I'm not about to say anything "new" here, but this is something that's been sticking with me. I've been in a position where my feet would literally not have allowed ME, personally, to go back for my dog. It wouldn't have been safe to have me tottering around out there probably creating a whole new SAR-necessary situation. And if this was a Sunday (confirmed), and his boss sent him out of town the next day, ok, his hands are now even slightly more tied. Some might say, "he should have called in sick." Perhaps, but not every job situation would allow that particular course of action. HOWEVER, if I was physically unable to mount the rescue effort myself, AND I didn't know about this website/forum, AND I was "incapacitated" by work responsibilities, you bet your sweet behinds I still would have done SOMETHING. SOMEONE from my "camp" would have been at Guanella Pass in my absence with posters. My (non hiking) dog is FAMILY. Period. Sure, some will say, "it's only a dog," and for some that's true (and for those people I feel truly sorry). But if I was out of town? My mother would have flown in from freakin' Ohio and sat at GP in her rental car for as long as it took to beg someone to do something/anything. I know that's also not necessarily an option for some, but the point is, you do SOMETHING. There is absolutely NO indication he did anything but chalk the dog up for dead. Not cool. He knows it's not cool. I will say it definitely takes some balls to come forward and admit the mistake, but it doesn't alleviate the fact he did nothing. Abandoning the dog might not have been avoidable. Not doing something WAS avoidable.oldschoolczar wrote:Did I see the guy's boss posting a few pages back? Something about sending him on a business trip the next day.
A responsible dog owner would've called in sick and been out looking for their dog. Family > Work.
My gut would say, "you had to make a seriously difficult decision that I hope none of the rest of us is every faced with making, and it's great that you sound sincerely sorry now, but the fact of the matter is you did nothing proactive to help your situation, therefore, you forfeit your claim on that beauty of a dog." However, as a few have pointed out, dogs are LOYAL. I guarantee you Missy wants to go home (and to her that is Anthony). Even as a dog owner myself it's always amazed me that as humans we cherish such blind, unwavering loyalty (especially when we've done nothing to earn it and/or everything to destroy it), but I think that's why dogs are so special to so many.
Dude screwed up. No question. Rescuers rock! No question. Fines and penalties for still-current owner? Absolutely. But at the end of the day the dog didn't do anything wrong and she deserves to get her life back (if you can't look at it as him getting the dog back, perhaps turn it around and realize it's about the DOG here).