This year’s annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race took an unexpected turn when musher Dallas Seavey and his team encountered a moose that became aggressive and critically injured one of their dogs.
Seavey, a five-time champion of the race, was navigating the grueling 938-mile journey from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska, with his team of sled dogs when they encountered the moose. According to race rules, Seavey had to handle the situation by gutting the moose before continuing on his way. He also promptly notified race officials about the incident at the next checkpoint.
Race Marshal Warren Palfrey emphasized the importance of utilizing and salvaging the moose meat with the help of snowmobile-aided support in the area. The injured dog, named Faloo, was flown to Anchorage for treatment at the Anchorage Vet Clinic. Seavey’s team provided updates on Faloo’s condition via Facebook, stating that while the dog survived surgery, she remained in critical condition.
“Faloo arrived in critical condition and underwent surgery shortly after. We received an update yesterday evening that she is out of surgery but remains in critical condition. We’ll continue to provide updates as we receive them,” the team’s Facebook post reassured concerned followers.