Ranger walks miles carrying 100-pound German shepherd to save the dog’s life
Man and beast are built differently.
And while dogs have always been man’s best friend, there are still things they can’t endure together.
The human body is resilient, and we can quickly think of ways to mitigate sickness or condition. We can’t say the same for dogs, however, especially when it comes to weather.
A group of hikers saw this first hand.
The group was enjoying the sights and sounds of nature at Mt. Tammany in New Jersey.
The shades from the tall trees provided a much-needed respite from the heat – but that’s wasn’t enough for everyone.
As they traversed the trail, they came across an alarming sight.
They saw a dog gasping for his life. The owner was nearby and they were awfully upset about the situation.
They were far off from the known roads and the owner couldn’t carry their 100-pound dog as much as they wanted to.
The German shepherd dog was suffering from heat exhaustion.
They knew they needed to act fast. Time was of the essence – and, at that point, it might not be on their side anymore.
The hikers gave the dog a sip from their last supply of water. They hoped that would help the dog survive until rescue could arrive.
In a Facebook post, one of the hikers shared their frustration.
“We gave them the water we had left but were afraid that would do little help with how much the dog was already struggling.”
Just when things were about to get desperate, a ranger jumped into action. K. Salapek, a park ranger, picked up the huge dog and threw him over his shoulders. If rescue couldn’t get to them, they’d go to them instead.
Carefully lugging the dog over his shoulder, they made their way towards a small stream.
They stopped over for a short while to attend to the dog’s most urgent needs. The hiker shared that the route was long, but the ranger pushed on without question or complaint.
When they reached the stream, Salapek gently laid the dog right beside the stream and started to pour whatever amount of water his hands could carry.
When he felt it was okay, he picked the dog up again.
As explained in the Facebook post, Salapek began his trek towards the nearest street. The route runs for several miles and was “incredibly rocky.”
That didn’t stop Salapek from rescuing the dog, however. He braved through the hiking road just to save someone else’s dog.
Soon enough, they reached the road.
The hikers were relieved at how the situation ended. If not for this ranger’s determination, the dog wouldn’t have made it through the trail.
“We are so lucky to have rangers like this that put even animals before themselves.”
“This ranger deserves insane recognition and a standing ovation for his bravery, selflessness, and strength.”
We hope that the German shepherd is feeling better now and that this doesn’t stop him from going on more adventures. In the meantime, Ranger Salapek deserves all the recognition for this selfless act.
Learn more about the story in the video below!
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