Dog Found (and saved): Mt. Bierstadt!

[CT animal rescuer]

We hopefully all learn and grow from our actions. I am so happy she is safe and thank God for the great team of dedicated rescuers otherwise she would be dead.

[DaveSwink]

[quote="wildlobo71"]I would hope that this thread gets stored away and a quick-reply link to it can be accessed to reply to anyone in the future of this forum who asks the question [b]"Can my dog make it up/across [xyz mountain]?"[/b][/quote]

Good thought, Bill. This could be something very positive that can come from this unfortunate incident. Hopefully, this will prevent bad decisions from being made in the future.

[metalmountain]

But are you freaking serious? He created this as a trolling opportunity? You need your head examimed, and soon.

Cut back on the Oxy & meth.

Tony showed up after the dog was found; not before.

You do know that not everyone in the world knows about this website right? I had been hiking for years before I ever realized this site existed. I meet people all the time on peaks who have no idea what this site is.

[evepin]

I left her because I felt that I had to. I didn't go hiking with the intention of leaving my dog up there.

You and Kristen, and now others seem to be missing the point. Not very many people are chastising you for your decision to leave your dog, which you and her seem to endlessly defend. What people are finding deplorable is that outside of what sounds like a few phone calls, you more or less shrugged your shoulders, stared at the blisters on your feet, and then with the consolation from friends that, "Well, she probably passed away in a few days anyways", carried on.

I keep seeing the pictures of how loved she appears to be, and all his friends keep telling me how much he loves her. Yep, each time I see and read these it truly tugs at my heartstrings, but then I just go back to page one of this thread and see the picture of the dog laying there, thirsty, hungry, tired, scared, lonely, injured.....and not one god damn person looking for her, even in the first few days. You may love her, but not enough apparently...sorry.

P.S. I freakin love it..."we had to risk drinking creek water"....

Absolutely! - it's not about forgiveness - everyone can understand making mistakes and bad decisions. Now it's about whether or not this person is responsible enough to get his dog back. He has spent more time and effort trying to get his dog back AFTER she has been rescued than when she was laying on the mountain suffering and slowing dying.....

[gearhunter]

Her old life ended when the people she counted on the most left her, and her new life begins with one of the rescuers, or anyone who won't abandon her, for that matter.

And this is all that really needs to be said !

[CoMountainGirl1]

Thank you for the support. Thank you Thank you Thank you. I wouldn't mind being in a 9 News Story if I could thank everyone for rescuing her, and warn against taking dogs into tough spots like that. Seriously though I just want to find her and start dialog with whoever has her.

It was not abandonment in that sense by the way. It was a bad desicion that went very bad. I left her because I felt that I had to. I didn't go hiking with the intention of leaving my dog up there. Please if you know where she is and can put me in touch with her please help me. You all have done so much already.

Yes Kristen is real, she is a very close friend of mine.

I have to disagree with you completely that this was not abandonment, it was in every sense of the way. Yes, it was a bad decision to leave, yes, maybe you felt you had to, but come on, you and Kristen keep forgetting to mention that you NEVER went back up to get her/check on her/leave her food & water/send someone to get her/ask for your friends to help get her, etc. In my opinion, THAT is abandonment plain and simple. You had a responsibility to that animal and you failed in a huge way. She is a dog, she can't fend for herself up there. Did you think about your dog starving, dehydrated, bleeding, sleeping on the side of the mountain? It must not have made you lose any sleep at night or else you would have done something about it. You can beg and plead and get people on here to say that you are such a great dog owner to Missy but that doesn’t change the fact that your dog was hurt and you left her to die. That, my friend, is called animal cruelty and if you don’t get that, then you shouldn’t own a dog no matter how much you claim to love her. Enough about the rough terrain, enough about that it was a bad decision to bring her up there, the people on this forum can’t get over the fact that you went home to sleep in your cozy house while your companion, the dog you call “Missy Girl”, starves to death on the side of a mountain. Shame on you and shame on your friends for coming on here (when they knew your dog was stranded and still did nothing about it) and saying how much you loved your dog. Anyone who truly cared for their pet would make an effort to retrieve it, it is as simple as that.

I also think you should think twice about wanting to go on 9news, the wrath of the people of Colorado about this story might come back to bite you big time. I can tell you that the authorities are most likely already involved through the vet that cared for your dog and your friend Kristen did you no favors by posting your full name and her phone number on here. I would be worried if I were you about animal control making a visit to your front door very soon.

[Dave B]

As a dog owner just consider this: you're stuck on a mountain after a long hike in a huge storm. Your dog is badly injured and has lost the will to even walk. Carrying her is hurting her, forcing her down the mountain is hurting her. (Hurting her to the point that you're scared she may lose her life if she continues). You yourself are scared for your own life. What would you do?

Continue carrying her.

I would imagine that the "pain" of being carried off a mountain would greatly be eclipsed by that of a slow death of thirst and exposure. There is no such acceptable rationalization.

It's great that so many of Anthony's friends are coming forward to talk about what a great dog person he was but thus occurrence does not match such a claim. I understand the incoming storm and need to retreat, but there is no excuse for doing absolutely nothing else for 8 days. That's not love.

At a bare minimum leave no trace ethics would dictate a return to the mountain with friends to retrieve and cremate the body of the dog (if the dog was assumed to have died). I'd certainly want that if my dog had died on the mountain.

[BillMiddlebrook]

You do know that not everyone in the world knows about this website right? I had been hiking for years before I ever realized this site existed. I meet people all the time on peaks who have no idea what this site is.

[DaveSwink]

[quote="evepin"]Absolutely! - it's not about forgiveness - everyone can understand making mistakes and bad decisions. Now it's about whether or not this person is responsible enough to get his dog back. He has spent more time and effort trying to get his dog back AFTER she has been rescued than when she was laying on the mountain suffering and slowing dying.....[/quote]

How about it Anthony? Why don't you call your local animal shelter, pledge a hundred hours of service, and then post the phone number of the shelter? That would be man-ing up much more than asking your friends and boss (mother next?) to post weak character references.

Own your negligence, pay for it, grow and move on.

[James Dziezynski]

Her old life ended when the people she counted on the most left her, and her new life begins with one of the rescuers, or anyone who won't abandon her, for that matter.

And this is all that really needs to be said !

I second this. Canine or human, your partners in the mountains are bound together and you broke that bond, you left your partner behind. As others have mentioned, your choice to bail off the mountain is understandable and regrettable. Your lack of action afterward is unforgivable. Twist the truth as you like, you left your dog to die on an easily accessible mountain. Let Missy have a new life with a better, more responsible owner.

[21kmiller]

For anyone who doubts me being a real person fighting with Anthony to get Missy back is crazy, lol I am very much a real person a gret friend of Anthony's for a very long time! Hence the reason why I blasted my phone number all over this site.... I understand everyones anger in this situation and everyones emotions are going crazy right now, that is normal... but you have to also consider the WHOLE situation that even led Anthony to making that decision... we were not there with him so who are we to judge what his feelings were or what actually happened? Its so easy for everyone to say "I would have done this, or I would have done that, etc." But when people are faced with situations that alter the state of mind, not everyon reacts the same in a poor mental and phsyical state. All I know for certain is that Anthony is a loyal dog owner, a great friend and a great father... I know without a doubt that he did everything he could under the circumstances to get her down. We all know carrying a 120 pound German Sheppard is not easy for anyone, especially while injured but I know he did ALL that he could at that particular moment. I know the phone call I received from Anthony the day this all occured was real in every way possible, tears, guilt, anger all of it was real just as the love he has for Missy. I think at this point we all need to take a step back and let the authorities determine what happens as ultimately they have last say... everyone will always have their opinions about this story and that is fine, but until you yourself are faced in a situation like this there is no room to judge or take away the love that dogs and humans share. If anyone wants to validate me being real feel free to do so - 303-501-6113! I will be happy to help in anyway that I can but do not reach out to me if your going to be negative.

Thanks to everyone that is supportive of the situation and everyone that helped rescue Missy, words cannot express the gratefulness I have for you and I know they will be re-united in the very near future!! =)

[metalmountain]

You do know that not everyone in the world knows about this website right? I had been hiking for years before I ever realized this site existed. I meet people all the time on peaks who have no idea what this site is.

Only when on peaks other than 14ers of course I should have specified.