Sled dog with broken leg recovering, musher back on trail
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Wildfire, the sled dog whose leg was broken in a crash with a snowmobile, had surgery Tuesday.
Redington Mushing posted on Facebook that he had a couple plates and 18 screws put in.
Ryan Redington was running his team Saturday night on the Tri-County Corridor near Brule, Wis., when a snowmobile veered toward them, hitting Wildfire and injuring another dog, Willy.
"My dogs are recuperating and starting the healing process of where they’re going to live. And we’re just not sure if they’re going to be racing dogs again," Redington said Wednesday afternoon.
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He said there’s been tremendous support since the accident.
"It’s been very heartwarming and keeping us focused and not thinking too much of the bad," he said.
Redington was back on the trail with a 15-dog team Wednesday, although he said it wasn’t easy.
"It was very hard, especially going by the scene of the accident and seeing snowmobiles again," he said. "But the first one we saw gave me a thumbs up and had his camera out and taking a picture or video that we went by, and it just turned everything around."
He said it was just what he needed and reminded him how many good people there are in Wisconsin and the Midwest.
"It’s good to be here, and we’ll move forward," he said.
Wildfire will have one more procedure this week. Redington still plans to race the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon, which begins Jan. 30. Sarah Keefer will run a second team of his dogs.