Good and hopefully this will prevent him from being able to try and claim the dog. He shouldn't feel bad since he wrote the dog off as dead anyways once he left the mountain and doesn't deserve a reunion.

Good and no way should he get the dog back.

What kills me is that the dog would be totally happy to see him.

How hard of a climb is it?

How much would a helicopter rescue have cost (would a civilian helicopter be allowed to land up there?)

Yeah I don't get this guy. If someone told me the cat I lost five years ago was spotted in the Andes I'd be on the next plane.

mauricecano: Good and hopefully this will prevent him from being able to try and claim the dog. He shouldn't feel bad since he wrote the dog off as dead anyways once he left the mountain and doesn't deserve a reunion.

And what info are you using to come to that conclusion? He contacted the authorities and a search and rescue group and was told to pound sand. I think there is a lot of fail here but "writing the dog off" is a bit of a stretch based on the info provided.

SmackLT: What kills me is that the dog would be totally happy to see him.

I didn't even think about that but it's so true.
I can't possibly imagine not doing everything possible in my power to save my dog. This guy is a scumbag.

Atypical Person Reading Fark: Good and no way should he get the dog back.

Damn skippy.

Hopefully he gets pistol whipped at some point, too.

Abox: Yeah I don't get this guy. If someone told me the cat I lost five years ago was spotted in the Andes I'd be on the next plane.

The cat you lost five years ago was spotted in the Andes.

"[H]e made little attempt to go back up and get the dog or try to make any other arraignments to retrieve the dog and get it back," Sgt. Rick Safe with the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Department said.

...

Ortalani says he contacted a search-and-rescue group and the sheriff's department but was told it was too risky to send a rescue crew up for the dog.

So instead of contacting a search-and-rescue group and the sheriff's department, he needed to file charges against his dog?

FTA:

With the dog unable to walk, Ortalani says he tried to carry the dog off the mountain but was unable. He says that attempts to lower the dog with ropes were injuring the dog even more, and with a storm approaching, he was forced to leave the dog behind.

Once down the mountain, Ortalani says he contacted a search-and-rescue group and the sheriff's department but was told it was too risky to send a rescue crew up for the dog.
In his posting on 14ers.com the Ortalani says, "I am at a complete loss of words. My gratitude for the people involved in this is without measure."

He went on to say, "I humbly beg the forgiveness of the community and most of all my Missy Girl. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart."

Read this please before you get all preachy and indigent.

What I heard last night is that the rescuers told him he was not getting the dog back.

it said he contacted a rescue team and the sheriff's department, who both said they weren't going up there just for a dog. then the sheriff's department charges him with animal cruelty. seems like he really didn't think he could get the dog down, and that the authorities didn't give a flip, until they decided to charge him. he probably should have contacted the local news station, and I'm not saying he should get the dog back, but sheriff office is being a prick.

If he asked the police to help him save the dog then how can they charge him with animal cruelty when they refused to provide the capability to save the dog?

gingerjet: And what info are you using to come to that conclusion? He contacted the authorities and a search and rescue group and was told to pound sand.

You put a child in danger and tell the mother or father to go pound sand. See what actually happens.

If my dog was stuck on a mountain, there'd be a missing person report on the mountain. ME. Because I'd be up on top of the mountain making sure my dog was recovering. Also, maybe then rescuers would be dispatched.

With the dog unable to walk, Ortalani says he tried to carry the dog off the mountain but was unable. He says that attempts to lower the dog with ropes were injuring the dog even more, and with a storm approaching, he was forced to leave the dog behind.

Once down the mountain, Ortalani says he contacted a search-and-rescue group and the sheriff's department but was told it was too risky to send a rescue crew up for the dog.


Sounds to me like he took resonable steps to get the dog off the mountain. Do people here really expect him to drain his savings to spend $10k+ for a helicopter rescue(rough idea form goggling) to save a dog? Maybe he should have killed the dog before he left it to suffer alone, but it seems he planned on coming back.

I wish he'd been so concerned about his dog when he decided to take it up the mountain in the first place.

/it's not a wolf, it's a f**kin' house pet, douchebag

Um, for taking the dog up there in the first place, having him unleashed/not under control during a snow storm?

Sort of like if you did the same thing with your kid. Only maybe they'd send out a few resources to rescue the kid (not in California anymore, I'm guessing, but maybe on federal land - oh wait, unless the Ryan budget plan passes).

Nem Wan: If he asked the police to help him save the dog then how can they charge him with animal cruelty when they refused to provide the capability to save the dog?

Because humanity is going down the shiatter.

indigent is not indignant. But even I posted this, I guarantee someone won't see this and will call me out for the error in my initial contribution to the thread.

Lars The Canadian Viking: With the dog unable to walk, Ortalani says he tried to carry the dog off the mountain but was unable. He says that attempts to lower the dog with ropes were injuring the dog even more, and with a storm approaching, he was forced to leave the dog behind.

Once down the mountain, Ortalani says he contacted a search-and-rescue group and the sheriff's department but was told it was too risky to send a rescue crew up for the dog.


Sounds to me like he took resonable steps to get the dog off the mountain. Do people here really expect him to drain his savings to spend $10k+ for a helicopter rescue(rough idea form goggling) to save a dog? Maybe he should have killed the dog before he left it to suffer alone, but it seems he planned on coming back.

Yeah, really - sort of. (Not to the kill the dog part obviously).

But he should have been looking day after day, and he wasn't.

doglover: If my dog was stuck on a mountain, there'd be a missing person report on the mountain. ME. Because I'd be up on top of the mountain making sure my dog was recovering. Also, maybe then rescuers would be dispatched.

This.

Lars The Canadian Viking: Maybe he should have killed the dog before he left it to suffer alone

Atypical Person Reading Fark: But he should have been looking day after day, and he wasn't.

Looking for what? He knew the dog was there, there was just no way for him to get it down.

Atypical Person Reading Fark: Um, for taking the dog up there in the first place, having him unleashed/not under control during a snow storm?

Sort of like if you did the same thing with your kid. Only maybe they'd send out a few resources to rescue the kid (not in California anymore, I'm guessing, but maybe on federal land - oh wait, unless the Ryan budget plan passes).

people who take dogs on mountain hikes should be charged with animal endangerment? I know you're a certified f*cking idiot, but see if you can reevaluate this.

"The part of the story I don't like is that the little boy gave up looking for Happy after an hour. He didn't put posters up or anything, he just sat on the porch like a goon and waited. That little boy's gotta think 'You got a pet. You got a responsibility.' If your dog gets lost you don't look for an hour then call it quits. You get your ass out there and you find that farking dog".

relcec: people who take dogs on mountain hikes should be charged with animal endangerment?

It's the difference between letting your kid ride a bike and letting your kid ride a bike without a helmet.

People who take dogs up mountains shouldn't be charged. People who LEAVE dogs on mountains should be keel hauled.... in a dry dock.

The guy Obviously made a mistake taking the dog up there. If what he says is true, and he did call the rescue people, he did all he could do.

I love animals, but I can't see myself risking my life for my pet. if that makes me a bad person in the eyes of you farkers, I'm ok with that

Ed Finnerty:

STOP THAT!!!

People:
Leave your stupid dogs at home.
Better yet, stay there with them.

When Missy was eventually located, she had been on the mountain for eight days without food or water.




Should tie his ass to a tree on the same mountain for the same length of time. That's justice.

UncleStumpy: The guy Obviously made a mistake taking the dog up there. If what he says is true, and he did call the rescue people, he did all he could do.

I love animals, but I can't see myself risking my life for my pet. if that makes me a bad person in the eyes of you farkers, I'm ok with that

My understanding is the dog was found 8 days later, presumably after the bad weather passed. I would not leave my dog stranded, but if I did I would sure as hell go back up after the bad weather passed. Also if you bring a dog up a mountain and strand it, you are a bad person. period.

UncleStumpy: I love animals, but I can't see myself risking my life for my pet.

Then you don't love animals. Obviously.

doglover: relcec: people who take dogs on mountain hikes should be charged with animal endangerment?

It's the difference between letting your kid ride a bike and letting your kid ride a bike without a helmet.

People who take dogs up mountains shouldn't be charged. People who LEAVE dogs on mountains should be keel hauled.... in a dry dock.

listen, we all realize you have a lot going with your business and family life and all and have your priorities in order, because you already told us if you couldn't get your dog down you would die with it up in the mountains in the snowstorm.
you maybe a little too close to this topic to get a good look at it.
maybe you should just let the more grounded people around you decide what is reasonable care for a canine.

How can we be sure the dog is alive? Dogs wag their tails for hours after they're dead.

If only he had just strapped him to the roof and driven back home.

UncleStumpy: If what he says is true, and he did call the rescue people, he did all he could do.

I love animals, but I can't see myself risking my life for my pet. if that makes me a bad person in the eyes of you farkers, I'm ok with that

A big THIS

relcec: family life

Dogs ARE family. It's as simple as that.

If you can take your kid up the mountain, you can get your kid down.

If you can take your dog up the mountain, you can get your dog down.

If you can't rescue your own family, you aren't worthy of having said family and you should face charges for placing them in danger.

If he had gone straight to facebook or the local news with "Help, my dog's stuck on a mountain." This would be the story of one man's heroic effort to save his beloved pet. As it is, it's the story of a jackass who thinks living creatures are somehow mobile property. It's only a small step mental to transfer that kind of sick emotional lack to humans. The dude SHOULD face charges at the VERY least.

AssAsInAssassin: How can we be sure the dog is alive? Dogs wag their tails for hours after they're dead.

Longer than that.

Since when did a dogs life become more valued than a humans life?

The charges are BS. Pets are not people.

The Martian Manhandler: Abox: Yeah I don't get this guy. If someone told me the cat I lost five years ago was spotted in the Andes I'd be on the next plane.

The cat you lost five years ago was spotted in the Andes.

It's true it's true, and he's cute!

GOOD.

Good, farker.
He should be flown by helicopter up to a mountain top and left there as punishment.

/cock sucker.

Were they climbing this mountain or just hiking it? It should be pretty easy to get your dog down a mountain you both hiked up...come back the next day with some socks for the dog (and food and water). Dog didn't need ropes to get up, she won't need em to get down. I don't know shiat about climbing but I would assume he couldn't have brought a dog to that point to begin with if it was any challenge to descend.

BGates: Since when did a dogs life become more valued than a humans life?

Since never.


But they've been equivalent since 543 BCish, give or take some decades.

BGates: Since when did a dogs life become more valued than a humans life?

The charges are BS. Pets are not people.

thus why he wasn't charged with "cruelty to people"

There aren't many 14ers besides Mt. Evans that you should even think of bringing a dog to - Mt. Sherman is probably easy enough, but you don't see dogs along the Longs Peak trail for example. There's a reason that bighorn and mountain goats live up there and canines don't - they're not anatomically suited to that terrain with car-sized boulders.

I ran into a guy along the Mt. Blanca trail that got separated from his dog way up by the alpine lakes and hadn't seen it in two days - I don't know if he ever found the dog but I wouldn't be surprised if something found his pooch and ate it or the dog got altitude sickness and died.

Anyone else been on the 14ers.com forum reading up on this?
http://www.14ers.com/phpBB3/viewtopic .php?f=35&t=36893

RoyBatty: How hard of a climb is it?

How much would a helicopter rescue have cost (would a civilian helicopter be allowed to land up there?)

Getting up to Bierstadt itself takes time but isn't bad. Sawtooth Ridge, though, where the dog was actually abandoned, is a rocky traverse between Mt. Bierstadt and Mt. Evans. It's a definite scramble to get across, but one you don't need ropes for. I'd guess that the biggest limitation in being able to rescue the dog by foot was speed, as you want to beat the afternoon mountain weather. You know, the weather the owner didn't anticipate.

\The closest you could land a helicopter would only save you a few hours of hiking.