A Native American tribe in Washington state just restored people's - and dogs' - faith in humanity. When a group of humans and dogs found themselves traveling on the road for days and without a roof over their head, the Nisqually tribe came to their rescue.
Fifty-three dogs and their mushers had just competed in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, dubbed as the "last great race on Earth." The annual dog sled race is held every March and covers 1,000 miles from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. It lasts for nine to 15 days, during which man and beast try to beat blizzards and incredibly chilling sub-zero temperatures.
The competition over, the 53 dogs and their humans were ready to go home from Alaska to Norway with a connecting flight in Seattle. There was just one problem: they were told a cargo plane wasn’t available. Left with no choice - a separate flight would cost them $100,000 - the group crated the dogs, placed them in a U-Haul, left Alaska on March 24, and traveled 2,500 miles toward Washington state to make it to their flight from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on March 30. In between the journeys, they had to rest, camp and allow the dogs to take a break.
Talk about a dog-tired trip.
The group eventually reached Nisqually, home of the Nisqually Indian tribe whose lineage goes back to the indigenous peoples inhabiting the Pacific Northwest. The reservation, established by the Treaty of Medicine Creek and found in Thurston County, Washington, covers 1,000 acres and sits close to the Nisqually River.
There they met Heidi Thomas, a tribal employee who was at first frustrated with the situation. "I love dogs, and I couldn't just not do something," said Thomas.
That's when she reached out to Joe Cushman, tribal planning director, and together they opened their farmland to the exhausted campers.
It was paradise for both dogs and humans. In the area was an open field where the dogs were able to relax and play while off the leash. The mushers had access to the showers and areas to get some rest. The rest of the community also pitched in, bringing bowls of food and water for mushers and dogs, as well as shelters.
"This lady [has] a big heart," said Tore Albrigtsen, one of the mushers, referring to Thomas. "That's good. That makes me believe in humans. There is still hope."
Photo: U.S. Department of Interior | Flickr
