A border collie in California was treated to a fine dinner and extra beef jerky after helping a search and rescue team locate his owner—a hiker who took a very hard fall in Tahoe National Forest last Wednesday. According to KCRA, the 53-year-man tumbled 70 feet off a ridge, breaking his hip and several ribs. Authorities say it happened at night, and it wasn't until noon the next day that he was able to scramble back to his camp. He managed to place an emergency call, but the signal was weak and the call dropped. Per KPIX, "search-and-rescue was able to contact the victim's friend, who pointed them toward the man's campsite. He also told them to "look for Saul," per KCRA.
The area was inaccessible by vehicle, per the New York Times, and it took about seven hours for rescuers to reach the man's vicinity. Sgt. Dennis Haack of the Nevada County Sheriff's Office said rescuers were approached by a black border collie, the aforementioned "Saul," who was jumping up and down and spinning in circles. "One of the guys said it made eye contact," Haack said, and they decided to follow him. After a few feet, Saul turned to make sure the people understood, and he then led them about 200 yards to the victim, whose injuries were described as "traumatic," per KCRA. The man was airlifted to the hospital, and Saul was taken to a local nonprofit for VIP treatment while his owner was in the hospital.
Authorities are now praising Saul for acting in "true Lassie fashion." The man hasn't been identified, and authorities described him as living "somewhat of a secluded lifestyle." A day later, the man was reunited with Saul, who then received an additional stick of beef jerky for good measure. Not to put a damper on the story, but Sgt. Haack noted that rescuers would have eventually found the man without Saul. Furthermore, also per the Times, "the science is not yet settled on whether dogs can intentionally seek out other humans to help their distressed owners." (More uplifting news stories.)
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