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The True Story of Togo: Siberian Husky Sled Dog Hero of 1925 Nome Serum Run

• working dogs
• working group
• siberian husky

In the winter of 1925, a deadly outbreak of diphtheria in the remote port of Nome, Alaska, threatened the lives of the 10,000-plus living in the area. Children were especially at risk, and Nome’s isolation created a nightmare scenario. An antitoxin was located, but the nearest point which the serum could reach by rail was Nenana, located 674 miles from Nome.  With a blizzard approaching, air travel was ruled out. Officials determined that the only way to deliver the serum in time was via sled dog teams.

A relay of 20 teams was assembled, including that of Leonhard Seppala, Alaska’s most venerated musher. Amazingly, in just five and a half days, the “Great Race of Mercy” was completed and the lifesaving serum was delivered to Nome. While the lead dog of the 53-mile final leg, Balto , would become famous for his role in the run, many argue that it was Seppala and his Siberian Husky lead dog, Togo, who were the true saviors of the day. All told, the 12-year-old Togo and Seppala traversed an astounding 264 miles, compared to an average of 31 miles each for the other teams.

For years, Balto, who also came from Seppala’s kennel, was celebrated, even earning a statue in New York’s Central Park . However, those in the know regarded Togo as the serum run’s unsung hero. Over time, with the help of historians, Togo began to garner the recognition he deserved. In 2001, Togo received his own statue in NYC’s Seward Park. In 2019, his story was retold in the riveting Disney+ movie  Togo , starring Togo’s own descendant  Diesel as the namesake Siberian. Most recently, Togo was featured in the AKC Museum of the Dog exhibition “ Mush! A Tribute to Sled Dogs From Arctic Exploration to the Iditarod ,” on view now through March 29th, 2020.

From Rambunctious Pup To Legendary Lead

The Norwegian-born Seppala first arrived in Alaska in 1900, when most sled dogs were burly Alaskan Malamutes  or mixed breeds. Under the employ of the Pioneer Mining Company, Seppala began making a name for himself as one of the strongest mushers in Nome. Around that time, the first known Siberian Huskies in America were brought to Nome by Russian fur trader William Goosak. Those dogs, topping out around 50 pounds, would surprise by taking third in the annual All-Alaska Sweepstakes  race in 1909.

That summer, English musher Fox Ramsay imported 60 of the finest specimens he found in Siberia to Nome. In 1910’s All-Alaska Sweepstakes, an all-Siberian team driven by musher “Iron Man” Johnson took first place in what remains a course record. Clearly, there was something to be said for these smaller, yet scrappy, Siberians as stellar sled dogs.

While whelping records from the era are scant, it’s generally accepted that Togo was born in 1913 to a dam named Dolly, who is regarded as a foundation bitch in the breed’s development. At the time, many of the Nome’s finest sled dogs were found in Seppala’s kennel. As a puppy, Togo suffered from health problems, and Seppala saw no use for the undersized, seemingly unfit dog. However, after being given away to a neighbor, Togo flung himself through a glass window and escaped back home. It seemed to Seppala that he was stuck with the incorrigible pup.

As Togo grew, he became captivated by the working sled dogs surrounding him. Still too young for a harness, he often got loose to run alongside teams training with Seppala, much to his owner’s anguish. His penchant for mischief led to a mauling when he ran up on a team of much larger Malamutes. Exasperated, Seppala decided to do what he did best with his dogs. He put a harness on the 8-month-old Togo and hooked him into the team. Togo ultimately ran 75 miles that day and worked his way up to lead on his first-ever time in a harness. Unwittingly, Seppala had found himself the perfect lead dog for which he had always yearned.

Togo & the 1925 Nome Serum Run

Over the years, Togo became known across Alaska for his tenacity, strength, endurance, and intelligence as Seppala’s prized lead dog. Togo led Seppala’s team in races and excursions long and short, and dog and man became inseparable. During this time, Seppala himself won the All-Alaska Sweepstakes in 1915, 1916, and 1917.

By the time the diphtheria outbreak struck in 1925, Togo was 12 years old and Seppala 47, both seemingly past their primes. However, with the fate of Nome in the balance, locals knew the aging yet experienced duo was their last, best hope. As deaths from the disease mounted, the decision to act was made. A multi-team dog sled relay was arranged to deliver 300,000 units of serum, already en route to Nenana by rail, the remaining 674 miles to Nome. On January 29th, Seppala and his 20 best Siberians set out from Nome with trusty Togo at the helm, to meet the westbound relay and retrieve the vital serum. Among those not selected by Seppala was Balto, whom the musher felt was yet unprepared to lead a team.

With temperatures hovering around -30 degrees, Seppala and his dogs made incredible time in their mad dash east, covering over 170 miles in just three days. All the while, the outbreak worsened back in Nome. Officials decided to add more teams to the relay, unbeknownst to Seppala. After cutting across the treacherously frozen Norton Sound to save time and distance, Seppala miraculously ran right into the team of Henry Ivanoff, one of the relay’s late additions, which was carrying the serum westward. The two teams nearly missed each other on the trail, but, thanks in part to the dogs, the connection was made. Naturally, it then fell to Seppala and Togo to bring the serum back towards Nome.

On the return trip across the Sound, the team became stranded on an ice floe. The quick-thinking Seppala tied a lead to Togo, his only hope, and tossed the dog across five feet of water. Togo attempted to pull the floe supporting the sled, but the line snapped. Amazingly, the once-in-a-lifetime lead dog had the wherewithal to snatch the line from the water, roll it around his shoulders like a harness, and eventually pull his team to safety.

Back on land after covering a near-impossible number of miles, Seppala and his team eventually made the serum handoff in Golovin, just 78 miles from Nome. Late additions to this final stretch of the relay included musher Gunnar Kaasen who, against Seppala’s instincts, had chosen Balto to lead his team. On February 3rd, 1925, Kaasen and Balto rode into Nome to a hero’s welcome. The serum had arrived, and the town had been saved.

The Legacy of Togo

While Kaasen and Balto were given much of the glory, it was Seppala and Togo who insiders knew had truly saved the day. In the years following the serum run, Seppala made trips to the Lower 48 states with his heroic sled dogs. Seppala traveled all the way to New England and took on a team of local Chinooks in a friendly sled dog race. With Togo in the lead in what would be his final race, the much-smaller Siberians triumphed.

Ultimately, Seppala and New England musher Elizabeth Ricker chose to open a kennel of Siberians in Poland Spring, Maine. It was there that Togo lived out the rest of his days in dignity and serenity. The indomitable dog was finally put to rest in 1929 at the age of 16. In 1932, Seppala returned to Alaska, whereupon the kennel closed and the dogs were delegated to friend Harry Wheeler. According to the Siberian Husky Club of America , all of the breed’s registered dogs of today can trace their ancestry to the dogs from the Seppala-Ricker kennel or Harry Wheeler’s kennel.

Over the years, more and more began to recognize Togo as the serum run’s true hero dog. Eventually, in 1983, his mounted body was given a place of honor at the Iditarod Race Headquarters in Wasilla, Alaska. Most famous among modern dog sled races, the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is held each year in March, with parts of the route traversing the same 1925 serum run trails taken all those years ago.

Seppala himself passed away in 1967 at the age of 89. A fitting tribute, the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award is given to the Iditarod musher each year judged to have taken the best care of their dogs. As for his thoughts on Togo and the “Great Race of Mercy”, which changed the course of his own life and dog sledding forevermore, Seppala summed it up thusly in his unpublished autobiography before his passing:

“Afterwards, I thought of the ice and the darkness and the terrible wind and the irony that men could build planes and ships. But when Nome needed life in little packages of serum, it took the dogs to bring it through.”

References & Further Reading On Togo:

Leonhard Seppala: The Siberian Dog and The Golden Age of Sleddog Racing 1908-1941  by Bob & Pam Thomas

The Cruelest Miles: The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against An Epidemic  by Gay & Laney Salisbury

Togo’s Fireside Reflections  by Elizabeth M. Ricker

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Togo: History vs. Hollywood

Was togo sick when he was a young puppy.

Yes. The Togo true story reveals that as a young puppy Togo required excessive care from Leonhard Seppala's wife Constance. Early on, it was believed that the individual attention led to his rowdiness and mischievous behavior.

Where does the name Togo come from?

Willem Dafoe's character states in the movie that Togo was named after the underdog Japanese admiral and naval hero Tōgō Heihachirō. In researching the Togo fact vs. fiction, we learned that this is indeed true. Admiral Heihachirō was known for his success and victories in the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905), among other conflicts.

Did the real Togo jump through a glass window to get back to Leonhard?

Yes. The true story behind Togo confirms that as a result of his relatively small size, illness, and bad behavior as a young puppy, Leonhard Seppala decided that Togo was not sled dog material and gave him away to be a house pet when he was six months old. The real Togo spent a few weeks at his new home before he jumped through the glass of a shut window and ran several miles back to Leonhard's kennel. Impressed, Leonhard decided to keep him. After Seppala gave away Togo to be a house pet, Togo broke through a glass window to get back to Seppala and the pack.

Why was Leonhard Seppala chosen to help with the 1925 Serum Run to Nome?

Leonhard Seppala's experience and fame as a champion dog musher are why he was chosen to drive a sled dog team in the Serum Run. Seppala had immigrated to Alaska from Norway when his friend Jafet Lindeberg convinced him to come work for the mining company he started in Nome. Seppala became interested in dog sledding during his first winter in Alaska when he became a sled dog driver for Lindeberg's company. In 1914, he competed in the All Alaska Sweepstakes, a sled dog race. His career took off when he won the Sweepstakes the following year, beating experienced musher Scotty Allan by two hours. The victory is depicted as a flashback in the movie. Seppala also won the All Alaska Sweepstakes in 1916 and 1917, before the race was canceled until 1983. Champion dog musher Leonhard Seppala (left) circa 1925 and actor Willem Dafoe (right) as Seppala in the Disney Togo movie. Photo: Anchorage Museum of History and Art, Library and Archives

Was the diphtheria threat to Nome really as bad as it's portrayed in the movie?

Yes. In the winter of 1924-1925, a diphtheria epidemic was threatening the town of Nome, located on the southern Seward Peninsula on the northwestern coast of Alaska. After four children took ill and died, the town's only doctor, Curtis Welch, eventually diagnosed diphtheria in three-year-old Billy Barnett, who died just two weeks after the onset of symptoms. The next day a seven-year-old girl was diagnosed and Welch tried to give her expired antitoxin (all that was on hand) in hopes that it would work, but she died several hours later. Welch had ordered more diphtheria antitoxin from the health commissioner in Juneau, but the port closed for the winter before the shipment arrived. Desperate, he sent radiotelegrams to the other major towns in Alaska and one to the U.S. Public Health Service in Washington, D.C., pleading for help. His telegram is pictured below. Even with a quarantine in place, more than 20 people had been diagnosed with diphtheria and many more were at risk. The small amount of diphtheria antitoxin (8,000 units) Welch had on hand had expired and had become ineffective. Without a fresh batch of antitoxin, it was estimated that the disease would claim the area's entire population of approximately 10,000 souls. The exterior of Maynard Columbus Hospital in Nome between 1913 and 1934 (top) and in the movie (bottom). The real-life hospital was a bit bigger than the hospital seen in the Disney film. Photo: University of Washington

Why didn't they fly the diphtheria antitoxin to Nome?

Flying was relatively new at the time and winter flight was still largely untested. It was only in the previous February that the first airmail flight in Alaska took place. Nome is clear across the state from Fairbanks, a flight distance of approximately 521 miles. The only planes they had were water-cooled aircraft from World War I, which didn't perform well in cold weather. Temperatures across the Interior were at 20-year lows. It was −50 °F in Fairbanks. The polar night also meant that there were limited hours of daylight to fly.

Why is diphtheria so deadly?

Diphtheria is a bacterial infection caused by exposure to the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae, often by way of direct contact or through droplets in the air (sneezing or coughing). Symptoms usually begin two to five days after exposure and include a fever, sore throat and weakness. Diphtheria can attack healthy tissues in the respiratory system. Dead tissue then builds up in the throat or nose, forming a thick, gray coating dubbed a "pseudomembrane". This membrane (visible below over a patient's tonsils) covers healthy tissues in the throat, nose, tonsils and voice box, causing a croup-like cough, as well as severe difficulty breathing and swallowing. This can lead to death from asphyxiation. In advanced cases, diphtheria can also cause the neck to swell, in part due to swollen lymph nodes, resulting in a condition nicknamed "bull neck" (visible below). Left: A membrane of dead tissue covers a diphtheria patient's tonsils. Right: A swollen neck (also referred to as bull neck) is visible in a child with severe diphtheria. Diphtheria can affect other organs if the toxin spreads through the blood. This can result in deadly complications of the heart, kidneys and nervous system. Heart failure, kidney failure, and paralysis are possible, and as many as 50% of those who are not treated die.

Did Leonhard Seppala and his wife have any children?

Yes. In researching the Togo true story, we learned that in real life Leonhard and his wife Constance had a daughter named Sigrid, who was eight years old at the time of the 1925 Serum Run to Nome. She too was at risk of being stricken with diphtheria.

How old was Leonhard Seppala's dog Togo when they embarked on the Serum Run?

When Leonhard Seppala and his lead sled dog Togo began the relay to transport diphtheria antitoxin to Nome, Togo was 12 years old, which is practically ancient for a sled dog. By that time, he had already been a lead sled dog for seven years. Leonhard Seppala and Togo in real life (left) and the movie (right).

What dog portrayed Togo in the movie?

As we investigated the Togo fact vs. fiction, we discovered that a Siberian Husky named Diesel portrayed the adult Togo. He had two stunt doubles, Hugo and Mackey, who were lead sled dogs from Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours in Alberta. Snowy Owl provided all of the adult sled dogs used in the movie. Various dogs portrayed Togo as a puppy, including RipTide (Ripley) from Evelyn Ely's pack. The dogs who play Togo throughout the film often needed to be colored to match Diesel, the adult Togo.

How far did the sled dog teams travel with the serum?

The diphtheria serum was first transported by train from Anchorage northward to Nenana, Alaska. A relay of 20 sled dog teams then traveled a distance of 674 miles from Nenana to Nome. Leonhard Seppala and his sled dog team led by Togo traveled 340 miles roundtrip to pick up the serum and start bringing it back, eventually handing it off to Charlie Olson's team. The map above shows the journey of the diphtheria serum, first by train from Anchorage to Nenana, then by dog sled from Nenana to Nome.

Were the conditions Leonhard Seppala and Togo traveled in really as bad as what's seen in the movie?

To a large degree, yes. Leonhard Seppala and his sled dog team led by Togo spent three days traveling 170 miles from Nome to Shaktoolik to pick up the diphtheria serum on January 31, 1925. The true story behind Togo reveals that the temperature was approximately −30 °F with gale force winds making it feel like −85 °F. Like in the film, Seppala almost missed musher Henry Ivanoff, who had been in Shaktoolik in case Seppala didn't arrive. Ivanoff had just left Shaktoolik with the serum. They encountered each other while Ivanoff was untangling his team on a trail outside of town, at which time Seppala took possession of the serum. He immediately began the trek back across Norton Sound without pausing to rest. The conditions on the return trip were even worse. Seppala and his team again traversed the exposed open ice of Norton Sound, which was breaking up. This seems to be exaggerated a bit for the film. The darkness and a blizzard also made it impossible for Leonhard Seppala to see where he was going. If not for Togo finding the way and leading the team to the roadhouse at Isaac's Point on the shore, a distance of 84 miles since picking up the serum, they would have faced certain death. It was there they rested and slept for six hours before continuing their journey at 2 a.m., heading into another bad storm. The real Togo (top) and the movie Togo (bottom). During the night the temperature dropped to −40 °F with 65 mph winds. They headed inland and climbed 5,000 feet to cross Little McKinley Mountain. After coming partway down the trail, they reached the roadhouse in Golovin, completing their leg of the relay. Seppala gave the 300,240 units of serum to Charlie Olson and his sled dog team. Olsen in turn later handed it off to Gunnar Kaasen, who completed the final stretch with his dog Balto leading his team.

Did any mushers or sled dogs die during the Serum Run?

Many of the 150 dogs who took part in the 1925 Serum Run to Nome lost their lives, mainly due to exposure. While none of the mushers lost their lives, several of them succumbed to frostbite, including Charlie Olson and Gunnar Kaasen, who completed the final two legs of the journey. Kaasen, who was in charge of Balto, suffered frostbite to his fingers after strong winds blew his sled over. The bundle containing the serum was knocked out and he dug with his bare hands in the snow to find it. The bestselling book The Cruelest Miles: The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against an Epidemic tells the story of the 1925 serum relay to Nome.

What colors was Togo?

After he reached his adult weight of only about 48 pounds, the real Togo had a brown, black, and gray coat that made him look constantly dirty. While only black and white photos exist of Togo when he was alive, Leonhard Seppala had him custom mounted after his death at age 16. His mounted skin is currently on display at the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Headquarters museum in Wasilla, Alaska. History vs. Hollywood visited the headquarters in 2013 and captured the photo of Togo displayed below. His skeleton is in the Peabody Museum of Natural History's collection at Yale University. The real Togo's mounted skin is on display at the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Headquarters museum in Wasilla, Alaska.

Was Togo unfairly overlooked by the press, with credit instead going to Balto, the lead dog who finished the Serum Run?

Yes. Togo was the true champion of the Serum Run. His journey through white-out storms and twice across the unforgiving Norton Sound was by far the most perilous leg of the run. It was also the longest by roughly 200 miles. Despite doing most of the work, the credit instead largely went to the Gunnar Kaasen-controlled sled dog Balto, who completed the last, 55-mile stretch of the Serum Run through a blizzard. Balto was given a statue in New York City's Central Park later that year and Hollywood immediately turned Balto's journey into a movie titled Balto's Race to Nome . Gunnar Kaasen and Balto would come out on stage after each screening and receive great applause. Balto later inspired a 1995 animated movie that was loosely based on his story. On an interesting side note, despite Gunnar Kaasen being the musher that guided Balto, Leonhard Seppala owned both Balto and Togo. This is accurately depicted in the movie. Seppala felt that Balto was not good enough to put on his own team for the Serum Run. In fact, Gunnar Kaasen had to pair Balto with another lead dog, Fox, for the final push into Nome. It's true that newspapers didn't mention Fox because they felt the dog's name would be confusing. Despite Togo running roughly 200 miles more than Balto, Gunnar Kaasen and Balto (pictured) got the media attention because they were the pair that finished the relay and arrived in Nome with the serum. Disappointed over the media's failure to acknowledge Togo's heroism and accomplishment, according to Gay Salisbury's bestselling book on the serum relay,  The Cruelest Miles , Seppala commented, "It was almost more than I could bear when the newspaper dog Balto received a statue for his 'glorious achievements'." This isn't to say that Togo was completely ignored. Seppala, Togo, and a team of dogs went on a victory tour in the lower 48, making various stops, including in Seattle, California and New York City. Seppala and Togo were featured in a Lucky Strike cigarette campaign. A chewing gum collector card was also issued featuring the pair. The card can be found on eBay or through various collectors.

Did Togo live out the rest of his life with Leonhard Seppala?

No. Unlike the movie, Leonhard Seppala eventually decided that he wanted Togo to live out the remainder of his life in comfort. He said goodbye to Togo and gave the dog to fellow sled dog musher Elizabeth Ricker , who lived in Maine. "It was sad parting on a cold, gray March morning," recalled Seppala, "when Togo raised a small paw to my knee as if questioning why he was not going along with me. I never had a better dog than Togo. His stamina, loyalty, and intelligence could not be improved upon. Togo was the best dog that ever traveled the Alaska trail." It's true that before he died Togo sired puppies. Elizabeth Ricker and Leonhard Seppala established a kennel at Poland Spring Resort (which her husband's family operated) to breed Seppala sled dogs. Still today, mushers and Husky owners try to trace their dogs' lineage back to Togo. To learn more about the final years of Togo's life, watch our video How Disney Changed Togo's Ending . Left: Togo is pictured sitting next to musher Leonhard Seppala. Right: The pair as depicted in the movie.

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Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum Catalogue No. 82-37-1

This is the story of how a dog helped save a small Alaskan town...

In 1925, diphtheria swept through the small Alaskan town of Nome. Located 2 degrees south of the Arctic Circle, Nome was home to 455 Alaskan Natives and 975 European settlers.  Between November and July, the port into Nome on the southern shore of Seward Peninsula in the Bering sea was icebound and inaccessible by steamship. During this time the only link to the rest of the world, was the Iditarod Trail, which runs 938 miles from the port of Seward to Nome. Several months before the winter of 1924-1925, Curtis Welch, the only doctor in Nome, ordered more diphtheria antitoxin. Dr. Welch had discovered that the batch at the 25-bed Maynard Columbus Hospital had expired. Unfortunately, the shipment did not arrive before the port closed for the winter. Within days of the last ship leaving the port, Dr. Welch treated a few children for what he first diagnosed as tonsillitis. Over the next few weeks, the cases on tonsillitis grew and four children died. Dr. Welch began to get concerned about the possibility of diphtheria.

By mid-January, Dr. Welch made the first official diagnosis of diphtheria in a three-year old boy; the child later died two weeks after displaying the first symptoms. The next day a seven-year old girl died.  Realizing that an epidemic was imminent, Dr. Welch called Mayor George Maynard to arrange an emergency meeting. A quarantine was immediately implemented. Despite this, there were over 20 confirmed cases of diphtheria and at least 50 more at risk by the end of the month. Without antitoxin, they believed that the  mortality rate could be close to 100 percent.

Since no plane or ship could reach the isolated town, a unanimous decision was made to use multiple dogsled teams to transport the medicine across the dangerous land. Though Balto often gets the credit for saving the town of Nome, it was Togo, a Siberian Husky, who led his team across the most dangerous leg of the journey.

Named after Heihachiro Togo, a Japanese Admiral who fought in the war between Russia and Japan (1904-05), Togo was the lead sled dog of Leonhard Seppala. Seppala was a Norwegian breeder and racer of Siberian huskies from the Chukchi Inuit stock of Siberia. Togo was dark brown with cream, black and grey markings. He had ice blue eyes and weighed about 48 pounds at maturity. As a puppy, Togo developed a painful throat disorder that caused Seppala to lose interest in him. Eventually Seppala gave Togo up for adoption. Togo refused to be parted from Seppala and his teams and later escaped his adoptee's home by jumping through a window. A troublesome and mischievous puppy, Togo harassed Seppala's teams when he was harnessing up a team or whenever they were on a trail. To keep him calm, Seppala harnessed Togo in one of the wheel position directly in front of the sled. Through his journey to take a miner to Dime Creek, Seppala moved Togo up the line until he was sharing the lead position with the lead dog, named Russky. During his first day in the harness, Togo ran over 75 miles, a distance unheard of for an inexperienced young sled dog. By the time Togo led his team over 261 miles during the Great Race of Mercy to deliver diphtheria anti-toxin, he was 12 years old. Though Balto received the credit for saving the town, to those who know more than the Disney story, Balto is considered the backup dog. Balto ran 55 miles, while Togo's leg of the journey was the longest and most dangerous. Togo retired in Poland Spring, Maine, where he was euthanized at the age of 16.  Following his death, Seppala had Togo custom mounted. The mounted skin was put on display at the Shelbourne Museum in Vermont. Today, the mounted skin is on display at the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Headquarters museum in Wasilla, Alaska  following a campaign by Alaskan students to return Togo to Alaska. The Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University houses the skeletal remains in their collection.   What Makes Togo an American Hero? Despite rough beginnings, Togo saved the lives of thousands of people. In 1960, Seppala said that "I never had a better dog than Togo. His stamina, loyalty and intelligence could not be improved upon. Togo was the best dog that ever traveled the Alaska trail."

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Last updated: April 19, 2023

Balto and Togo, Two Great Sled Dogs

Balto and Togo became famous lead sled dogs for their parts in the Alaskan “Race of Mercy” in 1925. This was the successful effort to deliver badly needed antitoxin serum to the people of Nome. The race involved a relay of sled dog teams traveling 674 miles in the dead of winter when an outbreak of diphtheria took hold in the small, isolated community.

Diphtheria is a highly contagious illness that often kills its victims. Like other doctors in remote areas, Nome’s doctor Curtis Welch always ordered back-up supplies of medicine to get through the winter months. However, he never received his order of the antitoxin against diphtheria. All he had left at the hospital was a small quantity of serum that was several years old.

Before air travel, Nome was essentially inaccessible during the winter months. The community prepared for this. The last ships made their deliveries in October. Anyone who wanted to leave the town did so at that time. The remaining people who stayed settled in to get through northern Alaska’s very bad winters. Blizzards sometimes raged for several days with winds blowing up to 70-80 miles per hour. Temperatures could hold at -50 degrees or lower. It was often unsafe to be out.

Illness in Nome

In late December 1924, word spread that Nome had an outbreak of diphtheria. State health officers conferred with Dr. Welch as to what could be done. The state officials located 300 units of the serum in Anchorage, but how to get it to Nome? Airplanes were still very primitive, and even the most experienced pilot would be daunted by flying during a Nome winter.

Most items requiring winter transport relied on sled dog teams. Musher Leonhard Seppala was the best sled dog driver in the territory, but the distance he would need to travel was very long.

The experts decided that the best plan would be to establish a relay of dog teams. Seppala would be assigned the longest and most difficult passage, but the relay system would provide the help he needed.

The serum was to travel from Anchorage inland to Nenana by railroad. From there, the first sled team would pick it up and begin the first leg of the 674-mile journey, a trip that normally  would require a month during the winter months.

In January, the trails often had so much snow that they were unnavigable. The route involved crossing waterways where the powerful sea could crack or dislodge pieces of ice. If this happened, a sled team could find themselves floating on an ice floe. Temperatures could easily be -50 degrees, and when the wind blew, the wind chill factor was cutting. If the driver needed to remove his face mask or gloves for any reason, he risked almost immediate freezing.

The Importance of the Lead Dog

People unfamiliar with the work of a sled dog team could not fully comprehend the importance of the lead dog. These dogs need both intelligence and fortitude for leading a pack because many times the decision about what to do had to be theirs. Depending on the number of dogs in the team, the leader might be running 20-40 feet in advance of his master and the sled. Whatever challenge appears often needs to be addressed instantly.

During winter weather, there are many dangers on the trail. The team may encounter a “wall” of snow as they travel, and the lead dog needs to decide whether to go through or around it. Low temperatures, blizzard conditions, and ice that can break into separate floes along waterways are all hazards. Men’s faces and fingers can freeze due to the low temperatures, and if a dog’s feet get wet from melting snow, a good dog leader knows to stop. His master must dry their feet or frostbite will immediately set in.

Because the trails were unpredictable, there were frequent “dog pile-ups” that meant the sled driver needed to go into the pack and untangle all the team members.

Driving through a blizzard almost always reduces vision for the musher. In those moments, the sled driver most likely cannot see his leader; he may not even be able to see his “wheel” dogs—the ones that are placed just before the sled. On a very bad day, the driver may not be able to see his own hands.

In an emergency like the serum run, each man simply has to place all hope on their lead dog and the team. It was often said among Alaskans, “a man is only as good as his team.”

Togo was 12 years old at the time of the serum run. He was Leonhard Seppala’s lead dog for many years. Seppala considered him the best of any dog he had ever had.

Togo was born to Suggen, one of Seppala’s other lead dogs that had seen Seppala through many difficult trips. But at birth, Togo was an undersized handful who did not even seem to have the makings of a sled dog. Seppala gave the puppy to a friend to be a pet.

But when Togo wasted no time escaping from the friend’s home and finding his way back to the kennel, Seppala gave him another chance. Too young to harness, Togo sometimes ran along with Seppala’s team, but the dog was often was a lot of bother.

When Togo was only 8 months, he spent one morning annoying the team by biting their heels and tails. Seppala finally put him in a harness and started him in the wheel position (closest to the sled). Seppala soon saw Togo’s drive and ability and began moving him up the chain. By the end of that day, Togo helped pull for 75 miles and was now right near the front of the pack. 

Soon he was Leonhard Seppala’s regular lead dog. Seppala and Togo were in their prime to win the All-Alaska Sweepstakes races in 1915, 1916, and 1917. But by the time of the serum run, Togo was getting older.

Despite the dog’s age, Seppala still put full faith in the dog and knew that Togo would be the dog to get the serum through the most difficult stretch of the trip.

Balto was also part of Seppala’s kennel. In his freight-hauling business, Seppala used several teams of dogs. Slow and steady was sometimes more important than running quickly.  

When Seppala picked his team for the serum run, he did not pick Balto. He left him behind for the slower work team. One of his employees, Gunnar Kaasen, would be in charge of any regular work that came in.

Planning the Serum Run

When the routes were assigned for the serum run, Leonhard Seppala was given the longest most difficult route. He would be responsible for the leg of the route involving Norton Sound. It would be up to Seppala (and to Togo) to decide whether or not the team could risk cutting across the Sound. If they had to go around, it would add a day to their schedule. 

Each driver was responsible for another difficult task–preventing the serum from freezing solid. At each way station, the driver carried the wrapped serum into the roadhouse to warm it up slightly before the next trip. But these roadhouses were simply huts with stoves. They were never very warm inside, but it was better than leaving the serum outside.

Preparations Begin

Seppala was to pick up the serum from a driver in Shaktoolik. As soon as the plans were set, he left. From there, Seppala would deliver it to a driver at Golovin, who was to carry it on the serum’s next-to-last leg.

In the meantime, the organizers were making some changes. They determined that the distances for teams should be shorter where possible. Extra teams were added. But Seppala and those drivers who had already left, didn’t know about the change in plans.

The other call, he and several others missed was one that told them to halt the race for a time. Blizzard conditions became so bad that the organizers decided that it was more important to stop for a time rather than risk losing the serum in a sled accident.

Seppala was almost at Shaktoolik expecting to pick up the serum. He passed a sled driver whose dogs were all tangled. Normally Seppala would have paused to help out, but this mission was too important. He and Togo kept going.

Suddenly, over the shrill whistling of the wind, he heard faint calls: “Seppala! Seppala! I have the serum!”

The other driver was among those added to reduce the distance for each team. Leonhard Seppala slowed Togo and got him to turn the team—a time-consuming task. They went back and retrieved the serum.

Blizzard Worsens

In the meantime, the weather was becoming worse. Organizers phoned the roadhouses where drivers were expected to stop. The message left for each team was to halt until the weather cleared.

But this was another message Seppala never received. He and Togo kept right on going.

When he arrived at Norton Sound, the team had to divert somewhat from the planned route. But Togo knew they could return to cross over the frozen bay. This saved at least a day’s time.

When they reached Golovin, Seppala delivered the serum to Charlie Olson. Olson originally was scheduled to take it on to Nome.

Final Leg of the Journey

What Seppala didn’t know was that in making the scheduling changes, his own dogs had been added. That team would be driven by Gunnar Kaasen, would be the team meeting Olson for the next leg of the trip.

From there, fate continued to intervene.

The blizzard became much worse. Though the organizers tried to notify the drivers to stop for a day or two to wait out the weather, most of the drivers never got the word. Kaasen was among them.

Kaasen was to have passed the serum off at the roadhouse at Bluff, but the weather was so bad that Balto and Kaasen missed the turn-off to the slated rest stop.  

Though Balto had not been the lead dog when Kaasen started out, he was now at the the head of the team.  In the poor visibility, Balto may have missed a turn, but he well knew how to return to Nome.

When the team pulled into Nome, Gunnar Kaasen could hardly have gone much farther. He was suffering from the severe cold and could barely walk. Kaasen climbed off the back slide runners and haltingly made his way forward to Balto. He collapsed with his arms encircling the dog.

Arrival in Nome

Dr. Welch and the citizens of Nome were overjoyed when the team arrived. They had not expected that anyone could get through until the weather broke.

But there had been no way to present the serum from freezing through during these last challenging days. Welch knew it had to be thawed slowly, so he took it to a very cool room in the hospital where the temperature was only about 46 degrees.  There, the serum began a slow thaw. To his great relief, no beakers broke as the serum warmed. About 18 hours after the arrival of the serum, Dr. Welch was able to use the treatment on the sickest of patients.

Good News Spread

Whether it was newspaper reporters or the townspeople writing to friends, the credit given to Balto for delivering the serum grew. When the weather improved, film crews arrived to film Kaasen with the dog.  The story took on a life of its own. The newspaper headlines were filled with stories of Balto’s achievement.

Later on, Balto would be the subject of numerous storybooks and films. Eventually, he had a statue in New York City’s Central Park.

Lesser Dog?

Leonhard Seppala did not openly complain, but he knew that Togo had traveled twice the distance of the other dogs across a far more treacherous part of the journey. Togo saved almost a day on the relay run by bravely crossing the frozen bay where almost anything could have happened. Seppala felt strongly that the true hero had been overlooked.

Seppala was also bothered by the fact that he did not consider Balto lead dog material. The thought a “lesser dog” getting so much attention upset him.

But Seppala and Kaasen must never have discussed the serum run. Seppala might have felt better if they had.  

Albert Payson Terhune Gets the Story

Many months after the serum run, Gunnar Kaasen was asked to take Balto to New Jersey where the sculptor was to create the statue to Balto.  While Balto was there, naturalist and writer Albert Payson Terhune asked to stop in. Terhune knew sled dogs and wanted to assess Balto’s physique and compare it what what he knew. While there, Terhune talked to Gunnar Kaasen who explained exactly how it happened that Balto led the pack. 

When Kaasen was told he would run an added team, he did just what Seppala would have wanted. He selected Fox for the lead. But the weather was brutal and Fox became too tired to lead. Kaasen put in another dog, who also became worn out. Finally, he had little choice but to use Balto, who soon proved very capable.

Tough Journey for All

Twenty separate sled teams participated in the serum run. With weather that could hardly have been worse, the relay teams accomplished in 6 days what would have been a month-long trek.and in all, 150 dogs were lost to overwork or exposure. The authors

While most dogs went back to their normal sledding duties, 150 of the dogs were lost to over-exertion or severe exposure to the cold.

But for Balto and Togo, things did not go very well.

What Happened to Balto?

Since the public began to hear about Balto and his arrival in Nome, he and Gunnar Kaasen were soon invited to the United States to tell their story.

At that time, with no national newspapers, spotty radio coverage, and no wire services or internet, the method for sharing a big story was the lecture circuit. Doctors, scientists and explorers—anyone with a story to tell—traveled and made speeches. And if you had sled dogs to take with you, the crowds were guaranteed.

Kaasen traveled with Balto and six other members of the team. Their bookings were handled by a show promoter, and the experience proceeded well enough.

But as Gunnar Kaasen’s tour was coming to an end, something went wrong. The dogs—actually Leonhard Seppala’s dogs—did not return to Alaska with Kaasen. Whether Seppala intentionally sold the team or whether the promoter swindled Kaasen (and thus Seppala) out of the dogs, we will not know. Whatever happened, Balto and the rest of the team stayed behind to continue show life with the promoter.

For working dogs accustomed to unending snow, cold temperatures, the feel of teamwork with the wind in their faces, this must have been a miserable life.

Saved by Businessman

One businessman from Cleveland certainly thought the dogs were ill-served. After George Kimble saw the dogs in California, he contacted the Cleveland newspapers and announced a “Balto Fund.” He could not figure out a way to get the team back to Alaska, but he could free them from the sideshow.

After some haggling, Kimble owned the dogs. In 1927, the Cleveland townspeople—who raised the money–sponsored a big parade to welcome Balto’s team to Cleveland. The dogs were placed at the Cleveland Zoo where “they lived in comfort” and the public could visit them for the rest of their lives. (That’s certainly not what people of today would have recommended but the entire team was kept together. This may have helped.

The newspaper kept the public up-to-date on Balto’s health at the end of his life. Balto died on March 14, 1933 at the age of 14. After his death, his body was preserved by a taxidermist. It was placed in the Cleveland Museum of Natural History where he can still be seen today.

Seppala, Too, Visited the United States

After the serum run, Leonhard Seppala was also invited to the United States for speaking tours. He proved to be good at public speaking, and he enjoyed it. Though Togo’s age and the stress of the of the serum run was beginning to affect him, he was healthy enough to enjoy personal appearances with his master.

The two made their way slowly across the country to the Northeast. Part of the draw in New England might have been well-respected dog breeder Arthur T. Walden who established his Chinook kennels in New Hampshire.

Walden was delighted to have the famed Leonhard Seppala in the area. His Chinook team had been carefully thought through—strong, fast, and intelligent, but breeding out all wolf traits that most sled dogs carried. 

Seppala and Togo were something new in the area. Seppala favored the smaller, powerfully-built Siberian huskies.

Sled Dog Race in Maine

Walden proposed a sled dog race to take place in Maine. Walden wanted to test his new breed, the Chinook, against Seppala’s dog choice the Siberian huskies. The Chinook team looked good, but the huskies, led by Togo, were fast.

Togo’s team won by several minutes; Seppala even had time to stop to help untangle one of the Chinook teams.

While in New Hampshire, Leonhard Seppala met the wife of the resort owner at Poland Spring. Elizabeth Ricker expressed interest in setting up a kennel breeding Siberian huskies. He hired Seppala to establish it for her.

Leonhard Seppala remained for a couple of years, Togo—now an indoor dog due to age—accompanied Seppala in his kennel work.

Sad Parting

When Leonhard Seppala needed to return to Alaska, he knew Togo was too old for the trip. Though Togo would have a warm and loving home with Elizabeth Ricker, the parting between Seppala and his favorite dog of all time must have been difficult.

Recognition Today

Today Balto is no longer the only dog recognized for his heroism. Togo now has a statue in New York City’s Seward Park, and his story has now been told in a Disney movie. In addition, each year a Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian award given to Iditarod musher judged to have taken the best care of their dogs

In the end, Leonhard Seppala had the perfect words: “Afterward, I thought of the ice and the darkness and the terrible wind and the irony that men could build planes and ships. But when Nome needed life in little packages of serum, it took dog teams to bring it through.”

For more stories of sled dogs, read Pol aris, Peary Sledge Dog Descendant or Sled Dog Team Travels from Nome to Washington, D.C.

Share with Others!

View sources >>

“The Cruelest Miles: The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against an Epidemic,” by Gay Salisbury and Laney Salisbury, Norton, 2003.

Seppala: Alaskan Dog Driver by Elizabeth Ricker, 1930.

“Sled Dog Hero of 1925 Nome Serum Run,” by will Hank, American Kennel Club, March 6, 2020.

Other Sources:

Albert Payson Terhune’s articles were syndicated by McNaught Syndicate. One article ran in the Omah World-Herald, Omaha, Nebraska, November 15, 1925.

“Seppala’s Dogs: Balto, Togo and Fritz,” by Helen Hegener. www.alaskadispatch.com , January 23,2010.

“1925 Serum Run to Nome,” Wikipedia.

“Togo (dog)” Wikipedia.

“Famous Husky Near Death in Cleveland Zoo,” Delphos Daily Herald, Delphos, Ohio, March 10, 1933.

“Balto Denies Death,” The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio, January 1, 1933.

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12 thoughts on “balto and togo, two great sled dogs”.

Love this!!!

Thank you! Yes, I really wanted to look into the story behind the trips of both dogs. Everyone in that run deserves a ton of credit, but it was fascinating to read about some of what happened to both Balto and Togo.

Thanks for commenting. I love knowing people enjoy it.

Wonderful story. I didn’t realize how much the great serum delivery was a team effort. I’m glad both Togo and Balto can share lead dog acclaim. Thanks!

Thank you for commenting! That’s exactly why I researched and wrote the story. Balto was certainly the first to become a dog hero, but I kept hearing so much about Togo that it seemed important to break down what happened. Altogether, an amazing story.

Thank you for doing the research and sharing the story.

A pleasure….I just didn’t think Togo’s story was adequately told, but as I found both dogs deserve a lot of credit. What a trip.

Thank you for posting this story about Balto and Togo. I had two very passionate elementary age kiddos disputing which dog was most important in this amazing effort to save children and adults from diptheria, in Nome, Alaska. Your work here helps me clarify what truly happened. It also makes for interesting reading for elementary age children.

JC, Washington State

Thank you for posting! When I researched the article, I was asking the same question the kids were asking…I enjoyed finding the answer, and I’m delighted you were able to use it in the classroom.

This was the worst and best too long for my kindergartners but great keep going

I hear you…perhaps you can summarize what each dog did?

Since the details are not clearly oulined elsewhere, I find it important to document what I found.

Thanks for posting.

Wow this is an amazing article! Thanks so much for researching and telling this story in a way that is very understandable. I always loved Balto but I had seen that there were other movies that were the same but not exactly. And I was excited to see that there was Togo but I didn’t know how the whole story fit together. Truly, thank you! I’m very excited to watch the movies.

Thank you so much! I went in search of exactly what you were wondering about….and it was fun to find the answers!

Enjoy re-watching the movies.

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THE 1925 SERUM RUN

This is the story of how sled dogs saved the town of Nome, Alaska, and how dogs like Balto and Togo became internationally known. 

In January 1925, the only doctor in Nome, a former gold rush town on the western edge of Alaska, examined some desperately ill children. He became alarmed. His young patients showed symptoms of diphtheria, a highly contagious and often fatal disease. The children’s diagnosis set off an astounding chain of events. An epidemic could be prevented if the serum to combat diphtheria could somehow be transported across hundreds of miles of Alaskan wilderness in brutal winter conditions. The fate of Nome’s citizens came to rest on an improbable relay race on a trail winding hundreds of miles through the wilderness using Alaska’s distinctive form of transportation: dog sledding, or “mushing.” If all went well, the serum would be delivered to Nome in time to halt the epidemic. Within two weeks of Dr. Curtis Welch seeing the children with terrifying symptoms, newspaper readers across America were gripped by dispatches about determined men and their exceptional sled dogs racing through the frigid wilderness. The story, a harrowing adventure tale combining modern medicine with traditional mushing, resonated with the public. Within a year, an impressive bronze statue of one of the heroes who brought the serum to Nome was unveiled in New York City’s Central Park. The hero was a dog, Balto. And for nearly a century many people have contended the real hero of the story was another dog, a husky named Togo. THE DIPHTHERIA OUTBREAK IN NOME Diphtheria is a serious infection caused by a specific bacteria, corynebacterium diphtheriae , that creates a toxin in the human body. The bacteria is easily spread, usually by infected people coughing or sneezing. The symptoms of diphtheria would typically start out as fever and chills, a sore throat, and coughing. If the condition worsens, the toxins kill healthy tissue in the respiratory system, and the dead cells form a gray membrane. The patient is essentially suffocated. In the late 19th century, when diphtheria outbreaks were a major cause for concern, antitoxins were developed which could stop the infection and save the patient’s life. By January 21 two children in Nome had died. And more cases of diphtheria were being reported every day. The town’s entire population of 1,400 was at risk. And the disease could easily spread to thousands more living across western Alaska. Dr. Welch convinced the mayor and town council to impose a quarantine. And he sent urgent telegrams to the U.S Public Health Service, pleading for a fresh shipment of antitoxin. There was a stockpile of serum in Anchorage, 1,000 miles away, and a plan to transport it came together. An emergency parcel could leave Anchorage on the Alaska Railroad. A steam locomotive could carry it as far as the small town of Nenana, in central Alaska. From there, men and dogs would take over, racing the serum westward to Nome in a long-distance relay. THE RACE TO DELIVER THE SERUM The sled dog teams would need to travel 674 miles of trail through the wilderness, and in some of the worst conditions imaginable. The temperatures would be far below zero. Snow and wind could reduce visibility to virtually zero. Word went out for volunteer mushers via telegraph and telephone. Twenty drivers and teams of dogs responded. They were all very experienced, and some delivered mail and supplies to small towns along the trail. One volunteer, a Nome resident, Leonhard Seppala, was an obvious choice to handle the most difficult and potentially dangerous portion of the relay. A native of Norway, he had emigrated to Alaska in 1900, when a friend invited him to work for a mining company during the gold rush. Seppala settled in Nome and worked as a dogsled driver. His normal routine was to move workers and supplies to various company outposts in the region. A natural athlete, the 5-foot-4-inch Seppala became known for competing in the Alaska Sweepstakes, a long-distance sled dog race. He had been an early advocate for using dogs imported from Siberia, rather than the traditional Alaskan malamute. Known at the time as “Siberians,” the breed is now officially classed by the American Kennel Club as the Siberian Husky. Smaller than the malamute, they possess strength and resilience and make exceptional sled dogs. Huskies exhibit impressive instincts for pulling sleds. The term “adaptive intelligence” is often used to describe their ability to make decisions and quickly adapt when conditions become perilous. During the serum relay in 1925, Seppala’s very experienced lead dog, 12-year-old Togo, would play a heroic role. For years Seppala’s name had occasionally appeared in small items about dogsled races on the sports pages of American newspapers. In early February 1925, his name would be appearing on the front pages of newspapers, and millions of Americans would know of him as the most adept member of the relay team racing the serum to Nome. HARD TRAVELING ON THE TRAIL The trail from Nenana to Nome was part of an ancient network of trails through the wilderness first used by Native Alaskans. By 1925 roadhouses were positioned about every 20 miles so mushers and their dogs would rest and eat. The relay was quickly organized by contacting drivers and positioning them at specific roadhouses along the trail. On a Tuesday night, January 27, 1925, at the tiny town of Nenana, deep in the Alaskan interior, a musher known as Wild Bill Shannon waited at the train station. The temperature outside was 50 degrees below zero. It was a very dangerous night to be heading out on the trail. True to his name, Wild Bill was determined to get moving. When the train arrived at 9 p.m., he took the 20-pound parcel wrapped in fur and packed it on his sled. With his team of dogs, led by Blackie, a five-year-old Siberian Husky, Shannon drove into the darkness. The serum was on its way to Nome, 674 miles away. Shannon had a rough night. By the time he got to a roadhouse where he could rest a bit at 3 a.m., he had developed frostbite on his face and three of his dogs were too tired to continue. He pressed on. At 11 a.m. he arrived at his destination, a roadhouse 52 miles from where he started in the night. The serum was handed off to the next driver, Edgar Kallands. On the morning after Wild Bill began the relay, Leonhard Seppala got a phone call at the western end of the trail, telling him to start getting in position for his own leg of the relay. He would have to drive his sled, led by Togo, more than 300 miles eastward, where he would await the parcel. Then he would head back westward. In both directions he would cross the dangerous ice covering the Norton Sound, an inlet of the Bering Sea. On that same day, January 28, 1925, on the other side of the United States, the front page of the Washington Evening Star featured an Associate Press dispatch describing the effort in faraway Alaska. The article noted the “fastest and most faithful dog teams in the district” were in a race “against the advances of an epidemic of diphtheria raging at Nome.” Out on the trail heading westward to Nome, the men driving the sleds would be the only humans for miles around. Their isolation was profound. Unknown to them, millions of newspaper readers were eagerly following along as updates were telegraphed from outposts along the trail. SEPPALA AND TOGO FACE DANGER The relay continued with mushers and their dogs steadily heading westward. On the fourth day, January 31, 1925, Leonhard Seppala was approaching his rendezvous point, a town called Unalakleet. He had already crossed the dangerous ice covering the Norton Sound heading east. As he continued on the trail, Seppala encountered another team of dogs up ahead. The other musher was waving his hands, trying to flag down Seppala. It was Henry Ivanoff, yelling that he had the serum. Seppala took the parcel from Ivanoff and began his trip back to Nome. He had a critical decision to make. Crossing the Norton Sound was always dangerous, but there was also a storm coming in from the Bering Sea. That meant the ice could break up, dooming Seppala, Togo and the other dogs, and the precious serum. It was possible to drive the sled around the Norton Sound, but that would add a day to the journey. Seppala didn’t want to waste any time. Heading out onto the Norton Sound in the darkening late afternoon, Seppala had confidence in Togo, who was leading the way. It became too dark for Seppala to see, and the wind was so loud he couldn’t listen for any sound of the ice cracking. Togo was keeping his head down and keeping a straight course. At about 8 p.m. Seppala and the dogs arrived on the other side of the frozen inlet. They had covered 84 miles in one day, and the dogs were exhausted. Seppala fed the dogs seal blubber and salmon, and the dogs went to sleep. Seppala also slept for a few hours. Waking up at 2 a.m., Seppala realized the storm was getting worse. He started off toward his next destination, Golovin, 50 miles away. Seppala couldn’t see the trail at times, but Togo led the way. The final part of the trail required climbing a series of steep hills. Seppala kept his dogs in top condition, and they exhibited astounding endurance. By 3 p.m. Seppala and his team arrived at Golovin and passed the parcel of serum on to Charlie Olson. The precious parcel of antitoxin was 78 miles from Nome. THE FINAL RUN TO NOME Olson took off with the parcel, taking it 25 miles to Bluff. When he arrived he told Gunnar Kaasen, the next musher, of the horrendous weather conditions he’d just endured. A blizzard was raging, and the wind was strong enough at times to blow his sled off the trail. Kaasen, with two huskies named Balto and Fox in the lead, headed into the face of the blizzard. They had to leave the trail at times to go around drifting snow. They could have gotten hopelessly lost but were saved by Balto’s sense of smell. He picked up the scent of other dogs which had passed by weeks earlier, and instinctively led the team back on the trail. The plan was for Kaasen to hand off to the last musher in the relay, Ed Rohn. But when approaching the rendezvous point, Kaasen didn’t bother to stop at the roadhouse where Rohn was sleeping. He continued onward to Nome. At 5:30 a.m. on Monday, February 2, 1925, Kaasen and team arrived on Front Street in Nome. The serum had arrived. Dr. Welch examined the serum and he discovered it was frozen. But, it could be thawed and used. The doctor in Anchorage had packed it well and none of the vials had broken. By 11 a.m. the serum was thawed and ready to be administered to the sickest patients in Nome. On Tuesday, February 3, 1925, the lead story on the front page of the New York Times was about the serum’s safe, though frozen, arrival in Nome. The story mentioned Gunnar Kaasen braving the blizzard, and noted that the dogsled relay of the serum had taken five and a half days. The story in the New York Times also mentioned Leonhard Seppala, and gave him credit for traveling the “most viciously winter-ridden stretch” of the journey. Newspaper accounts said Seppala had not yet been heard from, as he would be resting his dogs and slowly making his way homeward to Nome. HONORING HEROIC SLED DOGS On Wednesday, February 4, a lengthy article attributed as Gunnar Kaasen’s first-person account appeared in newspapers across America. Kaasen praised Balto effusively and gave him credit for being able to keep them on the trail in blinding conditions, telling reporters "I couldn't see the trail. Many times I couldn't even see my dogs, so blinding was the gale. I gave Balto, my lead dog, his head and trusted him. He never once faltered. It was Balto who led the way." The very next day, February 5, the New York Times published an editorial which began by praising Balto and suggesting a monument be placed in his honor. Some New Yorkers took that suggestion quite seriously. A campaign began to commission a statue of Balto. By the time Seppala returned to Nome with Togo and his other dogs, the story of Balto was spreading across America. Seppala naturally believed the wrong dog was being publicized. Kaasen and Balto were even brought to Hollywood, where they appeared in a silent film, “Balto’s Race to Nome.” Kaasen and Balto also went out on a vaudeville circuit during the summer of 1925. Dog lovers in New York City commissioned a noted sculptor, Frederick Roth, to create a bronze statue of Balto. Roth worked on the project throughout the summer of 1925, using a malamute as a model. The statue, cast in bronze, was unveiled in New York City’s Central Park on December 15, 1925. As newsreel cameras captured the scene, Kaasen and Balto attended the unveiling ceremony. A New York Times story the next day said “several hundred persons congregated around a jutting rock in the park” on which the statue stood. Balto, the newspaper reported, was “unmoved” by his likeness. The statue of Balto became a beloved landmark. For decades, countless children posed for snapshots beside it. Lately, people like to post photos of their dogs posing with Balto on Instagram. Togo also made an appearance in New York City. A year after the unveiling of the Balto statue, Leonhard Seppala and Togo were honored between periods of a hockey game at Madison Square Garden. The New York Times noted that Togo was given a gold medal for heroism by Roald Amundsen, the famed Arctic explorer. Seppala and Togo had traveled to the Northeast to compete in a race in Maine in January 1927. Seppala decided to stay in Maine for a few years, and Togo lived the rest of his life there. Kaasen had sold Balto before returning to Alaska. A businessman from Cleveland bought Balto from a vaudeville show, and donated him to the Cleveland Zoo. Balto spent the rest of his life as a popular attraction for children visiting the zoo. Balto’s name does appear on the statue in Central Park. Yet the inscription carved on a stone plaque at the statue’s base honors more than one dog: “Dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the sled dogs that relayed antitoxin 600 miles over rough ice, across treacherous waters, through Arctic blizzards, from Nenana to the relief of stricken Nome in the winter of 1925.” Beneath that inscription, three more words pay tribute to Balto, Togo, and the rest: “Endurance, Fidelity, Intelligence.”

The True Story Behind The 1925 Nome Serum Run

Nearly a century ago, the discovery of a deadly and highly contagious disease in a remote Alaskan town sparked a heroic effort to deliver an antidote. Twenty teams of sled dogs raced across the frozen landscape, through whiteout blizzards, to transport the serum across land wrought largely inaccessible by harsh winter conditions. This great human and canine achievement came to be known as the Nome serum run or the Great Race of Mercy. 

But today, most of the story has been forgotten, simplified in the media and movies that only focus on a handful of participants. For example, you may have heard of Balto, but do you know Leonhard Seppala? The true story behind the 1925 Nome serum run is even more daring and more impressive, including a 670-mile relay, a near miss, a potentially deadly shortcut, and the trusting relationship between sled dogs and their mushers.

The plan to save Nome

In January 1925, the tiny village of Nome in west Alaska was home to fewer than 1,500 people, including Indigenous Alaskans and European immigrants. That month, there was an outbreak of diphtheria , a disease that spreads through respiratory droplets and creates a deadly toxin. Diphtheria is especially contagious and dangerous among young children — several children had died before Nome's government realized they had an epidemic on their hands.

Nome's supply of the serum needed to treat diphtheria had expired the previous summer. The town's doctor, Dr. Curtis Welch, had ordered more , but the port froze over before the medicine arrived. In the midst of winter, Nome was inaccessible by ship, plane, or train. Nome was put into quarantine, but there were still 20 confirmed diphtheria cases and 50 more suspected. Without the serum, anyone who caught the disease would most likely die.

A callout for antitoxin located a supply 1,000 miles away in Anchorage. Local officials decided that the serum would travel by train to Nenana, where one dog sled team would pick it up and take it to Nulato, where they would hand it over to another team, who would take it back to Nome, a total distance of 674 miles.

Typically the route from Nenana to Nome took dog sled teams working for the postal service an average of 25 days, according to the BBC . The record was nine days . But in the extreme cold, the serum would last only six.

The plan to save Nome changes — too late

The musher charged with traveling the Nome to Nulato route was Leonhard Seppala, a Norwegian-born former gold miner, ski champion, and three-time winner of the All Alaska Sweepstakes. As Sports Illustrated explains , the sweepstakes was a grueling sled dog race that spanned more than 400 miles along the Bering Sea, covering much of the same ground as the Nome serum run. By 1925 — eight years after winning their third title — Seppala and his lead dog Togo were Alaska's most famous sled dog team. At one point, it was suggested that he go all the way to Nenana and back.

Instead, on January 27, Seppala set off for Nulato. But after he'd left, Alaska's governor Scott C. Bone changed the plan . Instead of two mushers meeting in Nulato, the serum would travel by dog sled relay, with teams waiting at different roadhouses to pick it up and run their stretch. His theory was that dividing the distance between multiple teams would ensure the dogs and the mushers would be fresher and faster.

Unbeknownst to Seppala, he was now scheduled to pick up the serum in Shaktoolik, about 95 miles to the west of Nulato . Unfortunately, since he'd already left, there was no way to tell him about this change, especially since his route didn't go through any villages with telephones. The organizers had to hope that their star musher didn't miss the serum altogether, which could potentially have jeopardized the whole attempt.

It took 20 mushers to move the serum from Nenana to Nome

When Gov. Scott C. Bone decided to add more mushers to the plan, he sent out a message looking for experienced dog sled teams who lived along the route and were willing to volunteer for the dangerous mission. According to Sports Illustrated , the 20 mushers who signed on included other sweepstakes racers, mailmen, trappers, and guides, all of whom had experience on the trails. They came from different backgrounds, including Indigenous Alaskans and Norwegian immigrants.

The names of many of these mushers have been lost to history, partly thanks to one particular musher who proved to be the best at PR and partly thanks to lazy media coverage. But that's for later. There were probably as many motivations as there were men, but in 1995, on the 70th anniversary of the serum run, the last surviving musher, Edgar Nollner, gave a rare interview to AP News about his role. Asked why he took part in the mission, Nollner said, "I just wanted to help, that's all."

Over 150 sled dogs took part in the serum run

In addition to the 20 mushers, 150 dogs dragged the serum along its treacherous route. They were made up of two breeds, Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies .

Alaskan Malamutes had long been the favorite of European settlers/invaders in Alaska. But their dominance was threatened in 1909. Fur trader William Goosak had noticed that the Chukchi people who lived by the Bering Sea in modern-day Russia used a smaller breed, Siberian Huskies. The BBC described Siberian Huskies as "the Goldilocks of racing sled dogs." They were big enough to pull heavy loads, small enough that they wouldn't overheat (unlike Malamutes), had a long stride, and always kept one paw touching the snow — essential for preventing the sled from slipping backwards with every step.

The Siberian Huskies also had certain adaptations that made them freakishly good at dealing with cold weather. For example, they have a special layer of hair that traps warm air against their bodies — and they don't shed in winter — and giant fluffy tails that they use as blankets when they're sleeping.

Goosak caused an upset when his Huskies finished third in the 1909 All Alaska Sweepstakes. The following year, Iron Man Johnson and his Huskies set a still-unbeaten record for the 408-mile course, of 74 hours and 14 minutes. But it was Leonhard Seppala's consecutive victories in 1915, 1916, and 1917 that proved the upstart Huskies had the superior speed and cold weather endurance dog sledding required.

The mushers slogged through harsh Alaskan weather

The mushers understood the risks of the Alaskan winter — but the weather during the run was particularly brutal.

The musher who collected the serum from the train was "Wild Bill" Shannon and his team of Malamutes. With temperatures hitting as low as -62 degrees Fahrenheit , Shannon had to run alongside the sled to keep warm, but he still suffered hypothermia and frostbite on his face, and three of his dogs died. After a four-hour break in Minto, Shannon left the fire to brave the below-freezing conditions again and finished the rest of his 52-mile leg to Tolovana.

As the run proceeded, the weather grew increasingly dangerous. Edgar Nollner picked up the serum at Whiskey Creek and handed it to his brother George 24 miles away in Galena. He recalled that he couldn't even see his dogs in front of him because of the fog rolling off the snow. "I just let them go and they followed the trail," he told AP News.

On the third day, another musher, Charlie Evans (who was Nollner's brother-in-law) lost his two lead dogs when the team tried to cross a river and the ice started to crack, soaking the animals. According to The New York Times , Evans picked up the harness and led the team for the rest of his stint, arriving in Nulato with the serum and the bodies of the dogs in the sled.

Leonhard Seppala braved the treacherous Norton Sound — twice

While the mushers battled their way through their respective legs of the relay, Leonhard Seppala and his team of Siberian Huskies were still heading for Nulato. On the afternoon of January 31, musher Myles Gonangnan delivered the serum to Shaktoolik , where Seppala was supposed to pick it up under the new plan. Another musher, Henry Ivanoff, was waiting in case Seppala hadn't heard about the change.

Meanwhile, Seppala was actually quite close by. As Sports Illustrated reports , he'd crossed the Norton Sound, a 42-mile stretch of frozen sea that served as a shortcut but was also extremely dangerous. It was so dangerous, especially in stormy conditions, that Gonangnan had gone around it. Thanks to the shortcut, Seppala reached Shaktoolik just as Ivanoff was leaving.

Not expecting to see the other musher, Seppala nearly passed him. Ivanoff — who was untangling his dogs after they had been spooked by a reindeer — saw Seppala and shouted, "The serum! The serum! I have it here!" Luckily the wind carried his words to the other musher.

By this point, Seppala and his dogs had already traveled 170 miles from Nome, and they now faced a 91-mile trek to Golovin. Without stopping to rest, Seppala turned the team around and prepared to recross the sound as a violent storm was moving in. Fortunately, the musher had a secret weapon — his 12-year-old lead dog, Togo.

Togo was famous in the sled dog world

Of the 150 dogs that pounded their way across ice and snow in blistering cold and searing winds during the Nome serum run, Leonhard Seppala's lead dog Togo deserves a special mention.

Seppala initially dismissed Togo, who was born undersized and sickly. But on Togo's first run — a staggering 75 miles — Seppala realized that he was a natural lead dog. Lead dogs are like sled dog quarterbacks — they determine the route the team will run, testing whether the terrain will hold, and navigating around potential obstacles. By 1925, 12-year-old Togo was the most famous lead dog in Alaska.

As Sports Illustrated reports , Togo and Seppala had experience with the Norton Sound. During a previous crossing, their team had got stuck on an ice floe, sending them towards the open sea. Seppala tied a rope around Togo and threw him onto the main section of ice, so the dog could pull the rest of the team to safety. The rope snapped and fell in the freezing water — and Togo jumped in after it, got back onto the land, and pulled the rest of his team over.

This time, Seppala, Togo, and their team were facing winds that brought the temperature down to -85 degrees and threatened to crack the ice again. In whiteout conditions and total darkness, Seppala relied on Togo to navigate the team across the ice safely.

The serum crosses the finish line

After crossing the Norton Sound, Leonhard Seppala and his team rested a few hours before traveling the rest of the way to Golovin, where Seppala handed the serum to Charlie Olson. Olson was blown off the trail and sustained frostbite in temperatures of -70 degrees, but he made it to Bluff and handed the serum to penultimate musher Gunnar Kaasen.

Kaasen worked for Seppala and had chosen Siberian Husky Balto — whom Seppala didn't rate — as one of his two lead dogs, alongside another named Fox, according to Sports Illustrated . Kaasen tried to wait out the storm, but when he realized it wasn't going to subside, he set out into it.

In one especially dangerous moment, an 80 mph gust of wind smashed into the sled, sending the serum — which had been encased in a tube and wrapped in furs — into the snow. Knowing that the serum would be ruined if it got too cold, Kaasen took off his glove and plunged his hand in after it. He rescued the serum but suffered severe frostbite.

Despite the conditions, Kaasen completed his 28-mile leg early — then kept going for another 25 miles, instead of waking up the next musher. He arrived in Nome at 5:30 a.m. on February 2. All together, 20 mushers and their dogs had traveled 674 miles in 127 hours and 30 minutes, half a day faster than expected.

What happened to the town and the mushers?

Almost inevitably, the 300,000 units of serum had frozen. But once it thawed, Dr. Curtis Welch was able to treat his diphtheria patients. More people had fallen sick while the race was ongoing, only increasing the town's need. On February 21, three weeks after Gunnar Kaasen arrived with the serum, the quarantine was lifted and the threat of epidemic was officially over.

While the mushers had been racing through the wilderness of Alaska, Nome's plight and the heroic effort to save the town had caught the attention of the media. So when Kaasen rode into town, frostbitten and exhausted, he instantly became the face of the whole effort. The other mushers were miles away, and after finishing their respective legs, they simply went home. According to AP News, the Alaskan government gave them each $35 ( other sources say $25), and the serum makers sent out medals (other sources say it was President Calvin Coolidge ). Happy with a less complicated story, the press didn't bother to track them down.

As incredible as the feats of all of the dog sled teams were, some saw it as just another day at the office. The New York Times reported that the last surviving musher, Edgar Nollner, died in January 1999 at the age of 94. During an interview with AP News four years earlier, he said of the run — "I don't think about it much — just when people call me about it."

Balto and Gunnar Kaasen became famous — at a price

Gunnar Kaasen did share the credit with one other participant. According to Sports Illustrated , he told reporters that Balto had led the way when the musher was blinded by the storm. Kaasen and Balto became celebrities and even went to Hollywood — where Balto had his own hotel suite — to star in a movie, Balto's Race to Nome , released in June 1925. A statue of Balto was unveiled in New York's Central Park on Dec. 15, 1925, in front of the real Balto, who was on a victory tour with Kaasen and six other dogs. They also toured the vaudeville circuit.

Sadly, when Kaasen had to return to Nome, he couldn't afford to take the dogs with him. He left them with the vaudeville promoter, who sold them to a cheap museum.

One visitor, George Kimble, was appalled to see the dogs living out their days so miserably. He convinced the museum's owner to sell them to him for $2,000 — on the condition that he could raise the money in two weeks. With help from the Western Reserve Kennel Club, radio appeals, and fundraising efforts by schools, hotels, factories, and stores in his native Cleveland, Kimble raised the money. In March 1927, the seven dogs were moved to what is now the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Balto died aged 14 six years later — he was stuffed and his body is still owned by the zoo.

Leonhard Seppala was furious that Togo didn't get proper credit

Leonhard Seppala — who had traveled nearly twice the distance of any of the mushers and over some of the most dangerous terrain — grew resentful of the spotlight Gunnar Kaasen was shining on himself and Balto. He had bred and trained Balto and didn't think he was worth the fuss. According to the Anchorage Daily News , in a 1927 interview, he disputed reports that Balto had led the team alone, and said that Fox deserved joint credit.

Mostly, Seppala thought it was unfair that Togo didn't get due respect. After calling Kaasen back to Nome, he took Togo on their own victory tour. They traveled around the country , met explorer Roald Amundsen, released a book, and starred in an ad campaign for Lucky Strike . In 1930, Seppala published his memoir , Seppala: Alaskan Dog Driver .

The end of the tour took them to Poland Spring, Maine, where Seppala co-founded a kennel breeding Siberian Huskies. When Seppala returned to Nome, he left Togo in Maine. Togo's health started failing two years later, and Seppala had him put to sleep on Dec. 5, 1929, aged 16. Like Balto, Togo was stuffed and is now on display in the headquarters of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Seppala lived to be 89 and is still a mushing legend. Every year vets working for the Iditarod race give the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award to the musher who takes the best care of their dogs.

Two movies give different accounts of the Nome serum run

If you've heard of the Nome serum run and aren't an expert on Alaskan or mushing history, chances are it's because of at least one of two movies.

The first, Balto , was an animated feature released in 1995 that portrayed Balto as a half-wolf/half-husky underdog who becomes the unlikely lead of a single dog sled team charged with collecting and delivering the serum. The movie involves a fight with a bear (which would probably be hibernating during January ), a sprint through a cracking ice cave, and Balto carrying a sled loaded with the serum and his musher up the sheer side of a cliff. It's undoubtedly an adorable movie, especially for young dog lovers, but if you've read the rest of this article, you already know how wildly inaccurate it is.

The more recent onscreen version of the Nome serum run came in live-action movie Togo , starring Willem Dafoe as Leonhard Seppala. In many ways this movie is surprisingly accurate. (If you don't want to learn spoilers, stop reading now.) According to Slate , many of the scenes showing Togo as a mischievous but determined puppy really happened — including the jump through the window to get back to Seppala. The ending is Hollywoodized — no mention of Maine or Lucky Strike — but with Balto and Gunnar Kaasen claiming so much attention, it's good to see that every dog really does have his day.

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And You Thought *We* Have Vaccine Issues?

• Author: Jon Wertheim

A ruthless epidemic is slicing through town, creating an urgent health crisis. Citizens are spreading this plague unwittingly. Those who catch it complain of respiratory problems. Not long after, they begin dying—brutally and apart from their families. The local health care infrastructure bends and then breaks; those on the front lines act heroically but are quickly overwhelmed. Civic leaders call for a quarantine, which, while generally observed, is met with some resistance, as it shuts down commerce. Even shelter-in-place orders don’t repel this deadly blight.

Amid this distress comes a blast of hope: news that a serum—an antitoxin to neutralize the bacteria—is being produced and soon will be available in mass quantities. Homespun remedies have not worked; now the product of actual research and testing and science is available. But distribution is complicated, not least by a brutal winter, which complicates logistics. By the time the antidote can be delivered, who knows how high the death count will climb?

George Rinhart/Bettmann/Getty Images

Venture back to the first two weeks of 1925, in the city of Nome, a remote Alaskan territory outpost on the southern shore of the Seward Peninsula, 160 miles from the Arctic Circle. A frontier town of 1,400, Nome sits closer to the Russian border than to the nearest Alaskan city. The only doctor in town examines a boy complaining of labored breathing and suspects tonsillitis—until the boy dies the next day. By which point other patients start to line up, describing similar symptoms. The doctor changes his diagnosis to diphtheria, a highly contagious bacterial infection that among Alaskan natives has an expected mortality rate of 100%.

By chance, that doctor ordered a diphtheria antitoxin serum one summer ago. But it hasn’t yet arrived, and the nearest supply is in Anchorage, 1,000 miles away. Reaching Nome is a challenge even in the most benign of times; now, in the guts of winter, it is nearly impossible. The harbor is iced in. Commercial airplanes are just coming into vogue, but those in the region have open cockpits, rendering them incapable of flight in subzero temperatures and whipping winds. The Alaska Railroad, recently christened, goes nowhere near Nome; the nearest train station is in Nenana, as far away as New York City is from Indianapolis.

The territory’s governor, Scott Bone, and the Board of Health hatch a plan: The serum will travel by train from Anchorage to Nenana. From there, a coordinated, around-the-clock relay team of the heartiest dogs and the heartiest men in Alaska will brave the cold and transport the antitoxin via sled, across tundra, frozen lakes and dense forests.

The volunteers arraying themselves along this route, awaiting their turn, are a motley crew of locals, Athabascan Indians and Inuit people, all familiar with the terrain and the weather. The diphtheria serum—unlike most COVID-19 vaccines, which must be preserved in cold—can be rendered ineffective by freezing temperatures, no small consideration in an Arctic climate with little daylight.

Seppala, an ex-prospector (pictured years after the Nome relay), covered the most ground and saved hours—and lives—by taking a risky shortcut.

What would come to be known alternately as the Nome Serum Run of 1925 and the Great Race of Mercy marked one of the towering rescue efforts in American history, a feat of interspecies heroism that would captivate the country. In addition to saving lives, this rescue operation was an ideal episode— content! —for newspapers, as well as for the new medium of radio. This episodic drama unfolded across an exotic locale and featured colorful characters, a high-stakes crisis and an uncertain outcome. When it was all over, the story would be cemented as a chapter of Americana.

As successful, though, as that mission was, those who later told the tale were considerably less successful in apportioning proper credit. Too often, in nearly a century’s worth of retellings, the most heroic figures—a man and his dog—have gone overlooked.

Almost from birth, Leonhard Seppala was conditioned to harsh living. Born in 1877 in a small town in Norway, 600 miles north of the Arctic Circle, he was tasked with fishing and hunting while his father worked as a blacksmith. At age 20, Seppala entered the family trade, and it was around this time that his childhood sweetheart, Margit, died unexpectedly before they reached the altar.

Craving an escape from his grief, Seppala listened raptly when a friend—one of the so-called Three Lucky Swedes—returned from Alaska, newly rich. He’d found gold at Avil Creek, outside Nome, and become a prominent figure in the Alaskan Gold Rush. Why not come back with me? he asked.

With no good reason to stay, Seppala boarded a ship to New York, a train to Seattle and another vessel to Nome, where he went to work for the friend’s mining company. But there he found brutal work in brutal cold. Claim jumpers took particular advantage of immigrant miners.

Seppala never struck it big. He did, however, make good use of a skill he’d mastered in Norway, winning skiing contests for speed, endurance and jumping. Though Seppala stood only 5' 4", he was an exceptional athlete—sinewy-strong, relentless and tough. He prevailed in barroom wrestling matches against far bigger men and sometimes, for fun, walked down the streets of Nome on his hands. Far from home as he was, he made friends quickly. The pacing, climate and overall vibe of Alaska felt familiar.

In the early 1900s, Seppala joined a mining party sent to stake claims in a river basin so remote that the travelers had to be aided by sled dogs. And it was there that he was enchanted—not by gold, but by the “splendid” (his word) animals transporting him, the 120-pound mongrels pulling “loads that would have staggered ordinary dogs.”

Dog mushing—from the French marchons , or let’s march! —was essential for commerce in the region, but it also became a source of recreation, competition and, eventually, wagering. Sled dog racing’s status as sport had been made all but official in 1908 with the inaugural All Alaska Sweepstakes, a multiday derby tracing a 400-plus-mile route along the Bering Sea, starting in Nome. The first victory went to John Hegnes—like Seppala, a Norwegian ex-pat—in 119 hours and 15 minutes, but the real winners were the bettors who backed him. The Sweepstakes had turned into a gamblethon.

One year later a Russian fur trader drove a team of Siberian husky sled dogs across the Bering Strait and entered the race. The Siberians, who were about half the weight of their Alaskan counterparts, went off as 100-to-1 long shots—which nearly bankrupted the bookies when the team took second place.

Seppala and his team of Siberians, circa 1920s.

Everett/Shutterstock

The Sweepstakes grew in popularity, with organizers boasting: “What bullfighting is to the Spaniard, horse-racing to the Kentuckian, a Marathon to the Greek . . . so is the annual All Alaska Sweepstakes Dog Race to the Alaskan.” Seppala, meanwhile, grew fascinated by the Siberians—like him, long on durability if short in stature—and began breeding and racing them. In 1914 he entered the Sweepstakes and nearly perished: When a blizzard hit, his team came within feet of going over a precipice along the Bering coast.

The following year, with clearer skies, Seppala and his Siberians won handily. But success was offset by tragedy. On Oct. 15, 1915, Leonhard’s kid brother Sigurd, who had also immigrated to Alaska, died in a cabin fire. Ten days later, Seppala’s coworker Olaf Kaasen, another native Norwegian, succumbed to injuries suffered in the same blaze.

Seppala funneled his grief into training. He defended his All Alaska title in 1916 and again in ’17, becoming a legend within the Alaskan territory, known for his sixth sense in managing his Siberians, over whom opponents claimed he had “hypnotic” control. As one historian put it: “He would make one cluck or one click and the dogs would dig into their harness and pull like they’ve never pulled before.”

As Nome’s epidemic raged in the first weeks of 1925, authorities mapped out the serum relay. It was by then an article of faith that Seppala would lead the effort. Though 47, he was still in peak physical condition, and he knew the terrain—and the dogs—better than anyone. The route between Nenana and Nome traced much of the same ground as the Sweepstakes. There were even considerations that he make the entire run himself: Nome to Nenana and back.

Ultimately, officials enlisted a larger cast. They telegrammed for volunteers, hoping to recruit an all-star team of sled drivers and dogs from the region. Some of those who signed up were Sweepstakes racers; others were trappers, guides and mailmen. The final plan included 150 dogs and 20 mushers arrayed between the station in Nenana and assorted towns and villages on the route to Nome. They would hand off the serum like a sort of pharmaceutical baton.

Snowed-in Nome had one hope: a fragile serum delivered by volunteers.

Bettmann/Getty Images

At the time, the fastest recorded trip from Nenana to Nome was nine days. With multiple drivers, maybe the relay would shave off a day or two. Initially, Seppala was slated to carry the serum for the final leg, but organizers reconsidered, deciding instead that he was the best musher for the most perilous stretch, crossing the frozen Norton Sound. He would be responsible for covering 91 of the 674 miles, almost twice the distance of anyone else.

Seppala would later say it never occurred to him that the team triumphantly delivering the serum into Nome would be accorded a disproportionate amount of fame. Even then, it wouldn’t have mattered; he was trying to save lives, not chase glory. Beyond pure altruism, he had an eight-year-old daughter, and children were particularly susceptible to diphtheria. It was all deeply personal.

On Jan. 27, a train from Anchorage arrived in Nenana and 300,000 units of serum—placed inside a 20-pound cylinder and wrapped in fur—were unloaded to (Wild) Bill Shannon for the first leg. With temperatures hovering around –40°, Shannon lost three of his Malamutes and his face was blackened by frostbite as he slogged through his 52 miles.

He was hardly alone in this distress. Another musher, Charlie Evans, got caught in an icy fog. At one point he and his team crossed a river, believing it had frozen over. But water had seeped through, and when several of Evans’s dogs collapsed from frostbite, he had no choice but to strap the serum into his sled and take the lead himself.

In Nome, Seppala started off toward Shaktoolik, 170 miles to the east. Temperatures had by then plummeted as low as –65°. The dog in the lead, though, was up for the challenge.

Born 12 years earlier, Togo, a gray and brown Siberian, was named after a Japanese admiral who served heroically in the Russo-Japanese War. Togo was so ill-behaved at first that Seppala gave him up for adoption. At his new home, though, Togo is said to have jumped through a glass window and found his way back to his original owner. Admiring both the loyalty and the resourcefulness, Seppala reclaimed the dog and started training him. While Togo never grew bigger than 50 pounds, he was durable and tough. His first day in a harness he ran 75 miles, a staggering distance for a young sled dog. He would soon become Seppala’s lead, logging as many as 4,000 miles in a single year.

For part of his relay leg, near an inlet of the Bering Sea, Seppala had a choice: He could go around Norton Sound, or he could take a dangerous 42-mile shortcut across it. And here he had some history weighing on him. According to the book The Cruelest Miles , by Gay and Laney Salisbury (which was indispensable in researching this story), Seppala and Togo had years earlier found themselves stranded on an ice floe as they tried crossing the sound. “When the wind shifted and pushed the ice closer to shore,” the Salisburys write, “Seppala tied a rope to Togo and threw the dog onto the main pack of ice so he could pull the two pieces together. Then the rope snapped and slipped into the frigid waters. . . . Togo dived into the water, struggled back up onto the land, rolled around until the rope was looped around his shoulders and pulled the ice floe close enough that his master could drive the rest of the team across.”

Seppala again took the risk. As the Salisburys recount: “In the dark, in 85-below temperatures with wind chill, Seppala could not see or hear the cracking ice, and was dependent on Togo.” Ultimately, they made it across to the stopping point on the north shore, an Inuit igloo, where Seppala fed his dogs, slept a few hours and, with temperatures at –30° and the storm still raging, finished his leg. The treacherous shortcut had saved at least a day.

A team mushed by Kaasen and led by Balto was slotted for the penultimate leg; ultimately, they took on more.

Charlie Olson took the serum and continued north, only to hit gusts that drove him off the trail. But he recovered and made it to a roadhouse, where he found the next driver , Gunnar Kaasen, who back in Nome worked under Seppala at the Pioneer Mining Company, and whose own younger brother Olaf had perished alongside Sigurd Seppala in the cabin fire a decade earlier. (The two were buried side by side.) A hulk of a man, with the build and stoic disposition of a lumberjack, Kaasen, then 40, drove a team that included Balto, a black Siberian with white paws, also bred by Leonhard Seppala but considered second-rate by his owner.

By this point, the relay—this elemental battle of man and dog vs. nature—had thoroughly captivated the Lower 48. A precursor to reality TV (and, for that matter, live sports), the operation was covered by newspapers and on radio services in the era’s version of real time. Among the breathless New York Times headlines: serum relief near for stricken nome. And blizzard delays nome relief dogs in the final dash.

During the 28-mile penultimate leg, the storm became so intense that Kaasen couldn’t see the dogs in front of him. At one point a gust of wind, estimated at 80 mph, collided with his sled, knocking the package of serum into a snowbank. Kaasen shed his gloves and pawed through the snow to recover the payload—which he did, but not before suffering a severe case of frostbite. He later recounted: “I couldn’t hear, couldn’t see, couldn’t breathe. . . . I felt as if the dogs and I were fighting all the devilish elements of the universe.”

Still, with Balto leading the way, Kaasen arrived at his transfer point ahead of schedule. He was exhausted and the cold had penetrated his multiple fur parkas but, he later explained, the next scheduled driver was asleep. Kaasen decided to take on the final leg, another 25 miles, himself. And so it was that around 5:30 a.m. on Feb. 2, Gunnar Kaasen arrived in Nome and completed the relay. With journalists and hand-crank cameras waiting, he staggered off his sled and walked immediately to acknowledge Balto. “Damn fine dog,” he said, before collapsing.

The collective crew of mushers had covered 674 miles in 127 hours and 30 minutes—five and a half days—a remarkable clip, especially considering the extreme conditions amid the coldest winter in decades. The serum was quickly distributed and administered. Innumerable lives were saved.

Predictably, Kaasen, having completed the equivalent of the anchor leg, was feted like a conquering hero, his picture gracing newspapers across the country. President Calvin Coolidge and the U.S. Senate commended him. After all, he had “brought it home,” as one telegraph dispatch put it. Kaasen was quick to acknowledge his lead animal—“It was Balto who led the way,” he told a reporter; “the credit is his”—and the Siberian instantly became America’s favorite canine.

Kaasen and Balto arrive in Nome, heralded as heroes, on Feb. 2, 1925.

In reality, man and dog had benefitted largely from logistics. Many of the Native drivers and their animals quietly headed home to their villages after their runs. They were hundreds of miles from the journalists dispatched to Nome, overlooked by those writing the first draft of history. “They didn’t partake in the end glory, and everyone forgot about them,” says Laney Salisbury. “It was like, We don’t want complexity. We need one hero, please. ”

Balto benefited, too, from dumb luck. Because Kaasen’s other lead dog (also bred by Seppala) was named Fox—not only prosaic, but potentially confusing—Balto received a disproportionate measure of the acclaim, even compared with his own sledmates.

Seppala, meanwhile, returned to Nome exhausted. His distress was compounded by the fact that Togo temporarily went missing, having run off after a reindeer. If Seppala and Togo had traveled nearly twice the distance of Kaasen and Balto—90 miles (not counting the 170 they ventured to their starting point) compared with 53—and covered the most treacherous leg, these were details lost in the delirium.

Says Gay Salisbury: “The story had already heralded a winner by the time Seppala made the 100 miles home. It was too complicated to showcase 20 drivers and 150 dogs. The relay as a concept was not as exciting as ‘Balto crossed the finish line.’ ”

In the end an epidemic was snuffed out, and—instructive and relevant today, even at a fraction of the scale—life in Nome quickly snapped back to normal. Within three weeks the quarantine was lifted. Businesses and schools reopened. Citizens resumed their lives.

For Kaasen and Balto, however, there would be no normal. Driver and dog were flown to Seattle for a special ceremony. Then Hollywood came calling. Sol Lesser, a prominent film producer, wanted to make a movie about the Serum Run.

According to one account, Kaasen asked for Seppala’s blessing before accepting the movie deal. (It would mark one of the last few times that the men, once close, spoke.) Seppala assented, confident—naively, of course—that the Hollywood producers would demand accuracy and that Togo would get his due. Instead, the movie, Balto’s Race to Nome , only accelerated the legend of Kaasen’s lead dog, who had his own hotel suite during filming. After the movie’s release Kaasen and Balto toured the country with a vaudeville act, recounting their heroic story at every stop.

Kaasen, the archetypal stoic Scandinavian, was uncomfortable with the publicity. The rare times he granted interviews he seldom said more than a few words. Like most of the mushers, he was awarded a medal for heroism, but his ended up in a Seattle pawnshop. What’s more, his extended victory lap didn’t go over well in Nome, and his conduct during the relay was ultimately reconsidered. At one point he claimed that the driver to whom he was supposed to hand off the serum had been asleep; in another account he said the cabin had been unlit, leaving him to believe no one was there. More than one musher suspected that Kaasen simply understood the tricky thermodynamics of glory and realized the fame and admiration that would redound to the man who made the final handoff.

Near the end of 1925, when Kaasen stood in New York’s Central Park for the unveiling of a statue honoring Balto, Seppala abandoned the high road. If another man was getting disproportionate acclaim, so be it. But he wouldn’t watch Togo go unacknowledged. He sent word for Kaasen—still, technically, his employee at the mining company—to return to Nome. (Kaasen complied but, without the means to pay their passage, he left Balto and his other dogs with the vaudeville promoter.) As Seppala recalls in his memoir, Seppala: Alaskan Dog Driver , “I resented the statue to Balto, for if any dog deserved special mention, it was Togo.”

New York's original nod to the Nome effort, in the southeastern section of Central Park.

A different kind of Nome relay ensued: No sooner had Kaasen returned to Alaska than Seppala and Togo commenced a year-long U.S. victory lap of their own. They appeared at fairgrounds and at department stores; they were even featured in a national cigarette ad campaign. At Madison Square Garden, during halftime of a Rangers game, explorer Roald Amundsen awarded Togo a medal of honor. A book titled Togo’s Fireside Reflections was “autographed” by the subject via inked paw.

Seppala finished the tour in Poland Spring, Maine, where he raced and defeated a breeder of Chinook sled dogs. He took part in an Olympic demonstration race tied to the 1932 Lake Placid Winter Games and opened a Siberian husky kennel in Poland Spring—which is where he left Togo when he returned to Alaska. The quiet canine hero of the Nome diphtheria epidemic lived a cosseted existence before being euthanized on Dec. 5, 1929, at 16.

By the early 1930s, the Alaska Territory had changed. The attention brought by the Serum Run had the unintended effect of accelerating modernization. Soon, U.S. airlines were bidding on Alaskan routes. Telecom companies were installing lines at a rapid clip. The dogs that were so heroic in delivering a cure were no longer needed for transport. “If there had been the same [diphtheria crisis] in 1926,” says Gay Salisbury, “it would have played out very differently.”

What’s more, with Kaasen back in Alaska, interest in Balto and his crew diminished. The tour promoter who now owned the dogs created a shabby dime-a-look sideshow, chaining the animals to a stage, and the spectacle drew the attention of a Cleveland businessman, George Kimble. Appalled, Kimble complained to the promoter and was told that for $2,000 he could buy the entire team. Kimble took this appeal to the Cleveland Plain Dealer , which kicked off the 1920s equivalent of a viral GoFundMe campaign. Kennel clubs chipped in. Kids donated milk money. After barely a week, the goal was met and the dogs were transferred to Cleveland’s Brookside Zoo, where on Balto’s first day more than 15,000 visited his exhibit. When he died on March 14, 1933, at 14, it was a national news event. (The mounted body still remains on display at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.) As recently as 1995, Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment released an animated film, Balto —starring the unlikely trio of Kevin Bacon, Bridget Fonda and Phil Collins—that perpetuates his starring role in the serum saga.

Balto (released one month after—and overshadowed by—Toy Story) was a relative bust at the box office, grossing just $5 million.

Universal Pictures/Everett Collection

Over the years, though, Togo clawed back some of the glory that was rightfully his. In 2011, Time named him the most heroic animal of all time, noting rightly, “The dog that often gets credit for eventually saving [Nome] is Balto, but he just happened to run the last [53]-mile leg.” And last year Willem Dafoe starred as Seppala in Togo , which was among the first offerings on the Disney+ streaming service. (Seppala himself likely would have been pleased: Balto makes only a cameo.) Togo even got his own statue in New York, in ’01, at a playground on the Lower East Side.

Cementing sled dog racing’s place in the pantheon of revered sports, the Iditarod was christened in 1973, 14 years after Alaska was admitted as a state. Half a century later, mushers and their dogs still spend days tracing a trail through forests and mountain passes, finishing in Nome. And while that race was not—contrary to many reports—established to pay homage to the Serum Run, the relay of ’25 echoes prominently at today’s marquee mushing event, as do its two towering figures. Togo’s mounted body is on display at the Iditarod headquarters in Wasilla, and each year race veterinarians hand out the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian award to “the musher who takes the best care of their dog team.”

In the late 1940s, Seppala settled in Seattle, and while he never repaired his friendship with Kaasen, he continued to breed Siberians, serving as a sort of wise, old man of Alaskan dog culture. He died in 1967, at 89, having lived an impossibly full life.

According to The Cruelest Miles , Seppala wrote this diary entry when was 81, decades after the Nome Serum Run, and long after the death of his prized lead dog: “When I come to the end of the trail, I feel that along with my many friends, Togo will be waiting, and I know that everything will be all right.”

Togo got his due in New York's Lower East Side in 2001.

Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for Disney

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• HISTORY & CULTURE

When a deadly disease gripped an Alaskan town, a dog saved the day—but history hailed another

The movie Togo recounts an act of heroism in the midst of a frightening outbreak. Here star Willem Dafoe describes putting a face to the modest man at its core—and, almost a century on, why Togo finally gives one underdog its due. 

It sounds like something Jack London would make up. In the teeth of winter, a deadly disease strikes the children of a tiny Alaskan gold-rush town—pinned between the frozen sea, and a snow-swamped wilderness. The residents’ only hope: a sketchy plan to relay vials of treatment from a distant railhead hundreds of miles over mountains, across frozen inlets and through a storm. By dog sled.  

But the fable is no fiction. The 1925 Serum Run, as it’s known to those who know it, was an event of enough significance to merit a statue in New York’s Central Park— a space it shares with 29 other artistic commemorations, amongst them renderings of Christopher Columbus, characters from Shakespeare and Alice in Wonderland and a memorial to John Lennon.  

It is a statue of a dog, burly of build and heroic of poise with polished edges where children love to clamber on it. To those who see it as more than a canine climbing frame it’s a testimony to loyalty, tenacity and duty for the greater good. The name of the dog, carved into the base of the statue, says Balto. It should probably say something else.

This story of somewhat misappropriated heroism—and one that is the very definition of triumph over toilsome odds—forms the foundation of Togo , a 2020 movie that tells a familiar story, but with some unfamiliar names. One is that of the eponymous hound that perhaps deserves to be the one cast in bronze and clambered on; the other is his owner, a Norwegian immigrant and failed gold prospector-turned dog breeder named Leonhard Seppala.

Neither name is known enough, not least to Willem Dafoe —the actor who signed up to play Seppala in what would be an elemental step into the world of a man he was yet to know. “I knew the basic story of the serum run,” he told National Geographic (UK) . “The story of Leonhard Seppala and Togo, not so much. Usually when people know the story they know Balto.” The question is, why?

Terror in isolation

High on the western coast of Alaska on the Bering Sea, Nome is a frontier town built on gold and the fur trade. Founded in 1901, it’s closer to Siberia than the state’s biggest city, Anchorage. And this remote position would present a nightmare scenario when in 1925, a disease began to grip the town’s children. It was too late by the time officials discovered it wasn't a severe bout of tonsillitis; it was diphtheria.  

A contagious bacterial infection that attacks the upper respiratory system and causes tissue swelling in the throat, diphtheria can be deadly. So it proved in Nome, when in late December, two Iñupiaq children succumbed to the disease when it was found the tiny hospital’s only stock of antitoxin had expired. By January 24, four children were known to have died—with more presumed in the surrounding native Alaskan communities. In a telegram to Anchorage, Nome’s doctor Curtis Welch implemented a quarantine, and sent out a call for a million units to be sent—asserting that an ‘epidemic of diphtheria is almost inevitable.’  

For Hungry Minds

The fact this outbreak wasn't unprecedented made it all the more terrifying. “Within Alaska history, the 1925 diphtheria outbreak in Nome was but one in a series of area and Alaska-wide epidemics,” says David Reamer , a historian and writer for The Anchorage Daily News —who has written extensively about diseases   in the state’s history . “Nome and the surrounding Native villages were by far the Alaska communities hardest hit by the 1918 to 1919 influenza pandemic —the ‘ Spanish flu .’ Hundreds died in the region, including babies who froze to death still held by their mothers who had succumbed to the influenza ,” he says. “This horror, only seven years prior, was well within living memory—and certainly in the minds of residents as they watched the diphtheria spread among their children.”

Amidst some of the worst winter conditions for decades and temperatures at a 20-year low, it became clear to the town authorities that transport of Alaska's small supply of antitoxin by conventional means would be too slow or impossible before the disease ravaged the town. The port was frozen, and planes couldn’t operate safely in the cold, let alone land. Without any other way of bridging the formidable 674-mile gap between the railhead at Nenana and Nome—a route that typically took mail couriers a month—they turned to a dog breeder and champion musher named Leonhard Seppala.  

Seppala’s own story spanned many miles. A Norwegian immigrant, ‘Sepp’ had originally travelled to Alaska to prospect for gold , under the employ of a gold mine. Disillusioned by the work, he became its superintendent—tending water ditches and ferrying freight and passengers between camps by dog sled, and a ‘ pupmobile ’ designed to run on the rail track.  

“It’s a character from a certain time in history” says Dafoe, whose turn in Togo as the physically-uncanny Seppala won wide acclaim . “He reminds me of men I knew in my life, like my father. People said he was a very pragmatic guy. Not taciturn, just pragmatic. It’s that frontier spirit—you’ve got to pull yourself up by your bootstraps, you’re self-reliant, you’ve got to learn things. [And] you’ve got to take care of yourself and not take charity from anyone else.”  

Stimulated by the work and tasked by default with the training and upkeep of the mine’s dogs, Seppala found his calling. Thanks to a connection to the mine’s entrepreneurial proprietor , Seppala was commissioned to train and condition a team of sled dog puppies for an attempt on the North Pole from Alaska, by Norwegian Explorer Roald Amundsen . As the shadow of World War One loomed, the expedition was abandoned—and the dogs intended for the expedition were gifted to Seppala.  

  Competitive sledding was a natural collateral activity to anyone who worked with dogs—both the Alaskan malamute, or husky (a corruption of esky, short for Eskimo) and the slighter Siberian dogs brought to Alaska by the Chukchi in 1908. Prized for their endurance and intelligence, the dogs’ stamina and propulsive gait made them the perfect engine for crossing difficult terrain. The dogs intended for Amundsen were Siberian huskies, and now – in possession of his own dog team – Sepp began to compete in Alaska’s competitive races. Beginning in 1915, Seppala won three consecutive All Alaska Sweepstakes, a 408-mile clearway run from Nome to Candle, following the route of the telegraph line. Seppala’s wins were credited to his lighter-framed dogs – ‘Siberian rats’, as other mushers would sorely describe them. That, and the instincts of the dog in the lead harness, which for Seppala, would soon belong to one in particular.  

The original underdog

Named—eventually—after   Heihachiro Togo , a heroic Japanese admiral, Togo was born in 1913, and in the sled dog stakes didn’t initially show much promise. With a mottled colour that made his coat appear grubby, he was nursed by Seppala’s wife Constance as a puppy due to a throat condition: circumstances that may have resulted in both his smaller build, wilful disposition and a deep-rooted loyalty to his owner. Togo would frequently escape confinement to race after Seppala when he was conducting training or errands. Considered a nuisance, when given away at seven months old to a female friend as a companion, again Togo escaped and returned home. At this point Seppala noticed a back-handed virtue of the dog: his determination, and knack for finding the shortest distance between two points .  

Dafoe believes the Norwegian saw something of himself in the dog. “Seppala was quite determined. He was physically small, he was an immigrant, and he had some disappointment in his life.” He says. “So that kind of paralleled his projections onto Togo, who was kind of a non-starter. He was too small, he was unassuming, he was undisciplined, he was basically dubbed a failure. Maybe he did identify with that.”

Seppala, though perhaps a poor gold prospector, certainly eventually found his own winning niche. “I think it’s always very helpful when you’re playing a character who has a very central action, or expertise, or passion, or profession,” says Dafoe. “I always feel like the way into characters is learning how to do what they do, or address yourself to their mindset in the most practical way that you can.”  

For Togo, this meant taking the reins—and gaining physical insight into Seppala’s chosen profession. “You think, that looks pretty simple… a guy sitting on the back and the dogs do all the pulling…” he laughs. “But it’s a bit more complicated than that. It requires knowing the dogs, finessing the tension on the line, dealing with the discomfort, the cold, about balance, about reading the terrain—it’s about lots of things. It really takes a tough character.”  

Tired of Togo’s constant escapes, Seppala eventually let him run with the team—first at the back, then further up the line until eventually the lead, where the dog hit his stride. In Gay and Laney Salisbury’s   The Cruellest Miles , Seppala is quoted as saying that in Togo he ‘ had found a natural-born leader… something I had tried for years to breed .’ The two would become inseparable—and in the coming years on various expeditions on the trail, would save each other’s lives.

The ‘Great Run of Mercy’

By the time the diphtheria outbreak struck, Seppala was now famous across Alaska as a musher, known as the “king of the trail”—with the wily, diminutive Togo his equally venerated lead dog. On the evening of January 24, 1925, Seppala was called on by Nome’s authorities to spearhead what would, in the hyperbole of the many subsequent headlines, become known as ‘the Great Run of Mercy.’ With the 1300 mile round-trip from Nome to Nenana unrealistic for one team, the vials of diphtheria antitoxin, the only 300,000 units in Alaska, would be relayed by sled dog teams from Nenana to Nome via the mid-point of Nulato—both sections still a round trip of over 600 miles.    

The dangers were considerable. With Seppala charged with the most treacherous sections of the intercepting leg from Nome, he would be forced to negotiate the coastline of Norton Sound— with the chilling nickname ‘the ice factory’ . A day-saving shortcut across the frozen sound was the most hazardous section of the trip, beset with high winds and unstable ice floes that were razor-sharp underfoot. It was a leg most knew—including Seppala – that only he, with Togo’s instincts for danger and terrain, could manage. But even this was a tall order: Togo by this point was 12 years old.  

Seppala set off on January 27th. In the event, as the outbreak and conditions worsened, unbeknownst to Seppala the already long-odds plans were changed en route—often at considerable risk of a missed rendezvous at the rustic cabins, or ‘roadhouses,’ which were the trail’s only respite. Additional mushers and teams were added to relieve the strain and speed up the transit of the vital medication – ampules, wrapped in fur padding, and sealed in a metal container—as the Nome outbreak worsened.  

(The rugged past and fragile futures of Alaska's roadhouses.)

The relay from Nenana progressed faster than expected. By chance Seppala intercepted the serum from a musher named Henry Ivanoff outside Shahtoolik—and turned back for Nome in worsening conditions.

Temperatures were in the region of -35 C (-31 F), with wind-chill a murderous -65 C (-149 F). Seppala would would often rely on Togo’s instincts when he couldn’t see the way ahead due to spindrift, oncoming wind and deep snow. Due to total exhaustion of both he and his dogs, Seppala was forced to stop at Golovin—with 78 miles left to go to Nome. Since leaving the disease-stricken town, by this point his team had by that point covered a total of 261 miles—including two crossings of Norton Sound on sketchy ice. A musher named Charlie Olsen then ferried the antitoxin to within around 50 miles of Nome, where Gunner Kaasen was waiting with a team of 13 dogs—led by Balto.    

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The resulting fame of Balto, along with musher Kaasen was an unfortunate, though unwitting, outcome.  

The 674-mile transit of the antitoxin took five and a half days—a world record, and one watched by a public on tenterhooks. This was emphasised by the recent adoption of the radio by middle America, all of which made the story of the serum run a dispatch-by-distance phenomenon. In Nome, as few as five or as many as seven died – though numbers of Native Alaskans outside the town were not recorded, and probably numbered far higher. Nonetheless, it was clear a far greater toll had been miraculously (and slenderly) avoided. The story became a sensation—and so did its heroes.  

Everyone wants to be useful somewhere. I think this was his moment where he felt this was something he had to try to do. Willen Dafoe

Balto was the dog that led the final leg to Nome and allowed Kaasen to actually deliver the antitoxin, on February 2. A simple look at the mileage would have put any misplaced credit into context: Balto and Fox, with Kaasen, covered either 50, 53 or 55 miles   – sources vary – whereas Seppala, with Togo, carried the serum for 91 miles over much more technical and hazardous ground. In total, door-to-door Togo ran 261 miles; Balto just over 100.  

But the public wanted a lightning rod and, being the photogenic shore upon which the wave of Nome’s relief fell, the press ensured Kaasen and Balto were it. Theirs were the images that graced the front pages of the newspapers , and their names that passed into history—eclipsing not only Togo and Seppela, but 18 other people and some 150 dogs who played a part on the relay. “In broader terms, Balto's fame obscures the other mushers,” says David Reamer, “including many Alaska Natives whose contributions are far more forgotten.”  

A dog finally gets his due

Kaasen and Balto’s leg wasn’t without heroism: though modest in miles, conditions were so bad Kaasen, who was sledding through the night, could barely see the dogs. At one point his sled flipped, necessitating a bare-hands search in the snow for the antitoxin package for which Kaasen suffered frostbite .    

Nevertheless, the competitive Seppala wasn’t happy at the adulation piled on Balto. Though he owned, reared and trained the dog Kaasen used in his team, Seppala maintained Balto was a ‘scrub dog’ in comparison to his beloved Togo—and that anyway Balto had been a joint lead on those final miles with a dog named Fox. The New York Times furthered the confusion in 1927, when it reported ‘Balto Not Nome Hero Dog’—before naming Fox as the true hero of the Serum run. With no mention of Togo at all, the rest of the brief report was dedicated to the supposed whereabouts of Balto.  

The latter had recently taken a cruel turn. Following the serum run, in addition to his Central Park statue , amongst much else Balto was presented with the key (shaped like a bone) to the city of Los Angeles, starred in a film, and toured the lower US states to an adoring public. But when Kaasen tired of the melee and wanted to return to Alaska, Balto and his fellow dogs were sold—by whom isn’t clear—to a vaudeville sideshow. Here he endured poor treatment until a fundraising effort secured care for the dog at Cleveland Zoo , where he lived out the remainder of his life.  

Truth vs fable

Given Balto's name has enjoyed fame, books, statues and an animated feature film – in which the dog was voiced by Kevin Bacon – Alaskan historian David Reamer is pleased to see the new film go some way to set the record straight. “The movie manages to correct a historical injustice without becoming bogged down in minutiae,” he says. “The story certainly didn't need any additional drama.”  

The serum run also inspired the most celebrated dog sled race in the world, the Iditarod – which covers a similar route between Nome and Nenana, before continuing south to Anchorage. Togo’s bloodline continues in the Seppala Siberian huskies , while the dog himself today lives at the headquarters of the Iditarod in Wasilla where the 107-year old hound (his fur was mounted by Seppala after his death) stands in a glass case. Both dog and race hark back to an era of Alaskan history where the sled dog was the key to humans’ survival in the wilderness. ( See vintage photos of sled dogs .)

“Alaskan literature is filled with stories about natural-born lead dogs like Togo… with an almost uncanny ability to size up obstacles.” Wrote Gay and Laney Salisbury in The Cruellest Miles . “Without such dogs, many Alaskans believe, Alaska could not have developed.”

In addition, the run itself had another legacy, one that undoubtedly saved many thousands or even hundreds of thousands of lives in the ensuing generation. “At a time when supplying the much needed antitoxin was simply not feasible via air or sea—coupled with the determination and tenacity to save the children of Nome—the story of the dog sled relay propelled the necessity and importance of vaccination,” says Dr Basil Aboul Enin of the London School of Hygiene and   Tropical Medicine . “It’s a story that continues to echo in the annals of public health history.”  

The issue around Balto's Central Park statue also continues to echo. A Change.org petition to replace Balto's statue with one of Togo was started in late 2019. Elsewhere in New York, a small 2001 statue of Togo that stands in New York's Seward Park—named in honour of the   U.S. Secretary of State, who purchased Alaska from Russia in 1868 —was recently relocated to a more prominent position, as part of a rejuvenation of the space.  

As for the movie, Willem Dafoe is confident the tale of Seppala and Togo goes further than simply righting the usurping of an underdog. “It’s going to mean different things to different people, like anything. I guess the main thing is about opening up to where you fit in the world,” he says. “The interdependence between us and nature, us and animals… so it leads to kind of a better way of living and a greater understanding of what we’re here for.”

Of Seppala himself, Dafoe adds: “Everyone wants to be useful somewhere. And I think this was his moment where he felt like this was something he had to try to do. I think he had no choice.”

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The True Story Behind Disney’s ‘Togo’

Think Balto saved Nome, Alaska, on his own? Think again. A new family-friendly movie finally gets a legendary dogsled run right.

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

In the winter of 1925, a deadly illness struck the city of Nome, Alaska . The nearest stores of medicine were hundreds of miles away, across the state’s snowy interior. But you’ve heard this story. The 1995 movie Balto immortalized it for a generation: the eponymous   dog rallied the team that brought the lifesaving serum through the Alaskan wilds, heroically saving the city’s   children. Since 1925, Balto has earned universal acclaim, legions of fans, and a commemorative bronze statue in New York City’s Central Park.

But Togo , a new movie   that hits the Disney+ platform on December 20, corrects the historical record in favor of an underdog. As it turns out, Balto was just one of more than 100 pups who made that lifesaving dogsled relay to Nome possible. Balto did lead the canine team over the final 55-mile stretch of the journey (he was still leading the pack when it arrived in the city itself). But a different dog, Togo, ran more than double the distance of any other dog on the team and led it through some of the riskiest spots.

Togo , which stars Willem Dafoe, promises to chart the life of the historically overlooked pup who made the crucial delivery of medicine possible. For all the true dogsledding  aficionados out there, we broke down the real history of Togo and Balto’s now legendary run to Nome. 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/HMfyueM-ZBQ

The saga began when a doctor diagnosed the first case of diphtheria, a deadly illness, in a young boy in Nome in January 1925. The city, located approximately 150 miles   south of the Arctic Circle, had a population of just under 1,000. Diphtheria was called the “strangling angel of children,” because it releases a toxin that shuts down its victim’s windpipe. Young children were especially vulnerable to it. 

In the winter of 1925, Nome had a supply of antitoxin, the serum then used to treat diphtheria, but it had all expired. (A vaccine was later developed that has virtually eliminated the disease.) The town’s single doctor and four nurses watched helplessly as a three-year-old boy died, soon followed by a seven-year-old girl. They worried that the fatality rate for those infected would be 100 percent. Several years earlier, a flu epidemic had killed off half of Nome’s indigenous population.

Nome’s medical team put out a call for help—and found that the nearest supply of serum was in a storehouse outside Anchorage. Trains could bring it to within around 700 miles of Nome, and the team hoped bush planes could take it from there. But that week, record-setting cold weather and gale-force winds swept across Alaska, grounding the only rickety planes in the area. 

The people of Nome realized that sled dogs would have to carry the 20-pound package of medicine to their city through the storm. It was the only way.

Enter our story’s hero: Togo, who was already a champion racer by 1925 but whose running days were largely behind him. He’d been born a smaller-than-average puppy in 1913 but quickly distinguished himself as a sled dog, running 75 miles his first time in a harness. According to Gay and Laney Salisbury’s The Cruelest Mile , a 2003 history of the serum run, Togo was a living legend among Alaskan dogsledders, “a natural-born lead dog.” Although Togo was 12 years old in January 1925, he was still fast and strong. He was tapped to anchor the serum relay team.

“He was the best dog [owner Leonhard Seppala] had at navigating sea ice, and would often run well ahead of the team on a long lead in order to pick out the safest and easiest route across Norton Sound or other parts of the Bering Sea,” the Salisburys write.   That talent served Togo well on the serum run: at one point, the intrepid pup led the team across 40 miles of Bering Sea ice in the face of an oncoming storm.

No single dog deserves all the credit for saving Nome. To deliver the antitoxin, more than 20 mushers and 100 dogs carried the medicine from a train line near Fairbanks (where temperatures hovered around minus 50 degrees), along the Yukon River, over a frozen bay, and finally along the Bering Sea coast. Still, Togo was arguably the team’s most impressive canine in sheer distance—he ran more than 350 miles total, more than any dog in the pack—as well as heroics.

Viewers of Togo might assume its most cinematic moments are the product of Hollywood’s creative license, but they would be wrong. In one dramatic scene, Togo has reached shore, but the sled with the medicine has gotten stuck on floating ice on the other side of a frigid channel of water. In a feat of athleticism and frankly un-doglike ingenuity, Togo grabs the lead rope in his mouth and pulls the sled ashore. This—and we cannot stress this enough— actually happened .  

Here’s another moment in the flim that seems too good to be true but is:   Because of Togo’s diminutive size as a puppy, his owner once gave him away to a family to keep as a house pet. Within weeks, Togo had had enough of domestic life. He broke through a window and ran back to Seppala’s sledding kennels, a scene that occurs early in the movie.

Did the serum run to Nome need a reboot? We came to Togo skeptical, but now we’re sold: the original Balto film left out the journey’s most interesting character.

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Togo was the true hero dog of the serum run; it’s about time he got his due

Part of a continuing weekly series on local history by local historian David Reamer. Have a question about Anchorage history or an idea for a future article? Go to the form at the bottom of this story.

Late last December, Disney released their new film “Togo,” about the 1925 Nome Serum Run, exclusively on their Disney+ streaming service. That movie inspired this article, but you don’t need to watch the movie to follow along. With the start of mushing seasons and the 2020 Iditarod fast approaching, this is the perfect time to remember the greatest mushing tale of them all.

Togo was the lead dog for Leonhard Seppala's team during the longest and most dangerous leg of the serum run to Nome in 1925. (Stefannaumovv via Creative Commons)

Just the basic facts of the Nome Serum Run make for a thriller, including sick children, gale-force winds, whiteout conditions, cracking ice, and dogs and men pushed beyond their limits. Beginning around the middle of January 1925, several children in Nome contracted diphtheria, a highly contagious bacterial infection that targets the respiratory system. In short, diphtheria victims can choke to death as infected tissue expands and block airways. It’s an ugly way to die, throats filling with a grey mass and throats swelling as the patient asphyxiates. Unfortunately, Nome’s only doctor had run out of the serum necessary to treat the infection. An earlier order for a resupply went unfulfilled with the arrival of winter.

Winter and a nasty approaching storm prevented planes from delivering the serum. With only one method of transportation left, Nome’s salvation was left to dog sled teams. Over the course of five and a half days, 20 drivers and 150 dogs traveled almost 700 miles in a relay race against time. Leonhard Seppala, already a dog racing legend, set out to retrieve the serum from Nenana. His beloved Togo, a husky named for a Japanese admiral, was in his typical lead position.

When Seppala left, his intention was to travel the entire course on his own. A relay of drivers was built after his departure, and he would still drive the longest and most dangerous leg. Early on the morning of Feb. 2, musher Gunnar Kaasen arrived in Nome with the necessary serum, staving off a potential epidemic that could have depopulated the Seward Peninsula.

Details of Nome’s desperation and the serum relay were transmitted to the Lower 48. Unbeknownst to Seppala as he raced in minus 40-degree weather, his efforts were a national sensation. After the race, Kaasen, Seppala and their lead dogs became celebrities, touring the country.

Contrary to perception, historians manage to watch historical movies all the time without fainting from every inaccuracy. For example, “Togo” the movie opens with Seppala driving a dog team through the woods and down a steep slope to the small town of Nome, which is shown surrounded by sea and mountains. Except, Nome isn’t directly surrounded by wooded mountains but by treeless tundra. The movie fails to slavishly recreate 1925 Nome, yet it does replicate a sense of the community’s relative isolation. This aspect of life in Nome matters more to the story than the proximity of mountains, even if the film depiction better matches the Outside perception of Alaska — trees, mountains and ice exclusively — than the actual Alaska complexity.

The visible Nome businesses, including the Sideboard, Golden Gate Hotel and Dexter Saloon, match the names if not the exact appearance of their historical inspirations. And the real Nome hospital was larger in every dimension than the small building shown in the movie. Shot around Alberta, Canada, the film takes numerous little liberties with the physical surroundings. However, these details impair neither the story nor the essential historic truths of the diphtheria outbreak, Seppala and Togo.

The diphtheria threat was real, as were the dangers of the trail faced by Seppala, the other drivers and their dogs. Five people in Nome died. Many of the mushers endured severe frostbite, and several dogs died from the cold and exertion. The cracking of the ice over water was also all too real, with teams sometimes only inches from falling forever into the frozen depths.

While some smaller aspects were altered for the sake of the movie, what might be considered some of the more sensational aspects of the movie are historically accurate. These factual scenes include a young Togo leaping through a window to find his master, Seppala almost driving a dog team over a cliff in an earlier race, and the crossing of the ice-covered Norton Sound in order to save time.

Compared to more outrageous and offensively inaccurate portrayals of history, like “Braveheart” or “Pocahontas,” “Togo” is almost a documentary, perfectly suitable for classroom use. As a bonus, the sharp cheekbones and lined face of star Willem Dafoe are eerily similar to Seppala.

And most importantly for the sake of an accurate narrative, Balto is limited to seconds on screen, a memorable but lesser aspect of a far grander story. If the average American knows one thing about the Nome serum run, they know about Balto, partly due to the 1995 animated feature. Balto was Kaasen’s lead dog during the serum run and thus was at the forefront as the team entered Nome carrying the lifesaving serum. As a result, Balto received an outsized portion of the fame from the journey, including more acclaim than Togo.

Seppala bred, named, raised and trained Balto but did not race with him. In a 1927 New York Times article, he claimed that a forgotten dog named Fox has been co-lead with Balto on Kaasen’s team. Three years later, in his memoir, Seppala backtracked ever so slightly. He said, “I hope I shall never be the man to take away credit from any dog or driver who participated in that run” but maintained that Balto was only a “scrub dog.” Togo depicts Fox and Balto leading for Kaasen.

A Balto statue still stands in New York’s Central Park. Said Seppala in his memoir, “I resented the statue to Balto, for if any dog deserved special mention, it was Togo.” Seppala, who died in 1967, would have also resented Anchorage’s Balto Seppala Park, which was developed in the early 1980s. The park fosters the misconception of Balto as the singular hero dog of Nome and links Seppala more strongly to Balto than they were in real life.

Togo’s story isn’t some form of hidden history. His mounted body is featured at the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race headquarters in Wasilla, and his role in the serum run is well known among mushers and historians. Still, Balto remains more famous for the general public. Any opportunity is a good opportunity to spread the worthy truth of Togo.

Famous 1925 Serum Run dog Togo is displayed in the exhibit Polar Bear Garden: The Place Between Alaska and Russia on Friday, March 10, 2017, at the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center. (Erik Hill / ADN)

Famous 1925 Serum Run dogs Togo, left, and Balto are displayed in the exhibit Polar Bear Garden: The Place Between Alaska and Russia on Friday, March 10, 2017, at the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center. (Erik Hill / ADN)

Key sources:

Alaska’s Digital Archives, vilda.alaska.edu .

“Balto Not Nome Hero Dog; Seppala Says Husky Named Fox Was Leader of His Team.” New York Times, March 9, 1927.

Ricker, Elizabeth M. Seppala: Alaskan Dog Driver. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1930.

Salisbury, Gay, and Laney Salisbury. The Cruelest Miles: The Heroic Story of Dogs and Meen in A Race Against an Epidemic. New York: Norton, 2005.

Steinmetz, Katy. “Top 10 Heroic Animals.” Time, March 21, 2011,

David Reamer | Histories of Alaska

David Reamer is a historian who writes about Anchorage. His peer-reviewed articles include topics as diverse as baseball, housing discrimination, Alaska Jewish history and the English gin craze. He’s a UAA graduate and nerd for research who loves helping people with history questions. He also posts daily Alaska history on Twitter @ANC_Historian.

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Togo and Balto

When I introduce the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race™ to my students, I use an article, The Story of the Iditarod Trail , for them to read. I watch them reading it to themselves or to their partners, and, it never fails, they perk up and recognition glows on their faces when they read about Balto in that article. They say, “I know Balto!” because they’ve read a book or seen a movie about him.

Togo and Balto were the lead dogs on Leonhard Seppala’s and Gunnar Kaasen’s teams which helped deliver antitoxin to Nome in 1925 to stem a diphtheria epidemic. Both dogs were Siberian huskies, a breed brought to Alaska from Siberia by William Goosak, a Russian fur trader. These dogs were smaller and leaner than the huge dogs being used at that time to pull freight sleds delivering mail, supplies, and bringing out gold in Alaska. Their nickname was not very complimentary—“Siberian Rats”. The Siberian husky breed was officially recognized in 1930 by the American Kennel Club, and many sled dogs today descend from Seppala dogs.

Roald Amundsen planned to use Togo and his teammates for a North Pole expedition which was cancelled. Seppala continued to train and race the dogs, and in 1925, was called upon to run a long leg of the route to deliver the diphtheria antitoxin.  Togo led the team the longest distance, 260 miles, while other teams ran distances of 25-40 miles.

Balto, another Siberian husky owned by Gunnar Kaasen, led the last team to carry the medicine into Nome. Whiteout blizzard conditions and snowblindness forced Kaasen to rely heavily on the 3 year old dog’s abilities. ( Source: http://www.shca.org/shcahp2d.htm 9.11.10).

Read more about Togo and Balto at these sites.

http://www.litsite.org/index.cfm?section=Digital-Archives&page=Land-Sea-Air&cat=Dog-Mushing&viewpost=2&ContentId=2561

http://www.litsite.org/index.cfm?section=Digital-Archives&page=Land-Sea-Air&cat=Dog-Mushing&viewpost=2&ContentId=2559

After his death, Togo was preserved by a taxidermist and is on display at the Iditarod Headquarters in Wasilla, Alaska. In December 1925, a statue of Balto was unveiled in New York’s Central Park. Determined that Balto would also be on display in Alaska, Kim Raymond searched, located, and arranged shipping of a second Balto statue to the Iditarod Headquarters in 2009.  Togo’s statue stands in New York City also, at Seward Park.

These photos are of Togo, Balto, and a replica of the leather harness that Balto wore. I am holding it at Jon and Jona VanZyle’s house in Alaska. Jona worked at the Cleveland Museum in Ohio at one time. The museum owns Balto who was preserved by a taxidermist after his death. Jona found the harness in a collection of items the museum holds from the time when Balto and other team dogs lived at that museum. She had a replica made of the harness which is surprisingly heavy.  It fits around the dog’s neck and behind the front legs, encircling the torso. Today’s sled dog harnesses are very lightweight and made of webbing which fits along the dog’s back and sides.

My dog, Morgan, is modeling a more modern type of harness. It is a little big for her, but she shows how a harness fits. By the way, a lot of people ask me if she pulls a sled. The answer is “No”. I rescued her about three years ago from our animal shelter, and while I’ve taught her gee, haw, straight ahead, and on by commands, we just go for FAST walks! (say jee, it means right; haw means left)

Mushing on,

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Togo, born on October 17, 1913, was a Siberian Husky known for his significant role in the 1925 serum run to Nome as the lead sled dog for musher Leonhard Seppala. Despite facing challenges and covering vast distances, Togo's contributions were initially overshadowed by his fellow lead dog, Balto.

In his early life, Togo was perceived as a troublemaker but demonstrated loyalty by rejoining Seppala's kennel after being considered for adoption as a pet. Recognizing his potential, Seppala trained Togo, who emerged as an exceptional sled dog. During the 1925 Serum Run, Togo and Seppala covered 261 miles, enduring extreme temperatures and perilous conditions. Togo's leadership and a courageous swim through ice floes on Norton Sound played a crucial role in the team's survival, despite Balto receiving more attention.

Following the Serum Run, Togo retired to the Ricker Kennel in Poland Spring, Maine, contributing to the 'Seppala Siberian' sleddog line and the broader Siberian Husky gene pool. Togo died on December 5, 1929, at 16 years old.

In 2011, Time magazine honored Togo as the most heroic animal of all time. His tale reached the silver screen in the 2019 film "Togo," with Willem Dafoe portraying Leonhard Seppala and Diesel, a direct descendant, embodying the legendary sled dog. Togo's legacy is celebrated with statues, including one unveiled in Poland Springs, Maine, in 2022, marking the place where he spent his final years.

• Togo (film trailer)

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Togo: Meet the sled dog who once saved thousands of lives by travelling through harsh Alaskan weather

Dogs have played a crucial role throughout history and have been the best friends of human beings. togo was one such dog, who once saved thousands of lives by delivering a much-needed serum to an alaskan city..

New Delhi: Dogs have always been the best friends of human beings, having accompanied us for thousands of years. Even in the Indian epic Mahabharata, one can find a dog walking with Yudhisthira towards heaven and in the end, it was revealed to be Lord Dharma himself. Dogs have played a crucial role throughout history in our journey of evolution. Togo was one such dog, who once saved thousands of lives.

Who was Togo?

Togo was a sled dog whose childhood did not indicate that he would go on to become one. He was the son of a sled dog but his weight was only 22 kg and had a black, brown, and grey coat. As a puppy, Togo was ill and needed constant caring. Since he apparently did not show any attribute to becoming a sled dog, he was sold as a pet dog when he was just six years old.

However, Togo would remain as a pet dog only for a few weeks before he through the glass of a closed window and travelled several miles to his original master Leonhard Seppala. He was not sold again, but he got into constant fights with the lead dogs of other teams. However, he once attacked a much larger dog and was severely injured. He stopped attacking the lead dogs after that, and it would prove to be a valuable experience for Togo.

Once, when Togo was just eight months old, Seppala was hired by a person for an overnight round trip. Seppala tied Togo in his kennel with a leash and left with his sled dogs. However, Togo, mischievous as he was, broke free of the leash and began to follow the trail of the team. He continued to follow them through the night and slept near Seppala’s cabin at night. After Seppala noticed him, Togo came back with the other dogs. During the return trip, at one point, Togo was sharing the lead position with the lead dog Russky. Seppala called him an “infant prodigy” and realised that Togo could become a lead sled dog. After a few years, Togo became Seppala’s lead sled dog and his most trusted among all the dogs.

The heroism of Togo

Togo displayed intelligence, courage and endurance as a lead dog and showed them in several instances. But it was during the ‘Great Race of Mercy’ that Togo would show the peak of his courage. Also known as the 1925 serum run to Nome, was a delivery of diphtheria antitoxin by dog sled relay across Alaska by 20 mushers and about 150 sled dogs across 1,085 km in five and a half days.

Nome is a city in the US state of Alaska which witnessed the outbreak of diphtheria in 1925. At that time, the city had only one doctor and the hospital’s entire batch of diphtheria antitoxin had expired. Due to Alaska’s harsh weather conditions, it was not possible to transport them by plane. Hence, a plan was hatched and it was decided that a dogsled relay using two fast teams would deliver the medicine. Seppala was chosen for the 1,014 km round trip from Nome to Nulato and back.

After a train from Anchorage to Nenana in Alaska delivered the first batch of 300,240 units of diphtheria serum, it was picked up by the first of twenty mushers and more than 100 dogs who took them to Nome. Togo and Seppala ran 270 km east from Nome, got the serum and travelled 146 km to Golovin to hand over the serum to Charlie Olsen’s team. Seppala’s team with Togo as the lead sled dog covered 420 km which included some dangerous terrain. They covered the distance in three days at a time when the temperature was -34 degrees Celsius. During the return journey, the team faced a ground blizzard but Togo navigated the road and saved his team from death. At that time, he was 12 years old. Togo covered a far greater distance than any other lead dog on the run.

Togo became a sensation and during the tour of the US later, large crowds flocked to the stadiums and department stores to see the brave hero. He even appeared in a Lucky Strike cigarette campaign. After his retirement, Togo led a luxurious life and was bred for several years. He and Seppala laid the foundation for the modern Siberian sled dog breed, which we popularly know as Siberian Husky. At the age of 16, due to joint pain and partial blindness, Togo was euthanised. On September 17, 2022, Togo’s bronze statue was unveiled in Maine. In 1928, Elizabeth M. Ricker wrote and published ‘Togo’s Fireside Reflections’ and some of the copies have the sign of Togo. Interestingly, in the 2019 Walt Disney film ‘Togo’, the role of brave sled dog was essayed by Diesel, a dog actor who is a direct descendant of Togo.

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The Sled Dog Relay That Inspired the Iditarod

By: Christopher Klein

Updated: May 16, 2023 | Original: March 10, 2014

The children of Nome were dying in January 1925. Infected with diphtheria, they wheezed and gasped for air, and every day brought a new case of the lethal respiratory disease. Nome’s lone physician, Dr. Curtis Welch, feared an epidemic that could put the entire village of 1,400 at risk. He ordered a quarantine but knew that only an antitoxin serum could ward off the fast-spreading disease.

The nearest batch of the life-saving medicine, however, rested more than 1,000 miles away in Anchorage. Nome’s ice-choked harbor made sea transport impossible, and open-cockpit airplanes could not fly in Alaska’s subzero temperatures. With the nearest train station nearly 700 miles away in Nenana, canine power offered Nome its best hope for a speedy delivery.

Sled dogs regularly beat Alaska’s snowy trails to deliver mail, and the territory’s governor, Scott C. Bone, recruited the best drivers and dog teams to stage a round-the-clock relay to transport the serum from Nenana to Nome. On the night of January 27, 1925, a train whistle pierced Nenana’s stillness as it arrived with the precious cargo—a 20-pound package of serum wrapped in protective fur. Musher “Wild Bill” Shannon tied the parcel to his sled. As he gave the signal, the paws of Shannon’s nine malamutes pounded the snow-packed trail on the first steps of a 674-mile “Great Race of Mercy” through rugged wilderness, across frozen waterways and over treeless tundra.

Even by Alaskan standards, this winter night packed extra bite, with temperatures plummeting to 60 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. Although every second was precious as the number of confirmed cases in Nome mounted, Shannon knew he needed to control his speed. If his dogs ran too fast and breathed too deeply in such frigid conditions, they could frost their lungs and die of exposure. Although Shannon ran next to the sled to raise his own body temperature, he still developed hypothermia and frostbite on the 52-mile leg to Tolovana before handing off the serum to the second dog team.

With moonlight and even the northern lights illuminating the dark Alaskan winter days, the relay raced at an average speed of six miles per hour. While each leg averaged 30 miles, the country’s most famous musher, Norwegian-born Leonhard Seppala, departed Shaktoolik on January 31 on an epic 91-mile leg. Having already rushed 170 miles from Nome to intercept the relay, Seppala decided on a risky shortcut over the frozen Norton Sound in the teeth of a gale that dropped wind chills to 85 degrees below zero. Seppala’s lead dog, 12-year-old Siberian Husky Togo, had logged tens of thousands of miles, but none as important as these. Togo and his 19 fellow dogs struggled for traction on Norton Sound’s glassy skin, and the fierce winds threatened to break apart the ice and send the team adrift to sea. The team made it safely to the coastline only hours before the ice cracked. Gusts continued to batter the team as it hugged the coastline before meeting the next musher, Charlie Olson, who after 25 miles handed off the serum to Gunnar Kaasen for the scheduled second-to-last leg of the relay.

As Kaasen set off into a blizzard, the pelting snow grew so fierce that his squinting eyes could not see any of his team, let alone his trusted lead dog, Balto. On loan from Seppala’s kennel, Balto relied on scent, rather than sight, to lead the 13-dog team over the beaten trail as ice began to crust the long hairs of his brown coat. Suddenly, a massive gust upwards of 80 miles per hour flipped the sled and launched the antidote into a snow bank. Panic coursed through Kaasen’s frostbitten body as he tore off his mitts and rummaged through the snow with his numb hands before locating the serum.

Kaasen arrived in Port Safety in the early morning hours of February 2, but when the next team was not ready to leave, the driver decided to forge on to Nome himself. After covering 53 miles, Balto was the first sign of Nome’s salvation as the sled dogs yipped and yapped down Front Street at 5:30 A.M. to deliver the valuable package to Dr. Welch.

The relay had taken five-and-a-half days, cutting the previous speed record nearly in half. Four dogs died from exposure, giving their lives so that others could live. Three weeks after injecting the residents of Nome, Dr. Crosby lifted the quarantine.

Although more than 150 dogs and 20 drivers participated in the relay, it was the canine that led the final miles that became a media superstar. Within weeks, Balto was inked to a Hollywood contract to star in a 30-minute film, “Balto’s Race to Nome.” After a nine-month vaudeville tour, Balto was present in December 1925 as a bronze statue of his likeness was unveiled in New York’s Central Park.

Seppala and his Siberians also toured the country and even appeared in an advertising campaign for Lucky Strike cigarettes, but the famous driver resented the glory lavished on Balto at the expense of Togo, who had guided the relay’s longest and most arduous stretch. “It was almost more than I could bear when the ‘newspaper dog’ Balto received a statue for his ‘glorious achievements,’” Seppala remarked.

The serum run was Togo’s last long-distance feat. He died in 1929, and his preserved body is on view at the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Headquarters in Wasilla, Alaska. After the limelight faded, Balto lived out his final days at the Cleveland Zoo, and his body is on display at the Cleveland Natural History Museum. Since 1973, the memory of the serum run has lived on in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, which is held each March and is run on some of the same trails beaten by Balto, Togo and dozens of other sled dogs in a furious race against time nearly a century ago.

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Togo. The Legend.

Musher: A person who controls a team of dogs pulling a sled over snow.

White-out: A weather condition so severe that the features of the terrain are indistinguishable due to uniform light diffusion.

In 1925 in Alaska, a serious bacterial infection known as diphtheria threatened the town of Nome. An epidemic loomed, and serum would be required to prevent the inevitable deaths.

There was, however, one major problem. The only available aeroplane was unable to take off due to the low temperatures. It was then decided that there was only one solution. A relay of sled dogs and mushers would attempt to deliver the medication. The teams were made up of 20 mushers and around 150 dogs and became known as the 1925 Serum Run.

The distance that needed to be covered was intimidating for a start. Six hundred seventy-four miles (1085km) to be precise. To put this distance into perspective, for UK readers, this is further than the entire length of the UK. The distance of  Lands End to John O’Groats is 603 miles(970km)  Every relay team would have to meet at a pre-arranged destination in order to hand over the cargo of drugs. This would take place in temperatures that are unimaginable to most of us. Minus 85F!!

Just to make life more difficult, the teams had to endure gale force winds which occasionally became hurricane force, plus whiteouts. For this enterprise to succeed, it would rely on the dedication of the mushers and the training of their dogs. The entire journey took 127.5 hours, and not a vial of the medication was lost or broken.

An Annual Celebration

This extraordinary feat is now celebrated with the annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and the mushers who even received letters from Calvin Coolidge, the President of the United States of America.

Sadly one of the most amazing episodes in Alaskan history was then mired in recriminations as the media, needing a hero, decided to use the final musher who delivered the serum and his dog Balto as the object of their story. This was made worse as it is generally accepted that the lead dog that was in the team that actually delivered the serum was not even Balto but a dog called Fox, but the media, it appears, preferred the more exotic name Balto.

The media totally ignored the contribution of the Alaskan native mushers who covered two-thirds of the distance but as Edgar Kallard, one of the mushers, commented. “It was just an everyday occurrence as far as we were concerned.”

Of course, they were all heroes who collectively saved lives, both mushers and dogs, however, if a hero was required, then without a doubt, this accolade was due to Togo who at the time was a vastly experienced 12-year-old Siberian Husky.

Being a lead dog, he was the best of the best, and on one occasion, he had steadfastly refused to obey the command to move forward, only for Leonhard Seppala and his mushers to find that directly in front was a huge crack in the ice. Had not Togo stubbornly declined to move the entire dog team and Seppala would have drowned a horrible death under the ice.

A second event was even more remarkable. Stranded on a broken piece of ice, the only way out was for Togo to be released with a rope in his mouth and tow the entire dog team and Seppala back to safety. Unfortunately, the rope snapped. Togo jumped into the freezing water, grabbed the rope turned himself over twice this creating an improvised harness and dragged the entire team to safety.

The average length of the serum run for each musher was under 40 miles, and the longest distance was 53 miles. However, the stretch covered by Togo was 91, was done in blizzard conditions, over the most treacherous terrain, with constant white-outs. What is not appreciated is that Seppala and his dog team travelled a further 170 miles to be in position for the handover, which brought his distance to 261 miles, well in excess of 200 miles more than any other team. All this time, Seppala had as his lead dog the 12-year-old Togo.

It should be understood that a sled dog bears little resemblance to a pet. These dogs are tough beyond our understanding, and a lead dog in particular also has to be highly intelligent and be able to cope with any emergency. Not only are they highly trained, but their survival instinct comes to the fore when problems arise. In the same way that a Newfoundland dog instinctively knows what is expected and doesn’t always need instruction, a Siberian Husky sled dog, who is also a lead dog, is unique in his ability to instantly react to a dangerous situation.

In the conditions that they live in, you can’t just call 911 and wait for help.

Such were the conditions that some of the mushers suffered frostbite and a small number of dogs sacrificed their lives to complete the journey but saved countless human lives, most of which would have been children.

In the modern vernacular, the greatest are now called a G.O.A.T.

Greatest Of All Time

Mohammed Ali, and Madonna, to name but two. Though there will always be debates as to who was the greatest in any sport or endeavour, however, in the world of sled dogs, there is very little disagreement. The greatest of all time was Togo.

This dog is immortalized in the 2019 movie Togo starring Willem Dafoe, which is based on the 1925 Serum Run.

“Afterwards I thought of the ice and the darkness and the terrible wind and the irony that men could build planes and ships. But when Nome needed life in little packages of serum it took the dogs to bring it through.” Leonhard Seppala

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Togo   tells the remarkable true story about the real canine hero behind 1925 serum run to Nome, Alaska – but how much of the Disney+ original movie is actually true, and how much of it was fabricated or exaggerated for the big screen? Directed by cinematographer-turned-filmmaker Ericson Core, whose other credits include the 2015  Point Break  remake and the Philadelphia Eagles inspirational drama  Invincible , the film stars Willem Dafoe as real-life dog sled musher Leonhard Seppala and follows his pooch team as they embark on the bulk of the heroic rescue mission.

Following an outbreak of diphtheria in the isolated town of Nome, local officials elected Seppala to lead the charge for gathering antitoxins and returning them to Alaska. The journey in itself would require Seppala complete a 600 mile roundtrip on his own, an unbelievably demanding task, given that his lead dog, Togo, was 12 years old. In the end, a relay system was implemented to help ease the effects of the journey on Seppala's team, and a grand argument  Togo   makes is that Balto, the dog who has been celebrated as the hero of the serum run for nearly a century, and his fame were nothing more than a result of luck and good fortune.

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With that said, another grand part of the film is dedicated to Seppala's roller coaster relationship with the titular pup. In this way,  Togo  is a surprisingly sweet and spiritual film about two partners nearing the end of their life journey together. Here's the true story behind all the elements of  Togo – before, during, and after the 1925 serum run – and how much of the Disney+ movie was fictionalized.

Togo As A Puppy

As depicted in Disney+'s  Togo , the titular pooch had a very sickly youth and required the excessive care and attention of Seppala's wife Constance ( portrayed by Julianne Nicholson ). As a professional dog breeder and racer, Seppala's relationship with the dogs he worked with was exactly that: strictly professional. That being said, the rather small dog, on top of being constantly sick and having an infamous string of bad behavior as a young puppy, was more of a nuisance than anything else. So, in order to better the herd of dogs he was developing for competition, it is true that Seppala gave Togo away to a neighbor when the puppy was six months old.

Remarkably, the second part of this plot line was also true. Seemingly fed up with the domestic lifestyle after only a few weeks, the titular pooch escaped his new home and ran several miles back to Seppala's kennel. And not only did Togo escape, but, as was seen in the film, he jumped through a closed glass window to get back to his original owner. This insane level of dedication helped contribute to the dog's name, which was based on the Japanese admiral and naval hero Tōgō Heihachirō, as well as his place at the forefront of Seppala's team.

Once there, Togo led his musher's team to victory at the All Alaska Sweepstakes during Seppala's second attempt in 1915; beating the second place and experienced racer Scotty Allan by two hours. This first victory is depicted in  Togo  as a flashback, but Seppala also won the All Alaska Sweepstakes the two following years in 1916 and 1917.

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The 1925 Serum Run

The situation driving Disney+'s  Togo   – the 1925 serum run – was as dire as it was depicted in the film. In the winter of 1924-1925, a diphtheria epidemic was threatening Nome; the town's only doctor, Curtis Welch (portrayed by  Game of Thrones ' Richard Dormer), finally diagnosed the cause of four children's deaths as such and quickly alleviated the town's only available antitoxins – which themselves were expired and thus ineffective. Welch immediately ordered more antitoxin from the health commissioner in Juneau, but the port had closed for the winter before the shipment arrived. Afraid that the disease would affect the 3000 natives in the surrounding area, he sent telegrams to the other major Alaskan towns (in the film, it was Christopher Heyerdahl's character Mayor George Maynard who did this) and to the U.S. Public Health Service in Washington D.C. asking for help.

Even with a quarantine in place, more than 20 people had been diagnosed with the disease and many more were at risk. Unfortunately, flying was a relatively new technology at the time, and postal flight during a brutal winter season had hardly been tested. So the decision was quickly made by the town's leaders to elect Seppala, the Norwegian immigrant and sled dog driver, to lead the solo expedition to gather and bring back antitoxins to Nome.

As portrayed in the Disney+ film , the weather was no friendly factor to the mission. Throughout the trip, the temperature was approximately −30 °F with gale force winds making it feel like −85 °F. However, Togo and Seppala's team didn't have to endure the brutal conditions by themselves. By the time the antitoxins had made their way to the Nome, nearly 20 sled dog teams, compromised of more than 100 dogs, had done their part in delivering the medicine the 674 mile distance between Nenana, Alaska and Nome. That being said, Togo led the charge on the majority of the trip; he and Seppala's dog sled team, as the film's final cards say, ran over 250 miles.

Togo also took charge of some of the most dangerous portions of the trip. Watching  Togo , it'd be easy to chalk up some of the more intense or dramatic sequences during the serum run as Hollywood's attempt to amplify the excitement of the story. But that's not true. In real life, after crossing the rapidly breaking Norton Sound, Togo leapt to the shore by himself and almost single-handedly pulled the sled ashore. Again, this actually happened.

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But once Seppala and his team had leaped over that last substantial hurdle and climbed the 5,000 feet across Little McKinley Mountain, they completed their leg of the journey. From there, Seppala handed off the 300,240 units of serum to Charlie Olson's team who, in turn, handed it off to Gunnar Kaasen, who completed the final stretch of the journey with Balto leading the team.

What Happened Afterwards

As seen in  Togo , Balto was the dog who got the vast majority of the credit for the serum run instead of Seppala's lead pup. That same year, Balto was given a commemorative statue in Central Park, and over half a century later, was also given his own tributary animated film.

Though Togo's more-than-earned fame was largely swept under the rug, Seppala, Togo, and a team of dogs went on a victory tour in continental United States, making various stops in Seattle, California and New York City. They were also featured in a Lucky Stripes cigarette ad campaign as well as on a chewing gum collector card.

Unfortunately, while Disney+'s  Togo  ends on the happy note, with the dog and the musher living out the rest of their days together, this is one of the few things the movie gets wrong. In real life, Seppala and his wife gave Togo away to fellow sled dog musher Elizabeth Ricker, who lived in Maine.

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What’s Fact and What’s Fiction in Togo

Was this hero dog really such a good boy we break down disney’s new biopic..

The Disney+ movie Togo is about the heroic run of the titular Siberian husky, who led a team of sled dogs across hundreds of miles to deliver diphtheria antitoxin to the town of Nome, Alaska, during an outbreak of the disease in 1925. Directed by Ericson Core, with a Writers Guild Award–nominated script by Tom Flynn, Togo is based on the events of what become known as the “Great Race of Mercy,” or the “1925 serum run to Nome.” Scenes from the run are interspersed with flashbacks to Togo’s origin story, showing him making repeated escapes from the kennel of musher Leonhard Seppala (Willem Dafoe).

The title card at the beginning declares that Togo is based on a true story, but how much of this is hard history and how much is Disney magic? Was Togo really such a good boy as the movie suggests? We consulted cousins Gay Salisbury and Laney Salisbury’s deeply researched book about the serum race, The Cruelest Miles: The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against an Epidemic , along with what few other sources we could find, to break it all down below.

In Disney’s telling, Togo’s beginnings are an underdog story. As a puppy, he is a runt with little more than a fighting spirit and the endorsement of Seppala’s wife, Constance (Julianne Nicholson) . Seppala grumbles that Constance is too softhearted and hints that a bullet might have been the easiest solution to Togo’s behavioral issues. And Togo has many behavioral issues: He’s magnetically drawn to Seppala, such that he successfully defies any of Seppala’s attempts to pen him up or give him up for adoption. Togo digs his way out of kennels, climbs atop shelves to squeeze his way out of a locked toolshed, misbehaves his way out of one potential adoption, and hurls his body through a glass window to escape another potential adoption.

According to The Cruelest Miles , although Togo was the only puppy in his litter, he was indeed smaller than average, and worse, he had a painful condition that made his throat swell. The Salisburys also write that Togo was indeed “difficult and mischievous,” as well as resistant to being locked up. He once attempted to leap over a 7-foot-high fence and got stuck in the wiring. He was disruptive to harnessed sled dogs, just as he’s shown to be in the film. Finally, Seppala did indeed attempt to give Togo away to a woman who tried to make him a house pet, and according to The Cruelest Miles , Togo really did escape by jumping through a windowpane.

In the movie, Togo gets his first break by busting loose and harassing Seppala’s harnessed team until Seppala finally gives him a chance run with the big dogs. By the time Seppala arrives at home, Togo has been moved to the lead position, and Seppala is marveling at Togo’s speed. According to the Salisburys, this is also true to life. The real-life Seppala was “astounded” at the effect of the harness: The 8-month-old Togo went from pesky to serious, and Seppala “finally understood what Togo had been wanting all these months: to be a member of the team.” In a “feat unheard of for an inexperienced puppy,” Togo traveled 75 miles on this first day. Seppala described him as an “infant prodigy” and a “natural-born leader.”

The dog that plays the adult Togo in the movie is a so-called Seppala Siberian named Diesel (the “Seppala Siberian” is now its own breed) and is actually Togo’s great-grandson, “14 generations removed,” according to the movie’s director. Not only is Diesel related to Togo, he also resembles Togo in coloring: Unlike many Siberians, Togo had a darker coat. It’s worth mentioning that Togo’s own lineage wasn’t too shabby: His father was Suggen, who had led Seppala’s team to victory in the 1914 All Alaska Sweepstakes race.

The Diphtheria Outbreak

At the start of Togo, Seppala arrives in town after a run to find that a diphtheria outbreak has already claimed the lives of five children. Mayor George Maynard (Christopher Heyerdahl), who is also the publisher of local newspaper the Nome Nugget, and the town doctor, Curtis Welch (Richard Dormer), gather the important-looking men of the town in a saloon. Half of the meeting is logistics: Welch explains that the serum they need for the diphtheria has been found at the Fairbanks Railroad Hospital (more than 500 miles away) and that it could be put on a train to Nenana (still 483 miles away). Maynard is all in favor of getting the diphtheria antitoxin flown in by airplane, weather notwithstanding. The other half of the meeting is not-so-subtle pressure on Seppala to ride to Nenana to pick up the serum. Seppala is initially unmoved, but after peeking into the windows of the town hospital and seeing children crying and coughing, he is convinced he must go, despite the misgivings of his wife.

In real life, things played out a bit differently. Welch and Maynard were present at the equivalent meeting, but Seppala was not present nor very much involved in the decision. Still, his reputation was perhaps even greater than the movie suggested: According to The Cruelest Miles, he was known as the “fastest musher in Alaska,” and his nickname was the “King of the Trail.” It was Seppala’s boss at the Hammon Consolidated Gold Fields Company, Mark Summers, who came up with the plan to use two teams of dogs, traveling toward each other from Nenana and Nome to meet at the halfway point in Nulato. Summers is also the man who recommended Seppala for the run. He told Seppala that the ad hoc health board “believed that Nome’s fate lay in Seppala’s hands.”

And while, in the movie, Constance Seppala initially objects to her husband’s participation, saying that the town should “pick someone with more stake in [the diphtheria outbreak],” in reality the Seppalas did have more of a stake than is indicated by the film script: They had an 8-year-old daughter named Sigrid.

The Great Serum Race

In the movie, Seppala sets out for Nenana in the midst of a blizzard. In reality, the winds were in a “rare state of calm,” and Seppala had a crowd to cheer on the beginning of his journey to Nulato—halfway to Nome, but still a six-day journey encompassing a total of 630 miles. As shown in the movie, more teams were added to the relay mid-run, and so Seppala ended up traveling a total of 261 miles (170 miles to pick up the serum and 91 miles with the serum)—still an enormous distance. Despite the differences in the Disney version of the story—such as the blizzard at the beginning—the fictionalized aspects are not an exaggeration of the dangers involved. “The trail between Nulato and Nome was one of Alaska’s most hazardous,” with most of it running along “the windswept, blizzard-prone coast of Norton Sound,” known to Alaskans as “the ice factory,” write the authors of The Cruelest Miles. The most dangerous part of this trail was the 42-mile shortcut across the sound. The safer alternative was twice as far. Beyond the possibility of getting caught in a storm or a dog injuring its paw on a shard of ice, it was also likely that the ice of the Norton Sound could break up and carry the team out to sea. It had happened to others.

One of the most terrifying moments in the movie is the second crossing of the Norton Sound, on the way back toward Nome with the serum. Seppala and his team are crossing the sound when they find themselves stranded on an ice floe, separated from shore by a narrow but formidable strip of sea. Seppala tosses Togo ashore, and the dog somehow manages to tow the floe close enough to the coast to enable the rest of the team to follow.

This is very close to what Seppala told the Boston Sunday Post really happened, albeit not on this particular run but on a previous trip. And while the suspense in the movie is more than adequate, Seppala described even more danger. In Seppala’s account, as summarized in The Cruelest Miles, the tow rope connecting Togo and the rest of the team on the floe snapped, and the end of the rope fell into the water. Togo jumped into the water, clambered back out, wrapped the rope around his body, and pulled.

Leonhard Seppala

In the movie, Leonhard Seppala is depicted as a stoic, hardscrabble Norwegian whose demeanor is in direct contrast to that of his softhearted Belgian wife. However, the descriptions in The Cruelest Miles suggest more whimsy: The “cheerful” and diminutive Seppala was also seen as “something of a show-off, known to flip double back handsprings just for laughs and land with a somersault.” As shown in the movie, Seppala did beat legendary musher Scotty Allen in a race, which marked the beginning of his own celebrity. One competitor described his communion with dogs as “unnatural control” or “hypnotism.”

The mutual trust between Seppala and Togo was also as depicted. Togo was Seppala’s favorite, and the musher often depended on Togo’s instincts and sense of smell when his own vision failed him.

Balto makes a brief cameo in the movie: He’s the lead dog in Gunnar Kaasen’s team. Because Kaasen is the one who actually delivers the serum to Nome, he is the one who receives the lion’s share of the glory. While certain details have been changed, this is largely what happened, and explains the disproportionate fame that the real-life Balto has enjoyed; beyond the media attention, there were movie deals, a tour, and a statue.

None of this is to say that Balto deserved no credit: Kaasen’s team had to drive through a blinding blizzard, and according to The Cruelest Miles, Balto’s senses of smell and touch were what kept the team on the trail. And although Seppala did not seem upset on his own account (he praised Kaasen), he was reportedly upset that Togo had not received his due. According to The Cruelest Miles, Seppala wrote: “I hope I shall never be the man to take away credit from any dog or driver who participated in that run. We all did our best. But when the country was roused to enthusiasm over the serum run driver, I resented the statue to Balto, for if any dog deserved special mention it was Togo.”

On the topic of unsung heroes, The Cruelest Miles also notes the deficient coverage on the contribution of the Native drivers—“who covered nearly two thirds of the run” but were not as interesting to movie producers or reporters. As the Salisburys put it, they were “considered a part of the landscape.”

Togo’s and Seppala’s Deaths

The movie leaves out several details about Togo’s death. By January 1927, Seppala had opened a kennel with a socialite named Elizabeth Ricker in Poland Springs, Maine, and he was traveling between Alaska and Maine. He made the decision to leave Togo behind in Maine in March 1927, concerned that the journey would be too much for the retired dog. And while the movie Seppala gets the date of Togo’s death right (“He left us on a Thursday in December”), in reality Seppala decided to put Togo to sleep, given Togo’s joint pain and partial blindness.

As for Seppala, he lived to be 89. “While my trail has been rough at times,” he wrote in his diary at age 81, “the end of the course seems pretty smooth, with downhill going and a warm roadhouse in sight. And when I come to the end of the rail, I feel that along with my many friends, Togo will be waiting and I know that everything will be all right.”

Everything You Need to Know About Road Trip Essentials for Dogs

Summer is coming, which is often when people get the itch to travel! Though there are great pet sitters and boarding facilities available around the world, nothing beats a road trip with your pup. These fur-filled getaways with your pup—especially your first one—take a lot of preparation. So, how can you get ready for your trip? Here's what you need to know to keep your fur baby safe and comfortable on the road.

Preparing Your Car for a Road Trip with Dogs

Road trips with dogs involve a decent amount of time in the car, so it’s important to think about how your dog will safely ride with you. A crate or specially designed dog seatbelt (that is well-fitted) will help keep your dog safe in the event of an accident while also preventing distractions while you drive. The crate or seatbelt should be set up in the backseat, away from airbags which can be fatal.

When you’re going on long road trips with dogs, the cargo area of hatchbacks and SUVs isn’t ideal because of crumple zones, where the most damage could happen to a vehicle. But you might need to put a crate there because of space restraints if you’re traveling with multiple people. Oh, and be sure to get your dog used to their restraint before you need to use it by easing them into longer rides. You don’t want a multi-hour road trip to be their first time in a crate or seat belt. As cute as it is to have your pup’s head hanging out of the window, it's important to secure them safely in your car at all times.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Destination for a Dog-Friendly Road Trip

When you’re planning for the best road trip with a dog, you won’t have much difficulty finding pet-friendly accommodations because of the growing market for vacationing with pups. Most websites can filter hotel search results by pet-friendly accommodations and let you know of any size limitations.

Websites like Go Pet Friendly  and Bring Fido will list only dog friendly hotels and lodging, including campgrounds. Online reviews are invaluable for narrowing down choices. TripAdvisor is a great choice since there are millions of users, and you can search reviews by keywords such as “dog” or “pet.”

Check out our list of the 10 Best Pet Friendly Hotels in the USA !

When figuring out how to road trip with a dog, check your route for pet-friendly spots in the major cities that you’ll pass through. Go Pet Friendly’s Road Trip Planner has lots of road trip essentials for dogs and lets you map your route and view pet-friendly hotels, restaurants, parks, and stores along the way. Many restaurants with outdoor seating allow pets, but not all, and policies can change, so be sure to call ahead to confirm. Some even offer dog treats or a special dog menu.

Speak With Your Veterinarian

You should always loop your vet into your plans before hitting the road with your dog. Is your dog healthy enough to travel or take a road trip? Are they up to date on all their necessary vaccines? Is their microchip still in place and scannable? Do they get car sickness? Check in with your veterinarian before finalizing your travel plans, and if your dog is due for anything important before you leave.

Get All of the Essential Vaccinations

Ask your vet if your pet needs any additional vaccinations. For example, if you’re traveling to the Northeast United States (where deer tick populations are highest), make sure that your dog is prepared with a Lyme vaccine and tick preventative medications. For trips to the southern parts of the United States or to major cities, dogs should receive the leptospirosis vaccinations.

Request a Health Certificate

Dog health certificates state that your vet has examined your fur baby and they don’t appear to have any potentially contagious diseases. Health certificates are typically good for 30 days, though some airlines require a health certificate dated within 10 days of travel.

Update Your Medical Records and Microchip ID

Ask for an electronic copy and/or a printed copy of your pup’s most recent medical records. This is also a good time to ensure your dog's microchip information is accurate, too.

Get Ahead of Motion Sickness

About half of pet parents and their dogs travel by car, and some of those pups experience motion sickness in a moving vehicle or driving long distances. Signs of motion sickness include excessive drooling, licking of the paws, whining, or yawning. If this sounds like your dog, Bryant suggests asking your vet if an anti-motion sickness medication could help. Many puppies will grow out of motion sickness. However, we want to prevent them from feeling nauseous in the car, as it can lead to a negative association with car rides as they grow older.

PRO TIP: always have supplies handy to keep your car clean in case of messes, such as paper towels in the glove box or towels in the back seat.

Do Your Road Trip Research 

Plan your travel route.

Always maps out your route when you are traveling with your dog. Before taking a trip with your pup, plan a few bathroom break stops and water breaks along the way. It's also great to have a plan to visit a dog park or play fetch as your dog may have a lot of pent up energy from their time in the car.

While rest stops and gas stations are convenient, they are often along major highways and lack green space. Try adding a park to your route. Let your dog stretch, do some scent work, and really get a good amount of exercise. You may even find places where they can play with other dogs. It will be great mental and physical stimulation to tire them out. Let your furry friend burn off some steam the day before you leave by taking them to a dog park or doggy daycare. On the morning of your trip, start the day with a long walk or game of fetch. Expelling lots of energy early in the day will allow your pup to relax comfortably on the journey.

Locate Emergency Veterinary Offices

Make sure to have the name and number of a few urgent care vet clinics or emergency facilities along your route and near your destination. I have been in a situation before where I traveled to a beach town that did not have any vet offices open on the weekend in over a 1 hour radius, and my dog had a medical emergency. Now, I always have a plan before I go somewhere. If you’re visiting friends or family, they may know of a trustworthy emergency vet. If they can refer a vet, give the office a call and ask them about their walk-in policy and what documentation you should have on hand.

Dog Road Trip Essentials Packing List

I also highly recommend packing a well-stocked first aid kit with a minimum of these essentials:

Dog Essentials

• Food and water: Bring enough dog food for the duration of the road trip, plus extra in case of delays. Don't forget their bowls for food and water.
• Leash and collar/harness: Make sure your dog is properly secured whenever you make stops.
• Identification: Ensure your dog's collar has an up-to-date ID tag, including your contact information.
• Bedding: Bring along your dog's bed, a travel bed or a comfortable blanket for them to lie on during the journey and at your destination. Pet travel can feel cramped, especially for larger dogs or multiple dogs, so try to keep them as comfortable as possible with a good dog bed.
• Dog toys: Keep your dog occupied entertained with their favorite toys to prevent boredom during long stretches of driving.
• Medications and first aid kit: If your dog requires prescription medications, ensure you have enough for the trip. Also, pack a basic first aid kit for any emergencies.
• Poop bags: Always clean up after your dog. Pack plenty of poop bags for the journey.
• Towels: Accidents happen, especially on road trips. Bring towels to clean up any messes or to wipe off muddy paws.

Safety and Comfort for the Car Rides

• Doggy seatbelt or restraint: Keep your dog safe and secure during the drive with a seatbelt harness or a designated pet carrier.
• Window shades: Protect your dog from direct sunlight and keep the car cooler with window shades.
• Temperature control: Ensure your car's temperature is comfortable for your dog, especially on hot days. Use air conditioning or provide adequate ventilation. NEVER leave your dog unattended in the car, ESPECIALLY a hot car.

Even on a mild 70-degree day, that's 110 degrees inside your vehicle! Your vehicle can quickly reach a temperature that puts your pet at risk of serious illness and even death, even on a day that doesn't seem hot to you. And cracking the windows makes no difference.

Regular breaks: Plan for frequent rest stops to allow your dog to stretch their legs, go to the bathroom, and drink water.

Health and Well-being

• Veterinary records: Keep copies of your dog's vaccination records and any necessary health certificates, especially if you're crossing state or international borders.
• Emergency vet contact: Research and keep the contact information for emergency veterinary clinics along your route.

Health insurance: If your dog is insured, make sure you have the necessary documentation in case of emergencies.

Accommodations

• Pet-friendly accommodations: Research and book pet-friendly hotels or rental properties in advance.
• Travel crate or portable pen: If your dog is more comfortable in a crate or pen, bring it along for use in hotel rooms or at your destination.

Entertainment For the Road

• Music or white noise: Soothe your dog with calming music or white noise to reduce stress during the journey.
• Chew treats: Provide your dog with safe and long-lasting chew treats to keep them occupied during the drive.

Extra Travel Supplies to Keep Your Dog Comfortable

• Extra leash and collar: It's always good to have backups in case of loss or damage.
• Grooming supplies: PRIDE+GROOM offers several convenient, waterless products that are ideal for car travel. THE MANE TAME waterless shampoo can cleanse and deodorize your dog without any water necessary. THE SWIPE wipes are perfect to keep in the car and wipe up and messes on small dogs.
• Waterproof seat covers: Protect your car seats from dirt, fur, and accidents with a waterproof seat cover.
• Portable water and food bowl: Have a collapsible or portable water bowl for easy hydration on the go.
• GPS tracker: Consider using a GPS tracker to monitor your dog's location in case they wander off during stops. The Fi Collar keeps dogs safe with live tracking, and fit with daily step and activity goals. Harness the power of GPS and LTE-M Cellular network to remotely track your dog 24/7. You can use my code CHARLIE for $20 off your collar.

Whether you’re headed to the beach, lake, or a state park, a summer road trip with your furry friend is a great way to make memories that will last a lifetime. When you travel by car, the journey can be as much fun as the destination. Before you start making those sweet on-the-road memories, be sure to use our essential tips, dog travel essentials list, and careful planning to ensure an enjoyable vacation for both you and your canine best friend. With these essential tips and supplies, you and your furry friend will be well-prepared for a safe and enjoyable road trip together!

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8 Best Dog Strollers, Tested With Pet Parents

Get across town with your dog off the ground using one of these.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

Best Overall

Gen7pets promenade.

Pet Gear Happy Trails Lite

Best for Small Dogs

Frisco collapsible stroller.

Best With Car Seat

Wonderfold p2.

Best for Running

Pet gear jogger.

Best for Two

Ibiyaya double.

Best for Big Dogs

Booyah bike trailer, stroller & jogger.

Luxe Dog Stroller and Car Seat

Tavo pets maeve.

I've spotted dogs in strollers in Atlanta, Boston and in my city, Brooklyn. In Indianapolis, I watched a dog being happily strolled down a parade route. At first it all seemed a bit silly, but now I better understand why people are pushing their pets.

"Small dogs benefit since they sometimes don't have the stamina for walking far — although my little dog begs to differ," says Megan Conrad , BVMS, a veterinarian with Wellhaven Pet Health who frequently weighs in on petcare for the Good Housekeeping Institute and who owns two pups.

"Dog strollers are also useful for dogs with neuropathies, non-painful nerve conditions that causes difficulty walking," Conrad says. "Or for an elderly dog that can't walk as far as it used to but still wants to be out." We've also noticed that some pandemic-era pups have a hard time separating from their owner and would rather ride along on errands than be left at home. For this list our Lab pros at looked at more than a dozen top-selling dog strollers and tested among dogs of different sizes. We also poured through online reviews and Reddit forums, and consulted pet owners while researching brands we've come to trust.

This smooth-rolling set of wheels can hold one large or two small dogs, up to 50 pounds in total, thanks to two separate tethers. The bed is wide and, to our human hands, felt comfy and springy. "I've pushed baby strollers and this is totally comparable," said a tester, who used it with a 19-pound Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. "The dog loved it."

The Promenade has the largest and most sturdy basket of all the ones we tested. You can't just reach into it; you'll need to bend down and unzip a zipper at the back to access the space. The nice part about that is nothing can fall out when you zip it back up. There's also a useful pet parent console with two cupholders and a storage compartment that clicks shut.

We found folding the stroller to be fairly easy during testing, though it did take a minute to learn the process. Our only hiccup was the assembly; you must insert two pins into the back wheels, which takes good eyesight and dexterity. (You might need to phone a friend!) But even with that, it came together in less than 15 minutes. Gen7Pets also makes our favorite roller bag pet carrier.

You can find even under-$50 dog strollers out there, but our experts felt they were just too rickety to recommend. We prefer this value choice, which comes in under $100, but has relatively substantial wheels and an overall sturdy feel. Happy Trails Lite is also easy to fold and the lower storage basket, though only 10" x 10", is deep enough at 7 inches so that contents don't roll out. Plus, there are two cupholders.

The top dome shuts with a latch, not a zipper, which allows you to quickly secure your dog or let it back out . It's a nice feature for owners and also for nervous pets who don't like the sound of a zipper. At press time, 75 percent of the Happy Trails Lite amazon reviews were five-star ones.

This is best suited for small dogs as it only holds up to 25 pounds and the bed is 22 inches long. Though the seat is compact, the handle is still 40 inches tall, a suitable height for tall pet parents. It's fairly lightweight at 13 pounds, though that means it bounces a bit over the sidewalk so it's not as smooth-rolling as our top choice.

This lightweight choice also comes in under $100. If you're nervous about assembling a stroller, this one is no sweat. We were able to snap the wheels on and have it ready to go in about four minutes . For such a lightweight stroller (at 11 pounds), it rolled well and turned easily while our tester was walking with it, thanks to its swiveling front wheels. The bed itself is small (only 19 inches long), but it's nearly 10 inches deep and our 20-pound tester dog enjoyed lying in this one and peering out the front mesh panel.

The Frisco brand is a Chewy exclusive. We've previously praised Frisco's hard-to-destroy plush toys for dogs. Chewy customers report using this dog stroller for French Bulldogs and similar-sized pets.

The detachable cupholder is fairly loose, so our tester used it for a water bottle only. ("I would not trust it with a cup of take-out coffee," she said.) The storage basket is shallow yet fits several dog toys. Folding the stroller is a bit awkward but, once folded and locked, it's slim and easy to store.

Related: Our favorite dog harnesses from Chewy, Amazon, Walmart and Petco

With its removable pet bed, the P2 can function as both a dog stroller and a dog car seat — plus it can be a dog carrier, essentially giving you three products for the price of one. You fold the frame out of your way and cart the bed as a carrier using the shoulder strap, making this a nice choice if you frequently transition your pet in and out of your car. Your vehicle's seat belt can attach to straps on the side of the carrier and hold it in place in your backseat. (Read the manual carefully for full instructions.)

"Folding and unfolding is really simple and works well," said a tester who used this with a 10-pound miniature poodle. "The only thing is that it's not great for going over big cracks on a walkway or sidewalk. We hit hard a few times and stopped instantly." Some of the three-wheelers on our list rolled better over bumps, but the P2 does fine if your sidewalks are relatively smooth or you push your dog around a simple park path. This could also be a perfect choice for getting your dog through a crowded station or airport (though if you need the carrier itself to fit under an airplane seat, we have smaller choices in our dog carrier story).

Leatherette details give this a high-end look and a durable feel, especially at the handlebar. The sling basket is the most open and shallow on our list and not able to hold much. There's also a basic, detachable cup holder that hangs off the side.

A dog stroller with large tires and a fixed front wheel allows running or jogging with your pet — extra exercise for you, and a fun outing for them. The 12-inch tires on this model are gel-filled, not air-filled tires, so they provide a smooth ride over most terrain yet can't go flat (unlike some other popular dog joggers on the market, which have to be sold with air pumps and which need more tire maintenance).

Because of the robust tires and frame, you can take a medium-sized or fairly heavy dog in this, as long as it's less than 75 pounds and 28 inches long. That means this is also a great choice even if you only intend to walk but you have a chonky dog who weighs more than the 30 pounds that most regular dog strollers can hold.

Like other Pet Gear strollers, this is zipperless; the mesh latches shut for easier entry and exit. There's plenty of mesh ventilation along all sides for breathability and a panoramic view out the front. It comes with a console that has two cupholders. The basket on this is shallow and both the assembly and the fold are a little more difficult than with other models, because of those big tires.

If you've got two dogs, you'll want a double dog stroller. Actually this double-decker model has two tethers in each of the two compartments, so you could safely transport up to four pets if you've got a brood of small dogs or stroller-loving cats. The brand touts this as a way, for instance, of taking multiple pets to a dog or cat show.

The top compartment is small — less than 16 inches long, and only able to hold 13 pounds — but if you aren't using it for a second pet, it can instead make a nice basket for your own storage. So, say, you're visiting an outdoor market, you can fill that up while your dog sits below. (That larger bed on the bottom holds a dog up to 33 pounds.)

There's no underseat basket storage on this one, but there are pockets on the back of each compartment as well as two cupholders. Assembling is on the easy side but it really helps if you watch the instruction video, which is the second brand video to play on the product's Amazon page.

Booyah Bike Trailer, Stroller & Jogger

Booyah's large dog stroller is not for storing in an apartment. You'll probably need a garage or shed, because with the giant tires it weighs 40 pounds. It's all worth it if you have a big dog, because this is made to take a large dog on outdoor adventures and can be hitched to a bike or pushed like a doggie jogging stroller.

The wheels can pop off so you can load this in your vehicle to get where you're going. We only tried it as a stroller, not as a bike trailer, and most reviewers seem to also push this rather than pull it, but it is sold with a bike hitch.

An advantage of this kind of stroller is it's low to the ground, so if your dog is too big to lift, you can help them step in — the dog bed is about a foot off the ground. The brand's extra large dog stroller can fit up to 110 pounds or, if you've got a small dog you want to take on bike rides, Booyah makes a small dog bike trailer .

It was only a matter of time before pet strollers got as fancy as baby strollers, and this one is a high-end modular system that functions as a gorgeous stroller, car seat and carrier. The Maeve is made by Nuna, which makes our favorite baby stroller for frequent travelers , and it's got the smooth wheels and easy steering you'd want from gear with this price tag.

The "pod" that your dog rides in clicks on and off the stroller frame. In car-seat mode there's a stability leg you can use and built-in side impact protection. The brand says its dog car seat meets United Nations ECE child-restraint standards and is even crash-tested (for dogs, not children), labeling the whole thing a "pet protection system." It could be a worthwhile investment for people who drive often with their dog in the backseat.

There's a plush mattress and also two machine-washable mattress covers, plus nice details like leatherette trim and a pet-parent organizer on the handle. This one is for medium dogs; Tavo also makes a Maeve for small dogs .

How we test dog strollers

Good Housekeeping Institute pros evaluate pet gear (and kid gear) regularly, and we frequently publish pet-care advice .

For this list of the best dog strollers, we considered bestsellers and new dog strollers from reputable brands. In home tests conducted by both our experts and consumer testers we assessed more than a dozen models, timing how long it took to assemble each stroller. Then we pushed dog strollers along bumpy sidewalks with a dog inside and rated the ease of folding after our walks. We ranked strollers for extras like cupholders and storage. Finally, we interviewed pet owners who use dog strollers, read through online reviews to be sure we weren't missing any important details and checked Reddit forums before finishing our recommendations.

What to look for when shopping for the best dog stroller

When picking out a dog stroller for your best friend, consider:

✔️ Weight limit: Compact dog strollers can't carry as much weight as the larger strollers, but it's important for your pet's safety that you find a model that can hold your dog's weight. If you want to use a dog stroller to carry two pups, add their weight together and make sure you buy a stroller that can accommodate that total.

✔️ One tether or more: A must-have safety feature is a tether inside the dog stroller that attaches to your pet's collar, so it can't leap out. If you want to stroll with two dogs, look for a model that includes two tethers.

✔️ Bed length and width: Measure the length of your dog and be sure it is a little shorter than the length of the dog bed on the stroller. When in doubt, go larger — it's best that your dog has some room to turn around and get comfortable. One dog-stroller brand recommends buying a stroller with a bed at least 2 inches longer than your dog. Look at the width too, and measure how wide your dog is while sitting or lying down to be sure they won't be cramped.

✔️ Strolling or jogging tires: Most dog strollers are meant for walking, in which case small plastic wheels will do. If you intend to run with the stroller or tackle rough terrain like a hiking path, look for a model with larger wheels, which provide more stability and a smoother ride. If you'll be jogging, the front wheel should lock so you can go straight without the stroller tending to veer to the side, which can happen if you try to move fast with a stroller that has a swiveling front wheel.

While large tires roll better, they'll add weight to the stroller and prevent it from folding as compactly as a stroller with small wheels. Pick which you want more: A heavy stroller that rolls smoothly but is still somewhat large when folded, or a lightweight and compact stroller that bounces a bit over cracks and bumps.

✔️ Number of tires: Eight weak tires are worse than three high-quality ones, so quality counts far more than quantity. In general, a stroller with three wheel positions is made to take on rougher terrain (but not always; again, check how big and robust those tires are first). Strollers with wheels at all four corners generally provide a stable ride on a smooth path.

Can a dog ride in a baby stroller?

No, pets should always ride in a pet-specific stroller, like Mickey is doing (pictured). Don't put your dog in a baby stroller or a toy stroller because:

✔️ Dog strollers have a tether to clip to the collar so your pet doesn't leap out . If your dog sees a squirrel and wants to give chase, you won't have a runaway as long as your dog is clipped in.

✔️ The seat is a flat bed in a pet stroller, so that your dog can lie down. A baby stroller is usually angled, not flat, and it's not comfortable for an animal who either wants to rest or stand up and see the sights.

✔️ Most pet strollers can be completely enclosed with mesh that zips or latches shut . This is another way to prevent a dog or cat from escaping, and it lets you provide a bit of privacy so your pet isn't bothered by curious kids or nosy canines.

On the flip side, you should never put a baby in a pet stroller. Pet strollers have none of the safety features required for a baby or a toddler. We also noticed in testing that there are plenty of pinch points when you fold these dog strollers. If you're opening or closing a dog stroller and have a young child, be sure they stand off to the side. For your kid's use, see any of our favorite baby strollers .

How to care for your dog stroller

Pet strollers are made with water-resistant fabric to repel rain and to prevent the bed from getting ruined if your dog has an accident. All parts can be wiped down with a disinfectant wipe for cleaning. If the wheels get muddy you can rinse them with a hose.

The interior pads can be removed and washed with soap and water in a sink, then air-dried. Most have a stiff plastic or a wooden board inside to provide stability, so they can't go in the washing machine.

Many users report lining a stroller with a dog blanket or pet bed to make it more plush. Teddy (pictured) often visits the beach so his owners line his dog stroller with a beach blanket. Some brands sell bolsters; for instance there's a fuzzy stroller pad that matches with our value pick, Happy Trails stroller from Pet Gear (and it can be machine-washed).

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

The Good Housekeeping Institute has been testing consumer products for nearly 125 years. Scientists, engineers and experts of every sort test appliances, cleaning products, home goods, beauty products and yes, items for pets such as dog beds and cat toys . Many of our Lab pros are also pet parents.

This article was written by Contributing Writer Jessica Hartshorn , who previously covered pet gear and baby gear for Parents magazine. She leaned on dog-owning friends, relatives and consumer testers to provide real-life feedback on dog strollers but also personally assembled and pushed top choices with some of her favorite neighborhood dogs. You can also read her picks for the best dog jackets and the best cat carriers .

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Home On The Road Pet Transport

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Serving Lexington Area

About the Business

Home On The Road Pet Transport offers safe and reliable door-to-door transportation for pets, ensuring their comfort and well-being on every journey. We handle long-distance and cross-country moves, including coordinating airline travel with all necessary documentation. Our specialized services cater to military and corporate relocations, providing seamless transitions for pets. We also arrange veterinary transport and emergency pet relocation, ensuring timely and professional care. With regular updates, GPS tracking, and 24/7 customer support, we give you peace of mind knowing your pet is in good hands. …

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BARK Air Launches as The World’s First Airline Designed Exclusively for Dogs

M any dog parents face the challenge of traveling long distances with their pets, particularly for dogs that don’t fit into carriers small enough to be placed under the seat in front. Too often, dogs are denied travel, confined to duffle bags, or endure the stress of flying in cargo.

BARK Air is here to change all that. Inspired by the white glove service of first-class travel, BARK Air redirects this pampering to pooches. From booking to arrival, in-flight services to disembarkation, dogs will experience a luxurious, curated journey, making them the true VIPs.

“When we started BARK in 2011, we were on a mission to disrupt the dog space and create products designed for dogs and their humans. We are excited to take the insights we’ve learned over the years to create an experience that is truly dog-first, which is drastically different from just accepting dogs – from the ground to the skies,” said Matt Meeker, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at BARK, the same company that brought the world BarkBox .

The first BARK Air flights took off Thursday, May 23rd, from New York. To start, flights will be offered between New York, Los Angeles, and London.

This isn’t just a typical airline experience. Here’s what dogs and their parents can expect when they book a flight with BARK Air:

Personalized Pre-Flight Care: After booking, humans will be contacted by a BARK Air concierge to gather information about each dog and their travel plans to make it the best possible experience.

Streamlined Airport Experience: On travel day, dogs and their companions will arrive at the airport 45 to 60 minutes before takeoff. The check-in process is simple and efficient, allowing dogs to meet their fellow furry travelers while their humans enjoy meals prepared by onsite chefs. Say goodbye to crates, stressful TSA checkpoints, and screenings.

Dog-Centric Boarding: Before boarding, a highly skilled BARK Air concierge will welcome dogs at the gate, helping them settle in through socialization and cabin preparation. The concierge will also assess each dog’s comfort, providing additional attention and care as needed.

Calming Flight Prep: Prior to boarding, the plane undergoes a “Dogs Fly First” flight prep with calming pheromones, music, and colors that pups prefer. Dogs will have access to calming treats, noise-canceling ear muffs, and calming jackets to make sure the flight is stress-free.

In-Flight Pampering: Once onboard, dogs will be served their beverage of choice during ascent and descent to prevent ear discomfort caused by changes in cabin pressure. Throughout the flight, they will enjoy a variety of BARK-branded treats, snacks, and surprises, ensuring a pampered and enjoyable journey for both dogs and their humans.

The flights cost $8,000 for a one-way international flight and $6,000 for a domestic one-way flight.

For more information and booking details, visit DogsFlyFirst.com.

• Read more: Mastering Long-Haul Flights: 11 Useful Tips for a Smooth Journey
• Read more: The Best Dog Gifts That You & Your Pup Will Love!

The post BARK Air Launches as The World’s First Airline Designed Exclusively for Dogs appeared first on Outdoor Yak .

For US$8,000, BARK Air offers a first class experience for dogs

With this airline, dogs are ditching the kennels and flying first class.

BARK Air wants to pamper pets and their owners even before takeoff and will make its initial flight from New York to Los Angeles on Thursday.

CEO Matt Meeker said the business idea came from struggling to transport Hugo, his Great Dane.

• Download the CTV News App for breaking news alerts and video on all the top stories

"I was unable to travel with him long distances and had the idea that there should be an airline that caters to dogs," said Meeker, who also founded BarkBox, a subscription service for dog products owned by Bark Inc.

"We cater everything to the dog, trying to lower their anxiety and their stress, so they have the most comfortable, fear-free experience on an airplane."

The dog-first experience starts with a waiting lounge filled with treats and a speedy check-in.

BARK Air also offers an onboard spa for the pups and a menu featuring "doggie champagne" and "barkaccinos."

The company aims to sell 10 tickets per flight to make room for 10 dogs, though the luxury aircraft can accommodate up to 15 people.

Tickets for one person and one dog cost US$8,000 for a one-way international flight or US$6,000 for domestic trips.

Meeker says prices could decrease in the future.

"We're operating at a loss today as we start. The idea is over time, we have a pretty clear pathway to lower the price for the consumer and lower our costs. And that comes with scale and more routes."

Currently, BARK Air flies between New York City, Los Angeles and London.

The company is considering adding flights to Paris, Milan, Chicago, Seattle, and seasonal destinations in Florida and Arizona after receiving 15,000 requests for new destinations.

"I hope that we can create an experience that reaches every family that wants to travel with their entire family like they do with their children."

(Reporting by Aleksandra Michalska; Editing by Sandra Maler)

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The Signature at MGM Grand

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