Black Border Collie Saul assisted in guiding rescuers to his owner, who had reportedly suffered severe rib and hip fractures after falling from a ridge, according to the authorities.
A 53-year-old guy and his black Border collie, Saul, were hiking last week in the densely forested Tahoe National Forest in California when something unexpected happened. The man broke his hip and several ribs after falling 70 feet from a ridge, according to the authorities. He had no phone. He just had a dog by his side.
According to Sgt. Dennis Haack of the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, the guy whose name the authorities kept, crawled up a rocky cliff to his camp, where he had been staying and was able to call 911 at around noon on July 13 to request assistance.
Seven hours later, Saul was discovered in the forest by members of the Nevada County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team. The dog ran 20 feet in front of them while jumping up and down and spinning in circles, according to Sergeant Haack. Saul then appeared to say, “Follow me,” as he turned his head to face the volunteers.
“Hey, I think this dog is trying to lead us somewhere,” Sergeant Haack recalled a volunteer saying by radio. “So we’re going to follow him.”
At a nearby command post, Sergeant Haack and others were puzzled.
“We didn’t put a whole lot of faith in it,” he said. “But I do put a lot of faith in our searchers because they’re extremely good at what they do.”
After following Saul for about 200 yards, they came across the wounded man, who was in pain but grateful for his loyal dog and the volunteers. He was resting in a bed of dirt and was covered by a camouflage tarp.
Sergeant Haack exclaimed, “I was pleasantly surprised.”
The man with injuries that were not life-threatening was transported by helicopter to a hospital, according to the authorities. Sergeant Haack characterized the victim as someone who lived “somewhat of a secluded lifestyle.”
They claimed that Saul, who has a white spot on his chest and pensive eyes, ought to receive “the true credit.”
25 volunteers from the Nevada County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue set out to search the area where the man had been hiking because it was inaccessible to vehicles.
Other agencies went to the park to look for the man, whose companion had sent the authorities pictures of Saul as the search was underway.
The search teams could see right away that Saul intended them to stay behind, according to Sergeant Haack.
“One of the guys said it made eye contact,” he recalled.
The collie was transported to a nearby nonprofit that cares for animals and was ultimately reunited with his owner after Saul guided the search team to the man.
Rescue stories like Saul’s are uncommon, and it is not yet settled whether dogs can actively seek out other people who can help their troubled owners.
Even though he and the other rescuers admired Saul’s dedication, Sergeant Haack stated that he believed the searchers sent out that day would have finally found the man.
The man was in the hospital a day after being found with Saul’s help and stated his desperation to be reunited with his dog, according to Sergeant Haack.
Later that afternoon, after spending the day being petted and praised, the man picked up Saul.
And even better, a stick of beef jerky was added to the prize, according to Sergeant Haack, making it fit for a good dog.
