Dog Rescue on Mt. Bierstadt - Page 2

I have hesitated to comment on this, because I haven't read the entire 14ers thread, but the owner is getting DEATH THREATS?? Really?? Mob mentality at its finest. It's weird how some things can blow up like that these days due to social media. Guy probably assumed his dog was dead, and he was just trying to put it out of his mind. Not defending that, except that it would be a very human reaction. Then suddenly he's famous. Or infamous. 

And while I would like to think I have plenty of friends and family willing to go rescue a dog from a 14er, the reality is that for the vast majority of people, simply climbing one is quite a feat, much less carrying down a 100-lb animal. I'm thrilled that it worked out -- posting on 14ers was really the smart thing to do, as that is a good way to find a concentration of people capable of doing such a thing. 

I was on Alpine Rescue Team based, then anyway, in Evergreen, CO for several years when I lived in Denver.  From my viewpoint, this guy never should have been on Bierstadt in the first place.  Our rule of thumb was simple, if you're not prepared to spend the night out "there" with what you have in your pack, you shouldn't go.  I would seriously question whether he was really "experienced."  We used to hear that all the time from the friends or relatives of people who got themselves lost in the mountains and almost never was it actually true.  There is no way in hell I would have left an injured dog of mine behind in that environment.  And I'm glad the guy doesn't get her back because he doesn't deserve her.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtcyclist 

I was on Alpine Rescue Team based, then anyway, in Evergreen, CO for several years when I lived in Denver.  From my viewpoint, this guy never should have been on Bierstadt in the first place.  Our rule of thumb was simple, if you're not prepared to spend the night out "there" with what you have in your pack, you shouldn't go.  I would seriously question whether he was really "experienced."  We used to hear that all the time from the friends or relatives of people who got themselves lost in the mountains and almost never was it actually true.  There is no way in hell I would have left an injured dog of mine behind in that environment.  And I'm glad the guy doesn't get her back because he doesn't deserve her.

Yeah, from what I gather, he admitted that he never should have taken her up there. They had done 14ers before, but that's become such a trend these days that a lot of people are "experienced" but not really "experienced," if that makes sense. Not unlike the skiers on Loveland Pass without beacons, shovels, etc -- much less knowledge....

Quote:

Originally Posted by segbrown 

I have hesitated to comment on this, because I haven't read the entire 14ers thread, but the owner is getting DEATH THREATS?? Really?? Mob mentality at its finest. It's weird how some things can blow up like that these days due to social media. Guy probably assumed his dog was dead, and he was just trying to put it out of his mind. Not defending that, except that it would be a very human reaction. Then suddenly he's famous. Or infamous. 

 

And while I would like to think I have plenty of friends and family willing to go rescue a dog from a 14er, the reality is that for the vast majority of people, simply climbing one is quite a feat, much less carrying down a 100-lb animal. I'm thrilled that it worked out -- posting on 14ers was really the smart thing to do, as that is a good way to find a concentration of people capable of doing such a thing. 

This sickens me.  

Mob mentality is not cool. 

I would have liked for the rescuers and the former owner to have a sit down so that they could work out a sense of balance and understanding.   I also think that the authorities were right to charge with animal abandonment, because that is essentially what he did, but beyond the authorities and the relationship between the actual rescuers and former owner, others need to take a chill pill and back off. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skierish 

 

 

In the end, I am glad it all seems to have worked out best for the dog and those who cared enough to risk their own safety to go get her, tho....

For me, it's all about the dog.  I'm glad she ended up with people who will commit themselves to her care.  Whether the guy exhibited simply bad judgment or negligence, he's lost his dog (which he'd already given up on) and the dog is in the care of people who would never put her in that kind of position and will treat her with the value and sense that she deserves!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skierish 

 

Thanks for finding and posting that, TC!  Just yesterday, it popped into my head, "I wonder whatever happened to that dog?"  Now I know.

 

 

I don't think I agree with your 1st point up there, Seg.  I did read the entire thread, and the dog's only initial injury was cut-up paw-pads.  I do understand that people sometimes have to make crappy decisions, so I can understand the possible necessity of initially leaving the dog behind.  After that, I think the more human reaction from those of us who are even remotely devoted dog owners would be to get someone...anyone...back up there with food/water to at least check on the dog.

 

After all, 2 complete strangers...who were not members of 14ers.com at the time...were able to get together 2 rescue parties of other complete strangers to climb a mt. in order to retrieve a very heavy dog none of them knew and who belonged to yet another complete stranger.  The owner couldn't even be bothered to put up "Lost Dog' signs at the trailhead.  

 

That said, I don't think I believe the owner should have to face any sort of criminal charge.  I can't know with certainty, but I'm not sure I believe that his inaction was in any way criminal...maybe.  I do think the owner exhibited at least a phenomenal lack of any sort of common sense regarding his dog's welfare, and that does makes me believe that allowing a more responsible person to adopt the dog is probably the best way to go. 

 

Given my doubt about criminal charges, it should go without saying that I whole-heartedly agree about the absurdity of the death threats.  They are outrageous and reprehensible BS.

In the end, I am glad it all seems to have worked out best for the dog and those who cared enough to risk their own safety to go get her, tho....

Well, since I posted, I did read more of the thread, and the owner did say he thought the dog was probably not alive anymore, as he had injured more than his paws (they had dropped him several times on the rocks while attempting to extricate him). Please don't think I'm defending his decision ... I am not! I have dogs! I love dogs! But I can understand his decision, and I don't think he is a monster deserving of death threats. He admitted he was wrong, about a hundred times.

And yes, a team of strangers assembled to rescue the dog. They have made national news, and been proclaimed as heroes. That is because what they did was very brave and beyond the call of duty, right? I would never expect that a bunch of strangers would mobilize to go find my lost dog, I would never think of even asking. Especially if SAR and the other agencies contacted had already declined, as they had. I imagine his friends and family weren't equipped.  It's a wonderful thing, what the climbers did, and it's also unexpected. That's why it's wonderful, that's why they are heroes. 

I can tell you without hesitation that if someone had called Alpine Rescue Team back when I was on it, calls would have been made to several folks to determine if anyone wanted to assemble a party to rescue the dog, unless we were in the midst of some huge search and/or rescue operation.  And I'm pretty sure that several people would have been willing to do it, including me.  I've been to the top of Bierstadt more than once, including in the winter and it isn't a walk in the park at any time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtcyclist 

I can tell you without hesitation that if someone had called Alpine Rescue Team back when I was on it, calls would have been made to several folks to determine if anyone wanted to assemble a party to rescue the dog, unless we were in the midst of some huge search and/or rescue operation.  And I'm pretty sure that several people would have been willing to do it, including me.  I've been to the top of Bierstadt more than once, including in the winter and it isn't a walk in the park at any time.

Yeah, I would hope they would still do that.

Sept 17, 2012

Hi Bears:

Reminds me of an interview on NPR a few years back, when the Naval Academy was involved in a cheating scandal.  After the incident, the Academy had a seminar on "Morality" and the lecturer was being interviewed by NPR.  The question to the moralist was what she told the Midshipmen on how they could determine that they had acted in a moral manner.  She replied: In most situations, whenever decisions are needed, the decision which one initially finds hard/unwilling to implement probably leads to the more moral outcome.  Just passing on what she said. 

Think snow,

CP

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skierish 

 

Whoa, I never thought for an instant you were "defending" his actions, Seg, and it never even occurred to me that you might not like dogs.  I do recognize that understanding what may have prompted a person's actions isn't necessarily the same as defending or agreeing with those actions.  When I said I disagreed with the fact that you understood the owner's reaction, it's not as if I was hopping up and down shouting at my computer screen in a fit of outrage or anything.  I wasn't.   

 

So, let's just call it a quibble, and I guess my quibble is that I just don't share your understanding of what I see as his nearly complete lack of action to even check on the status of his dog...much less get her off the mt.  He "assumed" she died?  Why?  She looked surprisingly hearty after 8 days without any appreciable food or water, if any at all, so I have to assume that aside from her injured paws, she must've looked fairly healthy when he left her.  There are just so many simple things that he could have done afterward.  A few that I thought of pretty quickly were things such posting "Lost Dog" signs at the trailhead, handing out flyers to people in the area, putting an ad in the local paper, using Google to find resources, or contacting a breed rescue group in the area.  I guarantee the latter would have moved heaven and earth to find a way to get that dog off the mt.  He essentially says he made a call or two and called it a day. 

 

While the hikers that went to get Missy performed an impressive and praiseworthy feat, I assume that the couple that found her is just your average Joe & Jane Schmoe, who are likely possessed of roughly average intelligence, resourcefulness, and no particularly striking gift for exceptional ingenuity.  Yet, they mobilized an effective search and rescue by complete strangers in a mere matter of hours...for a dog they had never even met!  Along those lines, I would be pretty surprised if you wouldn't go to greater lengths than this guy did if something similar ever happened to one of your dogs, Seg, and I say that not even knowing you from Adam!

 

I agree that he's almost certainly NOT a monster, but I just don't think he's the brightest bulb in the chandelier.  The death threats are indeed inexcusable, though, and while I may be skeptical about charges against the owner, I really hope the authorities can identify those responsible for these threats and bring criminal charges against them.

No big deal .. .I didn't think you thought I was defending him ... I just wanted to make sure I wasn't coming across that way. My main reason for posting originally was out of a sort of wonderment about how this whole internet forum thingie works these days. (And secondarily to say that his friends shouldn't necessarily be blamed for not going up there)  But  both sides of the coin were shown in this event: the reason that couple was able to mobilize anyone was because of 14ers.com, and the guy's poor decision-making skills were suddenly propagating across the world, resulting in threats. I'm sure we've all made some dumb choices (although hopefully  not this dumb) that we thought would remain anonymous ... imagine ending up on the news, especially if the whole story wasn't told (it usually isn't), and being vilified by mobs of strangers. Because most people get very black and white when it comes to ... anything ... sort of a proportion thing ... but I tend to think in shades of gray ...not 50 necessarily....  talking in circles ... time for my coffee... yawn ... :-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skierish 

The article that TrekChick posted a link to said that the story would be covered on the Ellen show today.  I've never seen the Ellen show even once, but I watched it today, and it was a great segment with all 8 rescuers present.  If anyone is interested, the video is up on the Ellen show's website.

Here's the Ellen segment on youtube...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skierish 

The article that TrekChick posted a link to said that the story would be covered on the Ellen show today.  I've never seen the Ellen show even once, but I watched it today, and it was a great segment with all 8 rescuers present.  If anyone is interested, the video is up on the Ellen show's website.

Here's the link. 

http://www.ellentv.com/episodes/bethenny-frankel-kellie-pickler-an-amazing-dog-rescue-and-sytycds-top-four/

I missed it because I was at work, but just watched it and am not ashamed to say I cried.  

I'd also like to give a shout out to Columbia Sportswear.  Its so cool that they gave each of the 8 rescuers a $2500.00 gift certificate. 

Another thing that came out of this because of Anthony's ignorance(for lack of a better word) to  fined a way to rescue Missy(Lucky) - The people from 14ers.com and others are coming together to create an animal rescue organization. 

This will surely help others like Anthony if they should find themselves in such a terrible situation. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trekchick 

Here's the link. 

Another thing that came out of this because of Anthony's ignorance(for lack of a better word) to  fined a way to rescue Missy(Lucky) - The people from 14ers.com and others are coming together to create an animal rescue organization. 

This will surely help others like Anthony if they should find themselves in such a terrible situation. 

That's awesome ... because it does seem to be a bit of a gray area. If SAR et al refused to help, and you aren't equipped to do it yourself, then what? And the more people recreate in the mountains, the more this kind of thing will happen. 

Oh my...

http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20120918/NEWS/120919824

Officials advise pet safety in backcountry

Another dog stranded while hiking with owners on Quandary Peak Sunday made it safely off the Fourteener after Summit County Rescue Group responded to bring the dog and another hiker to safety. 

Two hikers and the dog ended up trapped, or “cliffed out” on the West Ridge route Sunday night without technical gear. One of the hikers was able to climb down to get help using abandoned equipment he found in the area. 

Seventeen members of the rescue group responded to help the second hiker and the dog, who were both lowered to safety. 

Rescuers received the call just before 8 p.m. Sunday, but the hiker and dog didn't make it back to their vehicle until 6:30 a.m. Monday. 

The rescue isn't the first that involved dogs stranded in the backcountry this year. Local rescuers respond to calls to help hikers and their dogs every year. The recent well-publicized Missy case on Mount Bierstadt (see PAGE 5) is just one example. 

To keep pooches out of trouble on High Country hikes, officials recommend being prepared in advance, carefully considering whether dogs can handle the selected terrain and respecting pets' signals that they are injured or exhausted. 

Rescuers suggested leaving pets at home if the terrain on the route requires scrambling or includes features that could require dogs to have to be raised or lowered. 

“If you are planning to carry a helmet, harness and/or rope for yourself, think twice before taking your dog with you,” rescue group spokeswoman Allison Olenginski stated. 

A dog's physical capabilities should also be considered before they attempt high-alpine excursions. Dogs that are not accustomed to altitude or extreme temperatures may struggle with backcountry conditions. Health problems not apparent in older dogs at sea level can cause serious problems or even death on a stressful hike at altitude. 

Rescuers recommend booties for dogs not accustomed to walking on rough terrain, and eye protection for all dogs. Pet owners should also try to limit the amount of time dogs spend in the water on the hike, as wet paws are more susceptible to damage. 

Officials also urge owners to be attentive to their dog's behavior and to be on the lookout for injuries or other health problems. 

“He or she will usually tell you when it is time to turn around,” Olenginski stated. “Keep in mind, even an injured dog will continue to follow his owner until he/she is physically is unable to (do so).” 

Dogs acting differently, picking up a paw, limping switching weight-bearing legs, running three-legged or experiencing vomiting or diarrhea should not continue hiking, officials said. 

For additional information on pet safety, contact the rescue group at info@scrg.org. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by segbrown 

Oh my...

 

http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20120918/NEWS/120919824

 

 

Rescue group saves hiker, dog on Quandary Peak

 

Officials advise pet safety in backcountry

Another dog stranded while hiking with owners on Quandary Peak Sunday made it safely off the Fourteener after Summit County Rescue Group responded to bring the dog and another hiker to safety. 

Two hikers and the dog ended up trapped, or “cliffed out” on the West Ridge route Sunday night without technical gear. One of the hikers was able to climb down to get help using abandoned equipment he found in the area. 

Seventeen members of the rescue group responded to help the second hiker and the dog, who were both lowered to safety. 

Rescuers received the call just before 8 p.m. Sunday, but the hiker and dog didn't make it back to their vehicle until 6:30 a.m. Monday. 

The rescue isn't the first that involved dogs stranded in the backcountry this year. Local rescuers respond to calls to help hikers and their dogs every year. The recent well-publicized Missy case on Mount Bierstadt (see PAGE 5) is just one example. 

To keep pooches out of trouble on High Country hikes, officials recommend being prepared in advance, carefully considering whether dogs can handle the selected terrain and respecting pets' signals that they are injured or exhausted. 

Rescuers suggested leaving pets at home if the terrain on the route requires scrambling or includes features that could require dogs to have to be raised or lowered. 

“If you are planning to carry a helmet, harness and/or rope for yourself, think twice before taking your dog with you,” rescue group spokeswoman Allison Olenginski stated. 

A dog's physical capabilities should also be considered before they attempt high-alpine excursions. Dogs that are not accustomed to altitude or extreme temperatures may struggle with backcountry conditions. Health problems not apparent in older dogs at sea level can cause serious problems or even death on a stressful hike at altitude. 

Rescuers recommend booties for dogs not accustomed to walking on rough terrain, and eye protection for all dogs. Pet owners should also try to limit the amount of time dogs spend in the water on the hike, as wet paws are more susceptible to damage. 

Officials also urge owners to be attentive to their dog's behavior and to be on the lookout for injuries or other health problems. 

“He or she will usually tell you when it is time to turn around,” Olenginski stated. “Keep in mind, even an injured dog will continue to follow his owner until he/she is physically is unable to (do so).” 

Dogs acting differently, picking up a paw, limping switching weight-bearing legs, running three-legged or experiencing vomiting or diarrhea should not continue hiking, officials said. 

For additional information on pet safety, contact the rescue group at info@scrg.org. 

Exactly!

It seems that people are hiking beyond their limits and without precautions more and more these days. 

Beyond that, they are under the impression that their dogs are capable of more than they are. 

Phil and I tend to take Ziggy on a lot of hikes and bike rides, but we limit ourselves and we pay attention to Ziggy.  The minute he appears to be fatigued, we turn around, even if we haven't achieved our planned destination. 

AND......some days (even if he gives us his puppy dog eyes) we leave him home when we know we're doing something that he can't do. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trekchick 

Exactly!

It seems that people are hiking beyond their limits and without precautions more and more these days. 

Beyond that, they are under the impression that their dogs are capable of more than they are. 

 

Phil and I tend to take Ziggy on a lot of hikes and bike rides, but we limit ourselves and we pay attention to Ziggy.  The minute he appears to be fatigued, we turn around, even if we haven't achieved our planned destination. 

AND......some days (even if he gives us his puppy dog eyes) we leave him home when we know we're doing something that he can't do. 

I've been trying to stay away from this one because I know it will tick me off.  I just skimmed.  The highlighted part is important.  Just because an animal has "to us" extraordinary physical capabilities, doesn't mean they are in good shape.  They need to work on their balance and strength just like we do.  Whether the owner made a huge mistake out of ignorance or is liable for misconduct for not taking the appropriate action afterwards can be handled in the courts.  My only point, is if you are working out to get ready to do some hiking and you're planning on taking your dog, he/she better be on the same program you're on.

http://doggles.com/doggles.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trekchick 

Looks like the rescuers are getting to keep Missy. 

http://www.examiner.com/article/colorado-mountain-climbers-who-rescued-abandoned-dog-missy-line-to-adopt

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skierish 

Looks like the guy on the Ellen show who was trying to adopt Missy is going to be able to do so...

 

http://www.outsideonline.com/news-from-the-field/Man-Who-Abandoned-Dog-Gives-Her-Up.html

Not the same article, but very similar story.  

It must be weighing heavily on Anthony's heart.  I'm glad Missy/Lucky is staying with one of the rescuers but I feel sad for Anthony.  I'm convinced that he was clueless and not heartless.  

Hopefully Anthony learned something from this experience.  I also hope that if he gets another dog he'll put more thought into whether the dog should accompany him when and if he tries to bag another 14er and also put more thought into the proper gear to carry when he heads into the backcountry.

 Maybe. It's hard to say without knowing him. But someone so clueless probably shouldn't be responsible for the care of a living creature. I volunteer at our city animal shelter and we had a guy in working off his community service by doing laundry/dishes--he was sentenced to it after leaving his dog in a hot car to die while he attended a local festival (Hempfest!). He's not allowed to have a dog again while living in Seattle. He wasn't a bad guy. He was sorry. He likes dogs. But someone who exhibits such an extraordinary lack of judgment shouldn't easily get a second chance.