‘Hero’ dog helps save man stuck in mud for two days
A canine altercation has unwittingly helped emergency responders rescue a Taber dog walker trapped in mud for two days earlier this week.
A post by the Taber Police Service says they received a complaint early on Thursday morning about a potentially injured dog at large on the north side of the Taber Sugar Factory property. Police attended the area but say they were unable to locate the dog.
A few hours later, police received another complaint that a man and his dog had been bitten by a large dog in the same area.
Responders found a large Akita dog laying on a berm. As they approached they heard cries for help from a 61-year-old man who was located nearby, hidden behind tall grasses in a muddy ditch.
Police say the man told rescuers he had been stuck there for two days with his dog, named Hero, staying by his side helping to keep him warm, as well as fending off coyotes at one point.
With the assistance of Taber Emergency Services, the man was rescued and transported to hospital in Lethbridge.
The post did not include information on the extent of the man’s injuries.
Police say the other dog walker who had been bitten by the Akita received medical attention. Police say when told of the circumstances, he was understanding of the situation and grateful the other man had been rescued.
The Taber Lost Paws Society, a community partner and dog shelter, has organized a GoFundMe campaign (gofund.me/ccda5792) to help cover some of the veterinary costs involved in treating both dogs, along with a second dog owned by the rescued man who is assumed to have been injured running between his residence and the rescue site over the two-day ordeal.