Who Let The Dogs Out?

In case you couldn’t tell, this blog is about dogs.  The first part is an almost unbelievable tale of compassion, strength, perseverance and love worthy of a Hallmark made for TV movie.  In my previous blog, I told you about my heroic, superhuman, exceptional hike up a mountain near Bariloche.  What I didn’t tell you yet is what happened when we were having a rest at the top.  

In the distance, we saw a young man climbing up to from a side path, carrying something in his arms.  We couldn’t immediately see what he was carrying; it initially looked like a a baby or smalll child.  As he approached, we realised he was carrying an adorable, but pretty battered looking dog.  It transpired that he had spotted it on his way up, and worried (rightly) that the dog was lost and spent about an hour trying to catch the pitiful, petrified animal.  He finally managed to get hold of him, but had to wrap a shoe lace around his snout to keep from being bitten. It turns out he (the hiker, not the dog) was visiting from Buenos Aires and approached us to see if we knew anything about the poor beast.  Incredibly, my guide Camila, has four rescue dogs and is good friends with the woman who owns the local shelter.  She gave the hiker the woman’s hame and number and also called her to let her know she could expect the hiker and stray when they made it back to town.    The hiker then proceeded to CARRY THE DOG all the way down a very long, very steep trail.  I could barely walk down on my own without slipping and falling; it is inconceivable to me how he managed.  Anyway, later that night, I heard from Camila that the dog had been reunited with his very happy owner after having been missing for many days.  What a story!  The first photo is the of the amazing dog rescue hero. The second is the grateful reunited owner.   What a tale (or perhaps I should say tail!).  

The other thing I want to tell you about are the amazing street dogs of Califate where I am now.  They are an established part of the town’s culture and vibe and are something of a draw in and of themselves. They are kind of like a combination of the town’s ambassadors, mascots and city council. They wander around with a chill but confident aura as if to say “thanks for visiting but where’s my snack?”.  They will follow you as if they are your new best friend, but they are fickle and will abandon you if they get a better offer. These dogs aren’t really strays in the way you might think.  Most are kind of semi-owned by locals but are allowed to roam freely.  They are generally very street smart. These dogs are healthy and well cared for by the local community, and i am all in favour of dogs as the town’s best possible representatives!