hikers save dog

[OzJacko]

I'm not going to get into the pros and cons in this but just thought I would advise that this story made Australian TV news tonight with suggestions that owner will be charged with animal cruelty.

[TOW]

http://www.wjla.com/articles/2012/08...dog-78895.html

Should the owner get her back? I vote no.

The guy tried to get her down. He failed, but thankfully he is alive. Was he suppose to lay down? Were the hikers that found the dog suppose to find his lifeless body next to Missy? That would make for a great story right? I hiked with a dog for over 16,000 miles on the AT. Does that make me more evil than this guy for leaving a dog behind to save my own skin? Thankfully I never had to but have you ever been in a situation remotely like his? Yet you have a stern opinion on the matter. I love how it is so easy for these armchair hikers to slam down an opinion on matters that don't concern them until they read some story posted by Yahoo on the interwebs. Your "No" means diddly squat in the real world where lives are concerned. You have zero to base your opinion on. An armchair quarterback at best.

two thumbs up to the hikers involved.i like the people in the world that are willing to suffer for their beliefs and passions.

8 days
The owner COULD have gone back for her
He chose not to.
He could have gotten a rescue party up, even paid for one
He chose not to.
He was OK with someone else rescuing his dog
He did not want to rescue her himself
What a piece

You assume a lot. It's almost like you know more about the story than what the "news" has reported. Are you in contact with the dog owner? What else can you tell us about the situation, since you seem to be so informed about this situation I can only assume you have access to information us less informed are not privy to. Please share with us what you know.

You say he should of tried to rescue the dog. Can you tell me why he didn't try to rescue her, or are you just inclined to suggest that he was reckless on his own account for not doing so? Can you account for the weather that was on the mountain in the days after the dog owners decent? Have you put together ANY sort of proof that proves your case for "him" no getting his dog back? I mean besides your own personal opinion that is. Does the fact that the dog owner alerted authorities have any bearing on your opinion? Please tell me the dog owners state of mind after he came down off that mountain? Please enlighten me your grandiose opinion on the matter? I mean what do you know that we all do not? Is this man a dog hater that has set up his pooch for death on a mountain. Is it not acceptable for ma man to make a mistake, and flounder? I hiked long distance with a dog for over 16,000 miles on the AT and I would have never given my life for a dog, Ever! What experience do you have on the matter? Please I'd like to know?

WingedMonkey has it right, it starts with should he have had the dog there in the first place. The experts say that this mountainn is classified as for experienced hikers only and dogs should not be taken up it. The owner is now facing charges for his actions. He admitted that he just assumed that she was dead and did not go back. You can bet if it were the other way around the dog would never have left the owner's side.

Heald,

Tell your brother he messed up and to let the rescuers keep her. They earned the right.

because at the begining of the trip the dog didnt slap its leg,whistle and say come on girl

I'm not going to get into the pros and cons in this but just thought I would advise that this story made Australian TV news tonight with suggestions that owner will be charged with animal cruelty.

Well by golly Heald I know what you say is true about hiking with your dog "Dog Wonder" because on several occasions I encountered you two when I was out there. But on the other hand my Sally is very precious to me and it would pain me to know that she is in distress and needs my help and I would be in a fit until I did everything possible to aid her. Never once has Sally shown to me that she did not want to go where I go when i am ready to go there. I'll never forget the night that my sugar dropped and I passed out on the bridge and then went into muscle contractions, my Sally was there right by my side protecting me when rescue showed up and they had to coax her away from me to help me. Lone Wolf can attest to her protectiveness as well. I do not assume to know the whole story, I was not there but I truly believe that once I had gotten everyone else to safety and gotten my strength back I would march right back up that mountain and rescued my Sally, no ifs, ands, or butts! And if I had decided not to do this valiant act and I found that she had been rescued several days later my hats would be off to them and I would not be in a tissy to get my dog back. I did read one report that stated that he did in fact alert authorities on the matter and they stated that their resources were for "human" rescues only, So if they are going to charge him with cruelty then by golly they need to charge themselves with it as well for not even attempting some type of response!

A couple of months back Sally nipped a girl that had pestered her into being petted. Animal control came and took Sally even though she had been vaccinated, I just did not have the paperwork to prove it because this happened on a weekend. But once I was able to prove it I was able to get her back, but with much political haggling. I'll never forget how those who knew Sally turned out in support for her all the way up to the Sheriffs main office! I'll never forget going and visiting her in that jail cell and how she looked at me and pleaded with her body and eyes to take her home. I'll never forget having nightmares about her being hurt or not getting her back. Hell no, my Sally is the only damn entity, other than God, that I know for sure that loves me just as I am and I love her just like she is too! And if it kills me to save her then by golly she is worth it!

[Hairbear]

Well by golly Heald I know what you say is true about hiking with your dog "Dog Wonder" because on several occasions I encountered you two when I was out there. But on the other hand my Sally is very precious to me and it would pain me to know that she is in distress and needs my help and I would be in a fit until I did everything possible to aid her. Never once has Sally shown to me that she did not want to go where I go when i am ready to go there. I'll never forget the night that my sugar dropped and I passed out on the bridge and then went into muscle contractions, my Sally was there right by my side protecting me when rescue showed up and they had to coax her away from me to help me. Lone Wolf can attest to her protectiveness as well. I do not assume to know the whole story, I was not there but I truly believe that once I had gotten everyone else to safety and gotten my strength back I would march right back up that mountain and rescued my Sally, no ifs, ands, or butts! And if I had decided not to do this valiant act and I found that she had been rescued several days later my hats would be off to them and I would not be in a tissy to get my dog back. I did read one report that stated that he did in fact alert authorities on the matter and they stated that their resources were for "human" rescues only, So if they are going to charge him with cruelty then by golly they need to charge themselves with it as well for not even attempting some type of response!

A couple of months back Sally nipped a girl that had pestered her into being petted. Animal control came and took Sally even though she had been vaccinated, I just did not have the paperwork to prove it because this happened on a weekend. But once I was able to prove it I was able to get her back, but with much political haggling. I'll never forget how those who knew Sally turned out in support for her all the way up to the Sheriffs main office! I'll never forget going and visiting her in that jail cell and how she looked at me and pleaded with her body and eyes to take her home. I'll never forget having nightmares about her being hurt or not getting her back. Hell no, my Sally is the only damn entity, other than God, that I know for sure that loves me just as I am and I love her just like she is too! And if it kills me to save her then by golly she is worth it!

there it is right there...........................................go od post

[Kryptonite]

I believe that many see their dogs like a member of their family. I am one of them. If I had to go into debt to have my dog rescued, I would do it especially if I was the one who took my dog on the hike. I am glad that this man has been charged with animal cruelty and that he will never get his dog returned to him. If my husband had done this, there would have been a divorce in our house. No - make that a homicide!

[Not Sunshine]

I'm not a dog owner...I'm too OCD to have dog hair on my furniture or flea bites on my legs...

But I find it disgusting that the guy asked for her back. If the rescuers found her without any help from him - one of them deserves to have her.

He left her for dead up there. I understand it was a terrible situation for him, but why didn't he go back up to look for her after the storm??? Obviously he believed she was dead for either weather or wild animal.

Poor girl.

[Pedaling Fool]

He doesn't deserve to get the dog back.

[SouthMark]

I feel for him because I'm sure that he loved her having owned her for eight years. I understand his decision to leave her (I know I could not) for the safety of his friend and himself. What I cannot understand is the decisions to.....

1. Putting her in that position in the first place going beyond both her limits and his limits
2. Just assuming she was dead (why in hell would he think that)
3. Not to go back and look for her (not even posting Lost Dog signs at the TH)
...were IMO extremely irresponsible and unjustifiable.

This is paraphrased from a post on 14ers by someone much closer to the story than myself.

No matter your position on his leaving her behind his failure to go back for her or go to the trailheads and inform other hikers is inexcusable. These actions or lack of are probably the reason he is being charged with animal cruelty.

[rjjones]

I'm not sure about the other dog owners here but if it were my sandy and i,,,,,,they would have been coming up for us both,or i would have come down with her one way or another!!

[Rasty]

This is paraphrased from a post on 14ers by someone much closer to the story than myself.

No matter your position on his leaving her behind his failure to go back for her or go to the trailheads and inform other hikers is inexcusable. These actions or lack of are probably the reason he is being charged with animal cruelty.

That tells you everything. I had a cat caught up in a tree years ago. I waited for the cat to come down for a day. He wouldn't budge. I called the fire department who wouldn't help. The cat was up about 120' up the tree. I called a company with a bucket truck and they couldn't help because the tree wasn't on my property. After 5 days the cat wasn't going to come down. On the fourth day a group of Turkey Vultures began circling the tree. I cut the tree down knowing that I had a chance of saving or killing him. The tree fell but I couldn't find him. Two days later he comes strolling up to the front step of the house. I almost positive I heard him call me an a-hole. He's sitting next to me sleeping right now. I think he just gave me the stink eye for telling the story.

[Pedaling Fool]

You have to be female in order to have the fire dept get your cat out of a tree.

[Rasty]

You have to be female in order to have the fire dept get your cat out of a tree.

Well I don't think that will work for me.

The worste part is the year before I had my other cat caught in a small tree. He was about 30 feet up. Gizmo my youngest cat at that time climbed up the tree, looked at Tigger and went back down the tree. This tree was maybe 6" in diameter at the base. After four days waiting for him to come down I cut the tree down with a meat cleaver. This tree was tangled up in vines so I couldn't climb it. The tree didn't fall at all so I pulled the base to about a 45 degree angle. He didn't budge. I kept pulling until the tree was almost horizontal with the ground and he walked down. I've had cats for twenty years and never had any climb trees except these two times. Only one cat currently goes outside anymore.

[Pedaling Fool]

You got bad luck with cats and trees; maybe you need to get a girlfriend.

[Rasty]

You got bad luck with cats and trees; maybe you need to get a girlfriend.

I've been married for 19 years (Together since we were 17) with two daughters. The cat's are their idea. I do like them though.

[atmilkman]

I've been married for 19 years (Together since we were 17) with two daughters. The cat's are their idea. I do like them though.

Dogs have owners, cats have staff.

[tdoczi]

I've been married for 19 years (Together since we were 17) with two daughters. The cat's are their idea. I do like them though.

all i am dying to know is whose 120 ft tree did you cut down, what did they have to say about it and what did you do with a huge downed tree once the cat was out?

[Rasty]

I've been married for 19 years (Together since we were 17) with two daughters. The cat's are their idea. I do like them though.

all i am dying to know is whose 120 ft tree did you cut down, what did they have to say about it and what did you do with a huge downed tree once the cat was out?

In a abandoned lot across the fence. The tree is still there.

[tdoczi]

In a abandoned lot across the fence. The tree is still there.

wow, i'm all for having saved the cats life but.... yeesh

[Maddog]

http://www.wjla.com/articles/2012/08...dog-78895.html

Should the owner get her back? I vote no.

Nope and the owner needs his a$$ whipped! Maddog

[avalonmorn]

Well I don't think that will work for me.

The worste part is the year before I had my other cat caught in a small tree. He was about 30 feet up. Gizmo my youngest cat at that time climbed up the tree, looked at Tigger and went back down the tree. This tree was maybe 6" in diameter at the base. After four days waiting for him to come down I cut the tree down with a meat cleaver. This tree was tangled up in vines so I couldn't climb it. The tree didn't fall at all so I pulled the base to about a 45 degree angle. He didn't budge. I kept pulling until the tree was almost horizontal with the ground and he walked down. I've had cats for twenty years and never had any climb trees except these two times. Only one cat currently goes outside anymore.

Are you sure that you are not an Okie? lol

[Rasty]

Well I don't think that will work for me.

The worste part is the year before I had my other cat caught in a small tree. He was about 30 feet up. Gizmo my youngest cat at that time climbed up the tree, looked at Tigger and went back down the tree. This tree was maybe 6" in diameter at the base. After four days waiting for him to come down I cut the tree down with a meat cleaver. This tree was tangled up in vines so I couldn't climb it. The tree didn't fall at all so I pulled the base to about a 45 degree angle. He didn't budge. I kept pulling until the tree was almost horizontal with the ground and he walked down. I've had cats for twenty years and never had any climb trees except these two times. Only one cat currently goes outside anymore.

Are you sure that you are not an Okie? lol

No I don't think I'm from Oklahoma