Mille Porsild and team have, understandably, been silent since her scratch from Iditarod 54 after her dog Charley died while running. The gross necropsy performed by a licensed veterinarian has found no cause for why the four-year old dog died, and further tests will be conducted to try and pinpoint what happened.
Mille posted to Facebook Sunday evening explaining that her scratch was not due to a rule, the musher stated she just could not continue without Charley. The post also gave more insight to what the necropsy found (or didn't find); " no physical trauma, clear lungs, great body condition," Porsild wrote, "no nothing, no answer."
Porsild's post did go into the event of Charley's passing, and raw emotion was still evident behind every word. It's every dog owner's worst nightmare realized. Any pet owner who has experienced a similar event with their pet can understand Mille's anguish. (This is your trigger warning, if you will, before you choose to read her post.)
Porsild is known for her dog care and her storytelling. Mille was awarded the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian award for her dog care at the 2021 Iditarod. She often shares photos and stories of her dogs on her social media and gives interviews praising her dogs throughout races. The shock and pain of the loss of Charley rippled through the Iditarod community.
"Charley was light. She was a beautiful soul - a force of nature teaming with radient energy and electric vitality," Mille wrote in tribute. "She was wonderfully quirky. A brilliant autistic being whose mind moved in its own ways with a most often very singular purpose. And yes, this made her an absolutely incredible sled dog. It also made for her being shy and uneasy with ‘new.’ But once you gained her trust, two - or four legged, she was a bestie. Her and Lion share a very special bond, this is a gigantic loss to Lion. She looked to him for guidance and sense of safety… and she has guided Lion to a little less drama and a lot more lightness in the moment with her gentle very joyous heart."
When a dog dies in the race, according to Rule 42 the team's race is automatically done unless it was clear outside forces were the cause (moose, snowmachine, etc). The race gives the musher the choice of having it be considered a scratch (musher's choice) or a withdrawal (race official). It is not a disqualification unless necropsy/tests find the musher to be at fault. The rule is controversial to some fans and mushers. Mille, apparently, was aware of the discussion going on after her scratch and wanted to set the record straight.
"I scratched Iditarod 2026 in Elim," the musher wrote. "The reason provided “The loss of our beloved Charlie.” I was not forced to scratch, I did not scratch because of a rule. I appreciate that some think it unfair that we could not continue on to the finishline because of Iditarod rules… but please know, of that I was simply not capable."
It is too soon to be asking Mille if she will race again. It is too soon to ask much of anything from Mille at this point. The waiting and the wondering will haunt her - as it does ever pet owner when something like this happens.
At the Musher's Banquet in Nome, Iditarod CEO Rob Urbach in his speech Sunday Night asked for a moment of silence for Charley ahead of the celebration. All of Iditarod mourns with Mille and it was evident Sunday.
"I wish people love and celebrate Charley for who she was," Mille finished her statement, "For her love and utter joy.
This, our time together, her spirit, is in my heart.
Charley is part of me forever."
