Iditarod, the last great race on earth.

On a track that stretches for 1,000 miles, mushers and their dogs had to endure the roughest terrain with the most intense weather on earth.

From frozen rivers to dense forests, to jagged mountains to desolate tundra, man and beast must find a way to overcome the challenges. This is why it is painful for a musher to lose a dog because, for them, they are not just companions. They are beloved teammates.

Last March 2022, musher Sebastien Dos Santos Borges, came home with 11 dogs instead of 12.

The French musher drove his team through the Alaskan wilderness where they endured the route through mountain ranges and even the ice of the Bering Sea.

He started with 12 dogs when he departed Anchorage. However, as they approached Ruby Point last March 12, disaster struck.

One of Dos Santos Borges’ dogs escaped.

Ruby Point is nestled halfway through the race, just 500 miles away from the starting line. Leon, his dog, was then reported as missing by the Iditarod Trail Committee.

But Dos Santos Borges is still in the race, and as much as he would like to stay and search for his missing team member, the French musher had to continue.

One cannot linger in the wilderness of the Iditarod trail because you can expose not only yourself but your entire sled team to danger.

Leon was still nowhere to be found even after Dos Santos Borges tried to find his teammate.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Three months after, their search still yielded no results.

Not everything is lost, however. Because 120 miles south of Ruby Checkpoint, residents found a “stray dog” lingering around the area.

The residents of McGrath, a city in Alaska, contacted the Iditarod Committee.

They said to Race Director Mark Nordman that they’ve seen Leon frolicking near a cabin. The inhabitant of the said cabin and another musher left food for the sled dog in hopes of catching him.

Eventually, they were able to catch Leon. The local community then transported Leon via boat. He was then flown back to Anchorage where he can reunite with his musher.

Leon was doing okay despite being lost for 3 months.

According to the race spokesperson Shannon Markley, the dog was alert, safe, and “understandably skinny”, but was otherwise healthy and unharmed.

Leon was then given the proper care and saw a veterinarian so he can obtain a health certificate. Only then can he fly back to France with Dos Santos Borges.

Leon and Dos Santos Borges reunited eventually.

In a series of Facebook posts, Dos Santos Borges shared the hardships and stress that he and his team endured as they searched for Leon.

Through his posts, he also took the time to thank the locals who have dedicated their time and effort in looking for and taking care of Leon.

“Alaska is an incredibly special place as is the spirit of the community, which is part of what makes The Last Great Race so special.” The committee said in their website. “Thank you, Iditarod Nation, and welcome home, Leon!”

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Source: Facebook – Sébastien Dos Santos Borges et la Polar Team, Facebook – The Iditarod, Iditarod, KKTV