Escaped Iditarod sled dog found in Anchorage

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Musher Richie Diehl’s dog Jimbo has been found safe in Anchorage after going missing from Iditarod headquarters on Thursday.

Jimbo was reported as missing on Thursday morning after he escaped Iditarod handlers in the returned dog area at the Lakefront Hotel in Anchorage.

After race officials and others searched for about a day, Jimbo was found in the backyard of an Anchorage home near the intersection of Minnesota Drive and Tudor Road on Friday afternoon at approximately 12:15 p.m., according to Diehl’s wife Emerie Fairbanks and an Iditarod spokesperson.

Iditarod dog Jimbo was found on Friday afternoon and returned to Iditarod handlers.(Photo courtesy Emerie Fairbanks)

Jimbo had been running with Diehl’s team until Nikolai, when he was the second dog dropped from Diehl’s team along the Iditarod Trail.

“Jimbo was immediately checked out by a veterinarian and declared in good health,” and Iditarod spokesperson said via email. “He has eaten a good meal and is being picked up by a family member of Richie Diehl.”

Diehl and his team of 11 dogs are currently in fifth place in the Iditarod standings, having checked into Ruby at 9:46 a.m. on Friday.