Hot on the heels of a Colorado dog being found alongside its owner ten weeks after that owner went missing in the wild and died of hypothermia, another Colorado canine was rescued by hikers after spending months in the wild.
That dog is a Bernese mountain dog named Nova which was found at Meyers Ranch Park. Nova, a 14-month-old pup that is currently in service dog training. She slipped her harness two months ago and bolted from her owner, who is disabled, after getting scared in a parking lot. Nova subsequently had to survive in the wild for months, braving snowstorms, starvation, and a broken leg.
But then she was rescued by two hikers, as the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office announced in a post on X (formerly Twitter), shortly before Thanksgiving, with the hikers managing to rescue Nova despite her biting at them in terror when they found her.
Beginning its November 21 post on the matter, in which it included a number of pictures of the rescued pup, the JCSO said, “With Thanksgiving right around the corner, we want to share this story of thanksgiving for the acts of kindness shown to a lost pet.”
Then, introducing what happened, the JSCO said, “On 11/19/23, @JeffcoOpenSpace Rangers and @jeffcosheriffco Animal Control responded to Meyers Ranch Park for a dog bite. Two hikers found a dog on the trail with no owner in sight.“
Continuing, the department explained how the hikers initially tried to rescue Nova on their own but, when she started biting, the called for help: “They tried to befriend the dog, but it was injured and scared. One of the hikers was bit while attempting to carry the wounded pet down the mountain. Despite that, they knew the pup needed help, and they called us.”
Fortunately, their efforts proved successful, with Animal Contol, a park ranger, and the hikers working to rescue the dog and manage the logistics of finding and returning her to her owner. As the JSCO put it: “One hiker remained with the dog while the other came down for medical help and to show rescuers where to go. As luck would have it, a ranger remembered a lost dog poster posted in the park over a month ago. #JCSO Animal Control called the owner to arrange a meet-up at the trailhead.“
Then, giving the happy news that the dog is recovering at home despite having been missing for months, the JSCO said, “The #Jeffco Rangers and Animal Control Officers hiked in and successfully brought the injured pup down. The dog, Nova, was reunited with its owner after having been missing for two months! The dog has a broken leg, but it is resting comfortably at home and awaiting possible surgery. A special thanks to everyone involved in helping Nova return home!“
Concluding, the office quoted South African wildlife activist Paul Oxton: “Of all the special things we choose to do for our planet, let one of them to be of service to animals.”
Featured image credit: JSCO Twitter
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