Mt Whitney Zone Forums The Chat Room Missy Rescued!

This is story about a dog left on a mountain at 13000 feet in Colorado. For 8 days. The "owner" wants her back.





Video from CNN.

Link to story on 14ers.com.

The Denver Post had some more info:

The owner "claimed" that bad weather was coming in and he had to get a younger hiker safely down off the mountain. He also stated that his job took him out of town for several days and the S & R people told him when he lst asked for help that it was late and the weather was bad so no assistance was available that day.

DISCLOSURE; I once carried my 95# Malamute down from a peak day hike when she refused to get up and walk anymore. The carrys were short and with alot of rest stops. Eventually I got to a trail, left her by a creek tied up and took all my gear back to my truck before returning to get her. The long rest helped her recover and I used a towel under her chest and stomach which I lifted up like a harness to take the weight off her feet. She was sort of able to walk to the truck with my help. Worst part was the dead lift to get her into the truck.

Never once thought of leaving her out there for good and I suspect she weighed more than Missy. (her name, not Misty) As one of the rescuers said, this is Colorado and we love our dogs.

This has been all over TV, blog sites, newspapers etc here in Colorado.

Fixed.

Happy ending. The dogs owner agreed to a plea bargain and gave up Missy permanently to live with one of the rescuers. The plea bargain resulted in dropping the charges of animal cruelty so the case is closed. Since Missy is only 5 she should have a long and happy life with her new owner.

Missy / Lucky weighs in at 112 lbs!

Here's an interview with the "previous" owner:   Anthony Ortolani, owner of dog left on 14er explains his actions

I have to say, after calling rescue people and being told to forget it, part of me can't blame him. ...except to take a dog hiking like that, without at least booties... Where's that picture of Karin's "akichow"?

But wait! The same sheriff / rescue people who told him to forget his dog ...turned around and charged him with animal cruelty???

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Lucky rescuers! They were on the Ellen show, where Columbia Sports sent each on a $2500 gift certificate.

I didn't get that anyone told him to forget the dog, only that they would not dispatch SAR at that time, which I take it was under storm conditions, and after he had come down off the mountain.

I also did not get that it was the SAR people that charged him. And I don't see anything that prevented him from going back up in the next day or so, or getting a group of reasonable qualified people to help out, which is what happened .

Nope, I am not buying the guy's story, and think he was lucky to get the plea deal.