[pct-l] The rescue of desert dog

[dsaufley at sprynet.com (dsaufley@sprynet.com)]

Desert Dog, now known as Nally, resides here still.  There is an addendum to the story of her rescue.

We were told the rumor is she started following hikers as far back as Agua Dulce, but I'm not sure we'll ever really know for sure.  That she'd follow one hiker/group, and then another, eating food they throw her but never coming near.  We heard too, of how hard it was to capture her, and of the kind persistence of hikers who could have just moved on. 

But there, at Hwy 58, the hikers knew that she wasn't strong enough to push forward, and it was too dangerous to leave her at that busy highway crossing.  They did such a good thing by capturing her, and by calling us (known suckers when it comes to strays).  

The day they called about her was an auspicious day.  It was the day we learned that Neil Ball had committed suicide at the White's Motel the night before.  So getting another call from the motel with such different news about this poor dog in need of rescue was a sad, odd, and certainly memorable coincidence. "Nally" is a mix of Neil's name. 

One of the hikers here at the time drove to Mojave to pick up this dog and bring her back.  At first sight, she was so rail thin and wild looking.  Frightened of the new surroundings, she found a quiet spot in the back bedroom in the guesthouse, and collapsed on the floor.  I put food and water in front of her, but she was literally too tired to pick up her head, she needed a good rest so desperately.  She slept for hours and hours, and it was well into the night when she finally lapped some water and ate.  

In those first days, she was terrified when the coyotes would howl in the open parcel next door, where there is a big den.  So tentative and cautious, it took her a while to explore her new surroundings, and finally discover that she was fenced in, safe from being preyed upon.  She was also slow to feel comfortable with the other members of our motley pack.  Trust was won in increments.

But that is changed now.  She is as healthy and happy as can be imagined, and is affectionate, loving, and loyal.  She is joyous and shows her enthusiasm with leaps and licks.  She runs as fast as a cheetah, and plays with her friend Sir Buddington Otay. She belongs outside, but prefers indoors, especially luxuriating on the furniture.  The light of gratitude that shines in her eyes is evident.  I hope that all of the hikers who contributed to rescuing her know what a good thing they did, and how grateful we are for her. 

All of our dogs have a story, but hers is my favorite.  Thanks, Stretch! 

-=Donna Saufley=-





-----Original Message-----
From: Tjf785@aol.com
Sent: Feb 12, 2005 11:09 PM
To: Slyatpct@aol.com, bodhisattvavow@hotmail.com, pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] The rescue of desert dog

This is my story of the rescue of Desert Dog.  After 28 miles, in 114  
degrees, in the late afternoon, I arrived at Cottonwood Creek.  I set up my  tent, 
then crossed the dry creek bed up to the water trough.  After  brushing the 
thousands of yellow jackets away from the water trough, I was  filtering my water 
and watching the black dog on the other side of the creek  bed, up on the 
bank.  I thought the dog belonged to one of the other two  hikers that were 
camped at the creek also.  The dog did not come down  around the people--it stayed 
up high on the bank.  
 
I ate my dinner and went to bed.  The next morning I was up and hiking  at 
4:45.  Because I didn't take time to read my guide book the night  before, I 
missed where the trail turned off the dirt road.  While  continuing up the road 
in the dark, I heard a noise and felt an animal  brush along side my leg, 
causing me to jump several feet in the air.  Then  I saw it was the dog I had seen 
last night.  I hiked up the road for about  an hour, coming to a locked gate.  
Then realized that I had missed the turn  and I was upset because I had lost 
about two hours of time hiking in the cool  weather.  Back on the trail, the 
dog was with me but darting off to the  side chasing rabbits, but not catching 
anything.  By the time we arrived at  Tyler Horse Canyon, it was hot.  We 
stopped there for a rest.  I was  feeding my jerky to the dog.  I would throw a 
small piece out and the dog  would get it.  The next time I wouldn't throw it 
quite so far.  Soon  the dog was taking the jerky out of my hand.  By this time 
I had named  her Desert Dog. 
 
We took off down the trail again.  After awhile I could see the dog  was very 
thirsty.  She would run ahead of me 100 feet, lie in the shade  under a bush 
until I caught up, then go again.  I called the dog, pouring  water in my hand 
to get her to come to me.  She came to me and started  drinking the water in 
my hand.  I then poured water for her into my  cooking pot.  From then on, she 
would come to me and let me pet her.   We passed Scooby and Shaggy some time 
in the afternoon.  Then a couple  miles later, when we were about five miles 
from the highway, Scooby and Shaggy  passed me and the dog went with them.
 
When I arrived at the highway, Scooby and Shaggy had hitched a ride to  
Tehachapi.  There were other hikers already camped there and the dog  wouldn't come 
close to camp.  The next morning we all hitched down into  Mohave to White's 
Motel.  I ran into Snowman at White's Motel.  We  shared a room.  The next 
morning we got a ride back to the highway to hike  over to Highway 58.  Arriving 
at Highway 58, Yogi, Kimber and Cesar,  Batteries, and Garlic Man were just 
ahead of us and there was the dog.   While we were waiting for the ride to pick 
us up and take us back to White's  Motel, we were trying to capture the dog.  
He would circle us but not come  close.  We were all sitting on the ground 
while this was going on.   Finally, the dog came close and allowed me to pet her. 
 Batteries gave me a  small rope to put over her head.  I felt the dog was 
saying Hurray, I'm  finally saved.
 
One of the hikers called Saufley's from the motel who came and picked her  
up.  She is now at their house with a new name of Nally.
 
Stretch
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