Saul, a loyal border collie, was awarded “a well-deserved dinner” a week ago Thursday after he led search and rescue teams to his owner, who had been injured in a fall in Tahoe National Forest.
According to Nevada County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, a 53-year-old man dialed 911 after he fell 70 feet while hiking in the forest. He relayed that he’d broken a hip and several ribs and was unable to bring himself to safety. However, during the conversation, the cell phone lost signal and couldn’t be reestablished.
NCSSR said that a 25-man search team then ventured out to the general vicinity and were able to contact one of the man’s friends who directed them to the man’s campsite. However, when they got there, the man was nowhere to be found.
“As our searchers got to the area and found his camp, they couldn’t find him … so they spread out and searched the area,” Sgt. Dennis Haack said, according to Fox News.
However, despite their best efforts, the crew was unable to locate the injured man. That is, until Saul arrived on the scene and saved the day.
In a Facebook post, NCSSR reported that “the true credit [for the rescue] goes to the subjects k9 Border Collie that ran through the forest approximately 200 yards and in true ‘LASSIE’ fashion to flag down two searchers and led them back to the subject which was covered in a camo tarp.”
The team were able to secure the man and safely transport him a half-mile away, where a medevac helicopter was waiting. He was then airlifted to a hospital, but there have been no reports about his condition.
Meanwhile, the NCSSR Facebook post assured readers that Saul spent that night safely at a Grass Valley animal shelter and that he was “given a well deserved dinner” for his heroic efforts. He has since been reunited with his owner.