Mush Balto! Mush Togo! How Two Dogs Saved Nome Alaska

In March, the Iditarod kicks off with sled dog teams racing each other to the finish line. I first heard about the Alaskan tradition when I was in second grade. My teacher assigned everyone a sled dog team to follow. In addition, we also listened to the song I did, I did The Iditarod Trail song. Every few years in school, my class read stories about sled dogs. These included Wood Song, Call of the Wild, and White Fang. 

There was once a case where dogs had to race as many lives were on the line. Thanks to two notable dogs, it saved countless lives from the awful spread of diphtheria in Nome, Alaska. This is the story of Balto and Togo. 

Like many millennials, I first became familiar with Balto because of the 1995 animated movie about a dog who was part wolf and proved his worth by helping a team of sled dogs bring serum to Nome. He also had the help of a goose and two polar bears. This could not be further from the actual story. First off, there are no talking geese or polar bears. Second, there is no evidence that Balto was part wolf. Third, Togo was another hero left out of the story. When I talked about the movie to my grandma, she mentioned that she saw the real Balto residing at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo when she was a little girl. After the serum run, he would tour around many times, being showcased in vaudevilles. Years later, I decided to read up more on it. 

Balto was born in 1919 and was owned by Leonhard Seppala. His owner was not too fond of him as he thought his chest was too bulky. He more so favored one of his other dogs, Togo. Togo was born in 1913, and Seppala favored him for his intelligence and stamina. While technically still owned by Seppala, Balto was loaned to Gunnar Kaasen.  

In 1925, diphtheria swept through Alaska. It would strike the town of Nome, and many succumbed to illness. Antitoxin was ordered, but the winter storm was too severe for the train or airplane to deliver the serum. Nome’s only hope was a relay of sled dog teams. The pickup destination was the Seward Peninsula. Leonard Seppla, with Togo leading the team, picked up the serum and departed on a 261-mile relay to the next drop-off point. Togo, enduring many challenges from the harsh Alaskan weather, was 12 when he made the trek. 

The final stretch had Balto and his Kaasen waiting. While Balto would have had to cover a simple 50-mile distance initially, it would somehow become a more significant race for bringing the medicine to Nome and survival. His driver was so blinded by the snow that he had to rely on Balto to lead the team. 

At 5:30 am, the sled dog team made it to Nome. Though Togo was the one that had the most distance covered, Balto was billed as a hero. Some mushers did not believe Kaasen’s story of Balto leading the team through a terrible storm. His statue was unveiled in New York City and Hollywood even shone on him. 

Balto was sold to a sideshow where people charged a dime to see him and the other sideshow performers. He was neglected as he developed mange and never once was checked by a vet. His fate, however, would change when a man from Cleveland spotted him and wanted to buy him. However, the owner at the time demanded a high sum of money. Money was raised, and Balto was saved. He was then relocated to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, where he lived for the rest of his life. 

After Balto died, his body was stuffed and given to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History to be displayed. In 2023, the museum went under a massive renovation, and Balto’s display case was given an upgrade where behind the case would talk about his life and contribution to saving lives. At the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo are two statues of Balto and Togo by the wolf exhibit. 

As for Togo, he would also spend his years touring around the United States. In 1929, he would die at the age of 16. Togo’s stuffed body currently resides in Wasilla, Alaska. No matter how overrated or underrated a dog is, both dogs have saved lives in Nome, Alaska.