Many animals have become part of our history. Some of these animals earned their place during wartimes and others in times of recovery. For now we will focus on one historical event.
In 1925, the town of Nome, Alaska required diphtheria serum to combat what physicians thought would be an epidemic. Anchorage had the extra serum they needed, but unfortunately, it was impossible to reach Nome by air at the time. They decided to take the serum as far as they could by train, and then use sled dogs to get it the rest of the way. Many dogs contributed to the cause, but the lead sled dog of the final leg, Balto, became the most notable. The final team found themselves in a blizzard which made navigation nearly impossible. Gunnar Kaasen, the musher, said “Go home, Balto.” and let Balto take control of the team. He successfully lead the team to Nome despite the conditions and helped save countless lives. He was proclaimed a hero and even has a statue in Central Park.
