Seppala Siberian Sleddog
The Poland Spring Preservation Society is excited to announce with the help of David Boyer, our Maine Legislator, our commitment to support the nomination of the Seppala Siberian Sleddog as Maine State Dog. On December 5, 2025 our board unanimously voted to support this initiative.
There is strong connection between these superior dogs and Maine. Northeastern Siberia is a land of vast expanses and great contrasts, a land cut in half by the Arctic Circle. Dogs were held in high esteem by the people who lived in this land because their existence often depended upon their sled dogs. These sled dogs were the ancestors of the present-day Seppala Siberian Sleddog. Imported to Alaska early in the 19th century.
In January of 1925, Seppala owned some of these dogs, and when diphtheria broke out and a child died in Nome, Alaska, Seppala and his Siberian Sleddogs team did 361+ miles of the relay race to bring the serum to save the children, the longest and hardest terrain in 30 below temperatures.
After the “Great Mercy Race”, Seppala toured the lower United States, and by chance he came to Poland Spring to enter a race with his dogsled team, and won. At that Race he met Elizabeth Ricker, her family owned the famous Poland Spring Hotels and they formed a partnership and opened the Poland Spring Kennel. 258 Seppala Siberian Sleddogs dogs were bred here during those years.
In 2023, the Preservation Society, dedicated a Bronze Statue to Togo (the lead sleddog) at Poland Spring.
Fast forward, 100 years after the the “Great Mercy Race” Jonathan Hayes form Fort Kent and Eric Larson (Explorer of the North Pole, South Pole and Mount Everest) are off to Alaska to run the Centennial Seppala Expedition 2025.
The Poland Spring Preservation Society has named 2025, as the YEAR of TOGO!