Dog truck mishap on Seward Highway leaves 1 dog missing

GIRDWOOD, Alaska (KTUU) - A musher returning from the Fur Rondy dog sled races experienced a trailer mishap Monday that resulted in his truck landing in a ditch and a few sled dogs running loose near the highway.

According to the Anchorage Police Department, sprint musher Frank Habermann’s trailer disconnected from the truck he was driving southbound on the highway near mile post 105 around 9:55 a.m. The disconnection jostled the dog boxes located in the trailer and as a result, some of the dogs escaped their boxes and ran around excitedly next to the passing cars.

“We’re on the drive home from the Fur Rondy and I suddenly noticed there was some movement at the back of the trailer, and the next thing I saw was the trailer going sideways and into the ditch,” Habermann said.

One of the dogs ran out to a nearby ice floe and required rescue, and all but one dog have been reunited with their owner. One dog called Donna bolted from the scene of the incident and remains in the area. Donna is a white dog with dark spots, and is reportedly shy but friendly. Habermann is offering an award for Donna’s return and is asking anyone who sees her to contact Anchorage Police dispatch at 311 or (907) 786-8900.

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