Amazing Dog rescue on Mt. Bierstadt! Must read.

Wily Fox aka Angela wrote: I agree with all that you said, SC - to the point of not being able to get her down. I do not blame him for those actions. BUT the actions or NON actions I do BLAME HIM. For him to just assume she was dead and make NO effort to get her is inexcusable. those are not the actions of someone that loves their dog.

except I am sure he loves his dog but unfortunately he is too incompetent to get his dog back. It is just not worth the risk and the ones who saved her should not feel pressured to give her back to him. i feel a bit of compassion but he just should not get the dog back. This most likely will be tried in a court if he pursues it however, one new issue is yet another forum locking the thread. I tried contact them and could find no way to do it. I thought it was an important discussion. Maybe they unlocked it now.

I read almost all of the thread, and I understand peoples anger, it makes me angry too...but to keep Missy from her owner is punishing the dog, not the owner. Dogs have an amazing loyalty, and if 1/4 of what those who know the owner say is true then he and Missy had a wonderful relationship before this incident. Yes, he abandoned her, and personally I don't think he deserves to get Missy back, but knowing dogs, that is not what Missy thinks, she just wants to go home.

archer wrote: I read almost all of the thread, and I understand peoples anger, it makes me angry too...but to keep Missy from her owner is punishing the dog, not the owner. Dogs have an amazing loyalty, and if 1/4 of what those who know the owner say is true then he and Missy had a wonderful relationship before this incident. Yes, he abandoned her, and personally I don't think he deserves to get Missy back, but knowing dogs, that is not what Missy thinks, she just wants to go home.

:faint: OMIGOD, I can't believe that I am agreeing with archer, but I think the best thing for the dog is returning to its original owner.

I once got into some rockier terrain than I was expecting hiking with my dog and had to carry her from place to place, but she was only a 50 pound Aussie Shepherd, trying to carry out a beat up 100 pound dog in tougher terrain would be hard.
The part that really pisses me off is not going right back for the pooch..

I was watching 7 News this morning. ( looks like hey finally picked up the story) They were saying that Animal Control will have the final say in where the dog goes. They said it might take months? How the hell could it take months? I have to agree with Archer, for the dog's sake she ought to go back with her owner. Assuming everything he claims about being a good dog owner is true.
One has to wonder why she wasn't licenesed, arn't dog licenses required in all Colorado counties?

However I would not trust him to dog sit Abby.

Bill the owner a finder's fee of $1000 if he does want the dog back? If he is willing to pay to get back the dog, he must care about it.

That's quite a story. I'm not going to weigh in on not coming back for your dog.

I can tell you that I carried my 70-pound mixed breed out once when I thought she'd broken a leg. She was down and not using one leg. Soaking wet form playing in a stream and I picked her up and carried her. I thought I was going to bust an artery or something, huffing and puffing. Face so red I could feel it, and finally when I'd gone as far as I could, I gently laid her down. I expected her to lay there in pain, instead she looked at me, gave me a goofy dog smile, hopped up and trotted down the trail.............. Darned dog!

There is a great video of a cliff side dog rescue on Elk Creek's FaceBook page: [url=httpshttps://www.facebook.com/ElkCreekFireDepartment" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;]httpshttps://www.facebook.com/ElkCreekFireDepartment[/url]

If you like dogs and high angle rescues, it might be something you'd like to see. )

Best dog I ever had I found on top of GA pass in a blizzard, one eye, totally beaten up.
Gave her the best 14 years of her life and she gave me the best in her.

I will gladdly take a hike with this guy on the divide and explain the proper care of a pet.

ElkCreekFireDepartment wrote: That's quite a story. I'm not going to weigh in on not coming back for your dog.

I can tell you that I carried my 70-pound mixed breed out once when I thought she'd broken a leg. She was down and not using one leg. Soaking wet form playing in a stream and I picked her up and carried her. I thought I was going to bust an artery or something, huffing and puffing. Face so red I could feel it, and finally when I'd gone as far as I could, I gently laid her down. I expected her to lay there in pain, instead she looked at me, gave me a goofy dog smile, hopped up and trotted down the trail.............. Darned dog!

Now that is funny right there, I don't care who you are.

Wow, I did not see this coming.

Man Charged For Abandoning Dog On Mount Bierstadt

Anthony Ortolani Faces Cruelty To Animals Charge

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/31 ... 0108172012

Quote from the couple that found her:
"I just don’t think that his actions have shown that he is a responsible dog owner,” Washburn said. “We understand that he had to leave her there. My wife and I did the same thing. But we ended up going back for her, and we went to some pretty extreme lengths to do so. In my opinion, that is not a responsible dog owner, who doesn’t really care about her."

I agree, they would like to adopt her and I think they have a strong case to do so.