There are two types of "lost pet" stories: The happy ones, where good Samaritans lend a helping hand and everything works out in the end, and the unhappy ones, which we don't talk about.
Well. Here we are, talking. I'll let Portia Scovern, the non-canine hero of this story, explain (via her Facebook post):
We rescued a doggy from an abandoned mine shaft outside Fairplay/Southpark, Colorado!! She is not reported missing at any vet or police station and she is not microchipped..She is underweight and dehydrated, but we are shocked that she has no injuries after a 20ft fall. The story gets worse.. Preston was hiking this area over A WEEK ago when he heard sounds coming from the cave. He thought it was a wild animal so he did not investigate. He came to hike here again today when he heard actual barking; At which point he called Gannon and I to come help.
A subsequent update on Ms. Scovern's post confirms that the owner was located within a day. The little pup -- whose name is Cheyenne -- had been missing for just over two weeks, but her human caught wind of the Facebook post and stepped up to recover his furry friend.
In comments on Ms. Scovern's Facebook post, owner Michael Captain expressed confusion over the idea that Cheyenne could have fallen down the abandoned mine shaft. As it turns out, she's an extreme hiking dog!
"That dog's been in mines and caves all over the country," Captain wrote. "Climbed 14ers [and] 13ers, been thru the desert. Seriously doubt she just fell into a mine shaft."
The comment about "14ers and 13ers" is apparently a reference to mountain climbing terms, and specifically a peak's highest point. So a "14er," for example, has an elevation of more than 14,000 feet.
In short: Cheyenne has probably logged more climbing time than most of you.
But that's not all. In a follow-up comment, Captain explained how Cheyenne operates when they're out hiking together. He also shared a little of his own experience of trying to find her.
"She's trained to call. If she hears vehicles or people she will bark letting you know stuff is around," he wrote. "I stayed out there on the mountain for 3 days listening for her and calling. She was my long range dog radar. Dogs are sensors!"
Good dog. And good people all around.
Credit: Facebook/Portia Scovern via Storyful
Topics Animals
