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Hiker climbs 13,000ft to rescue Missy the German Shepherd after owner left it to die
UK Daily Mail ^ | 8-16-2012 | Emily Anne Epstein

Posted on 08/17/2012 11:47:30 AM PDT by Mountain Bike Vomit Carnage

Two Denver hikers are locked in a bitter battle over the fate of a German Shepard named Missy, who was abandoned by one and then rescued by another at 13,000 feet.

Scott Washburn found the dog bloodied and near-death atop Colorado's Mt Bierstadt and then organized a search and rescue party to save her.

He wants to keep the dog, alleging that Anthony Ortolani lacks the ability or compassion to care for the creature, which went without food and water for eight days.

But Mr Ortolani says he didn't abandon the animal, an oncoming storm forced him to choose between staying by her side and perishing, or going down the mountain without her.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2189640/Canine-custody-battle-Hiker-climbed-13-000ft-rescue-Missy-German-Shepherd-wants-owner-forced-leave-dog-mountain.html#ixzz23pYWurwx

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Outdoors; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: dog; doggieping; germanshepherd; hero; kindness; love
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To: colorado tanker
I can understand why the owner felt forced to abandon her, but I don’t understand why he didn’t go back later to try to rescue her.

Those July snowstorms are brutal. /s If this "mountain climber" didn't have provisions for an over-nighter, he never should have gone.

21 posted on 08/17/2012 12:24:00 PM PDT by gundog (Help us, Nairobi-Wan Kenobi...you're our only hope.)
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To: Mountain Bike Vomit Carnage

Finders keepers. She was left behind and therefore discarded. Any finder can keep her, including a friend that knew of her. That, and the owner didn’t go back for her so he gives up rights to her.

She a georgeous German Shepherd.


22 posted on 08/17/2012 12:24:16 PM PDT by CodeToad (Anticipate their arrival...they won't.)
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To: freedumb2003
I'll never criticize you for your position. I have a GSD, the 6th we've had in the past almost 50 years and I would nevwer abandon her for any reason whatsoever. If it is my choice between MY life and abandoning her to save it or staying with her and trying to save us both I opt for the second choice.

There are no better friends than properly cared for dogs. A dog could live a life of luxury with it's owner, feeding on prime rib and sleeping in a down bed. Should his master lose everything the next day the animal will stay by his side even if he lived under abridge in a cardboard box.

This is the nature of “man's best friend”

23 posted on 08/17/2012 12:24:24 PM PDT by beenaround
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To: F15Eagle

Folks who don’t care enough about an animal to go back and get it should never have had it in the first place. I would have carried that dog to safety if it meant my own life was forfeit. And I’m a woman.

The “owner” was just that: an owner, not a loving, caring companion for the dog. Shame on that guy. He never even tried.


24 posted on 08/17/2012 12:25:26 PM PDT by Monkey Face (Dogs + stress = If you can't eat it or play with it, pee on it and waIlk away.)
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To: freedumb2003

I don’t even like to leave my dog home alone when I have to go to my office. I’d sure as hell rather die with him than leave him stranded on a mountain.

BTW, what was this guy doing taking his dog up there in the first place?

Missy belongs to the one who carried her to safety, not the one who abandoned her to die.


25 posted on 08/17/2012 12:25:30 PM PDT by Argus
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To: freedumb2003
if I have to choose between the dog and life, I choose the dog.

I'm with you on that. I've always liked this quote sort of on the same subject:

"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die
I want to go where they went."

Will Rogers, 1897-1935

26 posted on 08/17/2012 12:26:20 PM PDT by Menehune56 ("Let them hate so long as they fear" (Oderint Dum Metuant), Lucius Accius (170 BC - 86 BC))
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To: Mountain Bike Vomit Carnage
This is Colorado, the Denver area, not some wasteland in Nepal.
Help and civilization are not that far away.
IOW, I don't believe the hiker's "the dog or my life" excuse.
27 posted on 08/17/2012 12:26:34 PM PDT by ZOOKER ( Exploring the fine line between cynicism and outright depression)
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To: Mountain Bike Vomit Carnage

A local article has less of an antagonistic slant than the DailyFail article:
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/31359821/detail.html

There was a younger hiker there the person was responsible for as well, and the person recognizes their own mistakes—they’re not being insistent about getting the dog back.

Dailymail wants to pretend it was simply the owner abandoning the dog, and that each side wanting the dog are in some sort of cage match battle.

People make mistakes. Who should have the dog? Not my call. Darn glad this beautiful little girl has been rescued. If she goes back to the original owner, I think she’s going to be more appreciated. Certainly the original owner learned the hard way a government agency isn’t going to take the owner’s responsibility on themselves.

Fortunately, the folks I see around here that take their dogs on rocky trails mostly put the little shoes on their dogs and keep an eye on their condition.


28 posted on 08/17/2012 12:27:03 PM PDT by saundby
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To: PeteB570
My vote? Finders Keepers.

Agreed.

29 posted on 08/17/2012 12:27:03 PM PDT by who knows what evil? (G-d saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.org.)
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Comment #30 Removed by Moderator

To: colorado tanker

From the internet I’ve learned that the owner couldn’t carry the dog; and that authorities were contacted and declared that they couldn’t do it.


31 posted on 08/17/2012 12:27:30 PM PDT by OldNavyVet
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Comment #32 Removed by Moderator

To: BCR #226

Amen, Brother!


33 posted on 08/17/2012 12:28:03 PM PDT by tbd108
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To: Mountain Bike Vomit Carnage

Finders Keepers. Totally.


34 posted on 08/17/2012 12:29:42 PM PDT by Miss Behave (All ways, always.)
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To: freedumb2003
It may seem crazy to people who don’t have pets,

I have pets, and I don't necessarily agree. I would try just about anything in my power to take the dog with me, or heck, even drag it behind me in something, but if I absolutely had to choose between my life and my dogs, then I would choose my life. But I find it difficult to imagine a case where I would really have to choose like that. I totally understand what the original guy did.. but as soon as humanly possibly, I would have gone back to get the dog.

As another poster said it, he gave up his rights to it when he didn't go back for it, in my opinion.

35 posted on 08/17/2012 12:30:11 PM PDT by Paradox (I want Obama defeated. Period.)
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To: Sark
In a life-or-death situation, a person’s life is worth more than an animal’s.

There's a sweeping generalization.

36 posted on 08/17/2012 12:30:25 PM PDT by gundog (Help us, Nairobi-Wan Kenobi...you're our only hope.)
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To: ladyrustic

Agreed.


37 posted on 08/17/2012 12:30:41 PM PDT by fortheDeclaration (Pr 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation:but sin is a reproach to any people)
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To: Mountain Bike Vomit Carnage

I think we all know the likely result if Missy were placed in a room with the rescuer and the guy that abandoned her to make a choice between them. You can see the intelligence in her eyes.


38 posted on 08/17/2012 12:31:41 PM PDT by T-Bird45 (It feels like the seventies, and it shouldn't.)
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To: colorado tanker

I read one post that alluded to the owner’s own boss posting a response that suggested he wanted to but was unable to. I didn’t, however go thru all of the posts to find it, so I don’t know. I am always hesitant to come out and give a judgement on someone based on these kinds of stories since I know the media likes to yank us around by our heartstrings and may not post all of the information.
I know it would break my heart to leave my own dog like that and I cannot imagine not going back to try to find her if I was forced to. But it’s always easier to make pronouncements from the comfort of my home.
I can only say I feel very sorry about what that dog had to endure and very happy that she is safe now. Her rescuers deserve kudus.


39 posted on 08/17/2012 12:33:22 PM PDT by brytlea (An ounce of chocolate is worth a pound of cure)
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To: Mountain Bike Vomit Carnage

It appears to be a case of a lost item - if it was a lost tent or even a GPS unit left behind, I doubt few would think that there’s a legal obligation (though of course a moral one) to return the property to the one who abandoned it.

However, this appears to not be the case - he was ‘forced’ to abandon his dog in a dangerous situation, returned to safety, and notified others. If this dog had slipped down into a creek or a drainage hole, no one would think the fireman who rescues the dog now owns it. The original owner should pay for any and all costs incurred in retrieving his property and friend, and get the dog back.

And absolutely deserves every stone tossed towards him for taking his dog up on such a hike in the first place. Then again, don’t even know if that’s even legal anymore... might disturb a protected species habitat...


40 posted on 08/17/2012 12:35:53 PM PDT by kingu (Everything starts with slashing the size and scope of the federal government.)
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