A dog that became exhausted while hiking with its owner on the Long Trail in Vermont had to be rescued last night.
According to officials with Stowe Mountain Rescue, the dog and her owner had taken an all-day hike up the Long Trail to Sterling Pond. They were on their way back down with a mile and a half still to go when the dog stopped and refused to move.
Her owner reportedly tried carrying her on his shoulders for quarter of a mile before calling 911 in desperation.
In a post on their Facebook page, Stowe Mountain Rescue officials said that when they arrived on the scene the dog was wary but had a “beautiful” disposition. She accepted their bribes of freeze-dried liver treats and allowed them to assess her.
Officials said the dog appeared to be uninjured, and they believed she was exhausted and possibly dehydrated.
Rescue crews used a dog sling to carry her out.
Officials said there was no lack of love and commitment from the owner. “If we hadn’t gone to help, he would have spent the night up there with his dog,” they wrote in their post.
Overall, they said the hiker was well-prepared with a headlamp and provisions.
Stowe Mountain Rescue officials said hikers with dogs should remember that their companion is mute, so hikers need to look at the dog’s body language for evidence of their condition.
They said dogs are loyal and rugged companions and will keep pushing, so the onus is on hikers to watch carefully for signs that they need to rest and hydrate.
