Rescue on the Mountain

[Tony]

A 14,000 foot mountain in Colorado to be more specific. The owner apparently abandoned the dog up there to die; should he get her back, or has he given up all rights to her?

Injured Dog Rescued From Mountain; Owner Who Left It There Wants It Back

About 13,500 feet above the ground, among the snow-capped peaks of Mount Bierstadt in Colorado, Scott Washburn and his wife, Amanda, found an abandoned, dying German shepherd dog. ...

[MoeMoe]

I read this the other day, the couple that found her, should keep her for sure. Oh, and that link is not working.

[Tony]

Yikes, that was one mangled link! I think I fixed it. Here it is straight from ABC: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headline...wants-it-back/

I think I tend to side with the original owner. He may have been a bit quick to assume it died, but once God sent angels to rescue her for him, why shouldn't he get her back? It's not like there's a history of abuse or anything.

[ministerswife]

Yikes, that was one mangled link! I think I fixed it. Here it is straight from ABC: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headline...wants-it-back/

I think I tend to side with the original owner. He may have been a bit quick to assume it died, but once God sent angels to rescue her for him, why shouldn't he get her back? It's not like there's a history of abuse or anything.

Not being a "blogger" or one who frequents links (I visit them but only when I think I have to) I'm tending to think that way too. I say this because recently my experience with what I thought to be animal abuse proved totally incorrect on investigation (by me). I looked into it and found no abuse, actually just dog lovers with maybe too many dogs that tend to make too much noise. The owner may well be suffering remorse now for making a too-quick decision; but that decision shouldn’t take away his ownership.

[KatherineA]

The guy did not go back and even try to get his dog. There is no way he should have that dog back. Further, he took the dog to a place that was dangerous for it - another reason he should not get the dog back. He made no shelter for it, left it no water, or food. He should be left on that mountain top under those conditions.

[ministerswife]

The guy did not go back and even try to get his dog. There is no way he should have that dog back. Further, he took the dog to a place that was dangerous for it - another reason he should not get the dog back. He made no shelter for it, left it no water, or food. He should be left on that mountain top under those conditions.

I misunderstood at first and thought the original owner believed the dog was dead. That's what I get for not reading the link in the first place; thanks for the more informed data.
After going into the link and getting the full story, I am changing my mind; and yes, Mr. O (the original dog owner) no longer deserves this dog. In essence, he abandoned and neglected this poor animal that he knew was in distress and by his own admission helpless (not dead). The rescuers clearly demonstrate a higher responsibility and character of animal ownership and they, I agree, deserve to keep the dog. The thought that breaks my heart for the most part is that I am sure the dog wouldn’t leave its owner in that shape.

[Tony]

I am sure the dog wouldn’t leave its owner in that shape.

I dunno about that. Not long ago I was watching one of these TV shows about survival and the subject was a girl seriously wounded off-trail in a national park. She was dying, and her dog left her. One of the search party spotted the dog a while later and knew something was up and eventually found and saved her.

I suppose you can anthropomorphize and say the dog understood it had to go get help, but really from a pure survival mode I think it's clear the dog knew it was damn hungry and had to find someone to feed it. It really didn't hesitate for long before abandoning it's human. Which in the end turned out to be a Good Thing!

Cats are even worse, and would probably eat your liver before wandering off to do Cat Things.

[ministerswife]

I dunno about that. Not long ago I was watching one of these TV shows about survival and the subject was a girl seriously wounded off-trail in a national park. She was dying, and her dog left her. One of the search party spotted the dog a while later and knew something was up and eventually found and saved her.

I suppose you can anthropomorphize and say the dog understood it had to go get help, but really from a pure survival mode I think it's clear the dog knew it was damn hungry and had to find someone to feed it. It really didn't hesitate for long before abandoning it's human. Which in the end turned out to be a Good Thing!

Cats are even worse, and would probably eat your liver before wandering off to do Cat Things.

I prefer to "anthromorphize" (or as the Brits say, "anthromorphise"). However, I must remember what the scorpion said to the frog, right?

[MoeMoe]

Tony, just curious...why do you think the original owner should get the dog back?

[Tony]

Tony, just curious...why do you think the original owner should get the dog back?

I said earlier. He loved and cared for the dog for many years, never abusing it in any way. Then he made the mistake of hiking up this massive mountain and made the bigger mistake of bringing the dog along. When the dog seemed to be dying, he did what any sane person would and left it and tried to save himself.

It's really great that about that time a healthy, right-thinking couple came along and was able to help. But I think they would be best off simply giving it back. There are plenty of dogs they can 'rescue' if they really want another dog.

Admittedly, this line of reasoning takes a lot of thought that really wasn't included in the news reports. Did the guy just go home and go about his life as if nothing happened, or was he also trying desperately to mount rescue expeditions up the mountain? We don't know.

Perhaps in the end it comes down to people knowing their limits. And certainly their pet's limits. I know I would never try to climb a 14,000 foot mountain! And if I was forced to I would not voluntarily bring my dog along. So the guy is stupid? Since when is stupidity reason enough to take away a person's pet?

[MoeMoe]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1890758.html Well, he didnt get the dog back after all, but did pay all her expenses.

[Tony]

Thanks for the followup.

[Elizabeth]

The guy did not go back and even try to get his dog. There is no way he should have that dog back. Further, he took the dog to a place that was dangerous for it - another reason he should not get the dog back. He made no shelter for it, left it no water, or food. He should be left on that mountain top under those conditions.

And that right there folks is ABUSE. Even by West Virginia standards- which as we all probably know are preeeetty Low.

[Elizabeth]

I said earlier. He loved and cared for the dog for many years, never abusing it in any way. Then he made the mistake of hiking up this massive mountain and made the bigger mistake of bringing the dog along. When the dog seemed to be dying, he did what any sane person would and left it and tried to save himself.

It's really great that about that time a healthy, right-thinking couple came along and was able to help. But I think they would be best off simply giving it back. There are plenty of dogs they can 'rescue' if they really want another dog.

Admittedly, this line of reasoning takes a lot of thought that really wasn't included in the news reports. Did the guy just go home and go about his life as if nothing happened, or was he also trying desperately to mount rescue expeditions up the mountain? We don't know.

Perhaps in the end it comes down to people knowing their limits. And certainly their pet's limits. I know I would never try to climb a 14,000 foot mountain! And if I was forced to I would not voluntarily bring my dog along. So the guy is stupid? Since when is stupidity reason enough to take away a person's pet?

Geez. This is a really good argument too. I'm officially torn.

[KatherineA]

The fact that he didn't even attempt a rescue or try to do more about the dog - like putting together a private rescue effort seals the deal for me. Since he didn't try, he's more than just stupid to me and should not get the dog back.

Like the owner of the gorgeous femail pit bull that was found in John Brown Farm - this guy is the same way. The dog has been returned to him twice now, both times the owner has been advised that the dog would be euthanised if found and picked up by Animal Control - The owner also has been advised that the dog is dumb about cars, traffic and will jump in anyone's car and go with that person. Still the owner lets the dog roam. Such people should only be allowed to have goldfish (if anything), not dogs.