know in the comments below!
