Balto

Perhaps no other state has a history that relied as heavily on working dogs as has Alaska. A century ago, sled dogs were often the only means of transporting food, medicine, goods and news during the cold winter months. While sled dogs are no longer vital to the economy of Alaska, dog sledding is still a popular past time.

Above and beyond their place as working dogs, family companions and in traditional service occupations, dogs in Alaska serve in an ever-widening spectrum of therapeutic roles. The physical and emotional benefits to humans that come from relationships with dogs are now recognized and utilized by psychiatric facilities, assisted living centers, hospitals, schools and even prisons.

While historically Alaska has had a higher rate of dog bite injuries than many other parts of the country, the good new is that, consistent with a trend in many other parts of the country, dog bite-related injuries in the state have decreased considerably over the past 3 decades.

A tribute to Balto in New York City

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Patsy Ann:  Juneau's Official Greeter

Patsy Ann, a Bull Terrier, was born in Portland, Oregon in October, 1929 and came to Juneau as a pup.  In the 1930's Patsy Ann become famous in Juneau, and around the world, for her uncanny ability to sense the arrival of incoming ships, which she would faithfully welcome at wharfside. In 1934, the Mayor named Patsy Ann "Official Greeter of Juneau, Alaska."

Although Patsy Ann was deaf from birth, somehow she never failed to "hear" the whistle of an approaching ship, long before it came into view.  She would  head for the wharf at a fast trot, and wait for the ship to arrive.

When Patsy Ann was not greeting ships, she was a "regular" around town.  She visited her friends at local businesses and was even welcome in Juneau's the hotel lobbies.  During the 1930's, Patsy Ann's fame spread, via the postcards sporting her image that Juneau's visitors sent to friends and family across the country.  Many a  visitor considered Patsy Ann a highlight of the trip.

Though the years, and rheumatism slowed her down,  Patsy Ann always headed for the docks when she sensed an incoming ship.

Patsy Ann was owned by no one. She belonged to all the people of Juneau. She spent many of her nights at the Longshoreman's Hall, and it is here where she peacefully died on March 30, 1942.  The next day, a small crowd stood by to honor Patsy Ann as her coffin was lowered into the Gastineau Channel.

Fifty years later, a statue was commissioned by the "Friends of Patsy Ann" and installed on the wharf she had known so well. Sculpted by New Mexico artist Anna Burke Harris, clippings of dog hair from all over the world were included in the bronze at the time of casting, symbolically uniting Patsy Ann with the spirit of dogs everywhere .

Each year, hundreds of thousands of visitor  are welcomed at the dock by Patsy Ann, just as they would have been in the 1930's.  Visitors are encouraged to "greet her and touch her and in leaving, carry with you the blessings of friendship through your life's journey."

National Canine Research Council



What is a dog bite?

While the question seems simple enough, the answer is often not what we imagine.

Dog bite numbers offer little useful information about canine behavior: Dog bite numbers are simply a tally of the number of people who sought medical treatment and/or reported a break in skin after exposure to a dog's nail or tooth, – or in other words, the number of people injured interacting with a dog, which interaction may or may not have involved aggression.

So, if dog bite numbers convey little useful information about canine aggression, what can Alaska dog bite numbers really tell us about canine / human interaction?

Historically, Alaska has had a higher rate of dog bites than most other states. However, consistent with a trend seen in other parts of the United States, dog bite-related injuries are decreasing in Alaska, as compared to previous decades.

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For more information on dog bites in Alaska:

State of Alaska Epidemiology Bulletin on Dog Bites, 1981: Alaska-bulletin-1981

State of Alaska Epidemiology Bulletin on Dog Bites, 1991-2002: Alaska-state-report-dog-bites

National Canine Research Council

Over the past 45 years (1965-present) there have been 32 dog bite-related fatalities in Alaska, an average of one (1) fatality every 1 to 2 years.

NCRC's 2011 Preliminary Report on Dog Bite-Related Fatalities illustrates the challenge of accurately reporting on these extremely rare, tragic events. Our mission of preserving the human-canine bond obligates us to be as accurate about these emotionally charged incidents as we can, so that they are calmly, correctly and, therefore, usefully understood. Accuracy takes time.

At least eight (8) different breeds/types of dogs* have been reported to be involved in these incidents.*

Four (4) of the attacks involved animals reported to be wolf dogs. Some have argued that wolf dogs are not domestic dogs. If one accepts that thesis, then perhaps incidents involving wolf dogs should not be included with reports concerning fatal attacks by domestic dogs, without at least an acknowledgement of the wolf (i.e. wild) component of the animal's make-up.

All the victims were children between the ages of 1 month and 6 years.

75% of the incidents involved young children who had either wandered, unsupervised, near a chained dog, or who wandered into a dog lot -- an area where a pack of sled dogs was tethered.

In addition, in 1990, a mother took her 28-day-old infant into a kennel where a wolf dog bitch was in labor. She deliberately placed the infant near the animal's face. The laboring animal reacted by grabbing and killing the child.

The most recent fatality occurred on May 2o, 2010, when 3-year-old Krystal Brink wandered into a Napaskiak yard where 7 dogs were tethered. She was attacked and killed after walking within reach of one of the chained dogs.

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*Note: In recent years, scientists have established that visual identification of dogs of unknown origin is extremely unreliable; therefore, while we can be sure these listed incidents involved varied types of dogs, we cannot be certain of the accuracy of most breed identifications.

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(To learn more about the danger to unsupervised children from all sources, see Inadequate supervison as the cause of death)

In spite of the negligent and reckless behavior of some dog owners and/or parents, dogs still pose an incredibly low risk of causing a fatality in Alaska:

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The fact is, people in Alaska routinely accept far greater risks from ATVs and bicycles than any that are associated with companion animals.

National Canine Research Council