Blog 2787 – 06.16.2023

The Bravest Dog Ever

Eleven years ago I was on a two month work assignment in Kenai, Alaska. There as a contract certified welding inspector, I monitored the construction, installation, pressure testing and actual use of a pig launcher in the testing of two and a half miles of sixteen inch pipe line that Marathon Oil was selling. The pig launcher was installed near a man camp across the Kenai river that was only accessible by small planes that landed and took off from a small runway there.

As there were bears living near by, the man camp kept a bear dog to protect the workers. While at the man camp several days on two or three different occasions I took great comfort in the presence of that dog whose heroics had been well documented.

The dog had suffered a broken leg successfully warding-off one bear attack. The company running the man camp thought so highly of the dog that they paid for an expensive surgery so he could continue doing his job. As I said I took great comfort in his presence while I was there. The bears did not bother us. They respected that bear dog as did we all.

Facing down bears several times his size qualified this canine friend to share Balto’s title as the bravest dog ever in my book.

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David White

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KqOE52WUAFYwEWajn_WqmBQkhBL38_t8/view?usp=drivesdk

The Bravest Dog Ever