Dog runs four miles to get help for parent who crashed into a ravine in Oregon
Dog dad Brandon Garrett and his four pups all survived.
Dogs are often called man’s best friend, and for good reason.
They can be extremely loyal and feel very positive emotions toward their parents, so it’s perhaps not surprising that they’ll offer us help when we need it. But, some canines take that to a whole new level, going above and beyond for their human companions – even without the promise of some of the best dog toys in return!
Take one dog in Oregon. Blue was in the car with their dad when they crashed into a ravine. Brandon Garrett was driving in the rural and rugged Baker County with his four dogs, near where his family was camping, but failed to navigate a curve in the road and crashed into an embankment.
While Garrett survived, he was stranded and couldn’t do anything but wait. However, Blue was able to find their way back to the campsite almost four miles away, leading Garrett’s family to realize that something wasn’t right.
The family began searching for Garrett and found his car but couldn’t get to it because of the terrain, so his brother called emergency services. A statement from the Baker County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook said, “The reporting party explained that his brother, Brandon Garrett, had not made it to his camp yesterday afternoon. Family members located his vehicle this morning but were unable to reach it due to the terrain.”
Garrett was found around 100 yards from the scene of the accident, along with his three other dogs – all of whom survived.
First responders were able to reach Garrett by making a path with chainsaws, and then using a rescue blanket and rope to reach him. He was given first aid at the scene, and was then taken to a nearby hospital.
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One of Garrett’s children replied to the statement, thanking the emergency services for helping his father, and explaining that two of the dogs had been receiving veterinary care, while another was at home with Garrett and the fourth was with family.
Unsurprisingly, the comments under the statement were all full of praise for Blue, labeling the brave pup a ‘hero’ for their actions in helping Garrett get rescued and urging their family to give them plenty of the best dog treats.
Dogs, like Blue, can be surprisingly intelligent. You might want to check out these 32 ways to spot if your dog’s smarter than you think – though, hopefully, you and your pup will never find yourself in a situation like Garrett and his pups.
Adam is a freelance journalist covering pets, lifestyle, health and culture, and he has six years' experience in journalism. He was senior editor at DogTime.com, and has written for The Independent, GoodToKnow and Healthline.
He's also spent the last few years studying towards undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in journalism. While a cat person at heart, he's often visiting his parents' golden retriever, and when he's not writing about everything pets he's probably drinking coffee, visiting a cat cafe, or listening to live music.