Group of Hikers Find Lost Dog 30 Feet Down in a Cave in Indiana
Losing a dog is hard. If you're the kind of person who loves dogs to the ends of the Earth and would do anything for them, you know just how terrible it is to lose a pup. Even just imagining it is painful.
This is because, to all dog lovers, dogs aren't just pets; they're family. They see us at our best and worst, and they never judge us for any of it. They're simply there for us through it all.
They may sometimes cause a bit of trouble here and there; they might occasionally mess up the house when we're out, and they might even cost us a couple of hundred bucks and some shoes, but those inconveniences don't compare to the amount of love and joy they bring into our lives. It's simply incomparable.
When they're not there, our homes feel like entirely different places. In fact, and this isn't being overdramatic, everything kind of loses its shine. It is just terrible.
That is what this pup's family might have felt during the two weeks he was gone. Thankfully, a group of hikers arrived just in time to save the pup and reunite him with his family.
While exploring the caves in the Dewey Hickman Nature Preserve in Indiana, this group of hikers caught a glimpse of something moving about 30 feet below them. Taking a closer look, they were surprised to see that the movement wasn't coming from some lurking predator or cave inhabitant; it was coming from a very skinny dog who clearly needed help fast.
As soon as they realized it was a dog, they knew right away that there was no chance of leaving him behind. They didn't care if the dog, who they later learned was named Hawkeye, was just a stray or someone's missing beloved pet. They were determined to get the dog help and rescue him as soon as possible.
“They rappelled down, tied him up in a harness, and lifted him out,” April Breeden of Harrison County Animal Control said. “When Hawkeye came out of the cave, he was very emaciated. Once they were in the cave with him and once he got out as well, he was very gentle. They originally rappelled down to check it out and came back up. He started barking like, ‘Don’t leave me.’”
The hikers had very little idea about how long Hawkeye had been trapped in the cave. Judging by his appearance and how weak he seemed, they guessed he had been stuck there alone for around two weeks.
They didn't need any solid numbers, though. Simply judging by Hawkeye's state, they knew he needed to be checked out and given proper medical attention as soon as possible.
After getting him safely out of the cave, the hikers provided Hawkeye with a bit of food and water. Then, without hesitation, they took him to Harrison County Animal Control.
At the shelter, the staff nursed Hawkeye back to health. Once he was well enough, the shelter began searching for his family.
When he was found, Hawkeye had a collar around his neck. Sadly, there were no other clues as to where he lived or who his owners were.
Thankfully, local news stations picked up his story, and through them, his family found their beloved pup after weeks of worry.
“The family saw his story on the news and contacted us,” Breeden said. “The family had let him out to potty, and he took off about two weeks prior to him being found.”
The shelter wasted no time and immediately arranged for Hawkeye and his family to be reunited. Some of the hikers who found him also came along to send the pup back home where he belongs.
As soon as Hawkeye saw his family walking through the doors, he perked right up, and it was obvious he couldn't contain his joy.
“When he saw his dad, he was so excited, jumping and kissing him,” Breeden said.
Hawkeye's family thanked everyone who helped save him, nurse him back to health, and reunite him with them. Now, the pup is finally back home with his family where he belongs.
This is one of those moments when you really have to thank coincidences. What if those hikers had canceled that day? Or what if they had decided to explore other parts of the park instead?
The story could have ended in so many other ways had so many small things happened differently, but we're glad it had a happy ending, especially for such a precious pup.
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