There is little hope for a blind dog lost in the Santa Cruz mountains, even less for one missing for a week.
For a Boulder Creek Labrador named Sage, however, eight days proved to be enough time to spend away from home in the vast California wilderness.
“It was horrible,” Sage’s owner Beth Cole told ABC7 News. “We were so heartbroken and just feeling so bad that she was out there.”
After losing track of Sage on Feb. 24, Cole spent the following few days searching the woods adjacent her neighborhood, despite reports of mountain lions in the area. Cole, along with friends and neighbors, eventually began to lose hope.
“We had so many people helping with the search. We had signs up, we had it posted everywhere,” Cole said.
That’s when they received good news.
According to KSBW, one of Cole’s neighbors, Dan Estrada, came across a white labrador while hiking along a stream in the mountains with a friend. Sage surprised them both by popping her head up in curiosity.
Estrada recognized Sage immediately, and ran to help her out. He picked her up onto his shoulders for the rest of the hike out of the canyon.
Posted by Missing Pet Partnership on Sunday, March 5, 2017
“I jumped in the stream, I was super happy,” Estrada told ABC7. “I put my arms around her and hugged her and threw her over my shoulders and carried her up the mountain.”
Sage was carried home to a happy and grateful family, while the lesson of her experience was not lost on her rescuer.
“It’s been harsh conditions and that dog had such a strong will to live,” Estrada said. “And I think everybody has a lesson to be learned from that: Don’t give up.”
Sage the blind dog's story of survival is a miracle. She survived 7 nights lost in the #SantaCruzMountains: https://t.co/8USmIWjQJQ. pic.twitter.com/BbilVtz7LL
— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) March 7, 2017
KSBW reports that Sage’s welcome home party will be held on from 4-6 p.m. March 18 at Joe’s Bar on Highway 9, in hopes of also raising money for the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter.
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Carla Neal
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Great job finding her so lucky nothing bit or attacked her
Lyn d'Albertanson
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He must have been so scared and lonely.
Thank the Lord he was found.
Patty Davis
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Ó
Krystal Jasmin Garnett
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Glad he’s home safe. What an amazingly brave soul he has. Bless him 🙂
Marlene Delauter
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So glad Sage was found!!!
Caroline Duce
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A happy ending thank goodness.❤
Robert Hurst
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Yep
Lillian Torres Babuin
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Thank God he’s back. Breaks my heart to think how scared he must have been.
Kathie Wagner
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How did a blind dog get SO far away from the owners?? I hope that they do not let this happen again!
Jackson Presser
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How the heck did they lose her in the 1st place?
Garry Gration
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Poor bugger must of been so scared, he’s so.lucky that someone who cared enough to do the decent thing found him
Nickie Campbell
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What a happy ending !!
Gary Bacher
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who was cruel to sage seems to me everyone tried to find her, but humans are cruel especially with their words
Kathy Bennett
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I’m glad your safe.
Mary Rose Terszak
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Poor darling x
TommyCharlie SusanLong Brown
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Love those labs!
Anne Neagle O'Sullivan
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Brian O’Sullivan
Karen Hudson
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Glad you found Sage
Sheila Quek
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So glad n so happy that Sage is safe n now wit her owner thank god
Kathy Jones
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Glad she’s found and home safe!
Patrick Stowe
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Liz Zawacki id look forever for Molly, glad this guy got rescued warms my heart
Lanie Mason
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Carlee Mason this is the story
Julie Rowles
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How can you loose sight of a blind dog ,just glad she’s home safe and sound.
Vicky Danville Vermeersch
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omg how terrible so glad he is home safe
Vicki Lok
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Edd Lee ✩
Peter Will
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As another reader asks ( unless owners also infirm ) how does a blind dog manage to travel distance away from owners.Glad he’s well considering other animals you have in your countryside.
Siobhan Reid
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Steven Mcginlay
Hadley McLean
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I hope he’s alright now, amen
Heather Brown
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Thankyou
Margurrita Kasthuri Bhai John
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Omg poor doggy . Suffers so much
Julie Brownrigg
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Oh, my heart is melting for this poor soul. So glad he was found
Jeanette Woodrow
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thankfully they found him, he must have been terrified, but he is safe now and getting lots of love and treats i have no doubt x
Chris Whelan
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I would tie sage to you next time you picnic! Horse lunge reins are long and great to clip on when wandering is needed
Pamela Forster
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♡
Margaret Hickman
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Argh, bless.
Sruthi Ammu
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Gud
Karen Whiting
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So happy for her xx
Riza Yuka Putra
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“Hey, Anybody interested in this shirt or more like it?!?
Comment how many you will be interested in ordering.
Vicki Sargenti
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What a sweet dog and the great young man who carried him to safety .
Jacinta Whitt
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Beccy!!!
Linda Stone
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Poor boy I am glad that they found you
Sue Van Horn Hale
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Love happy endings!
Emma Wells
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Bless her heart she’s found
Cheryl Barrett
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Wow. Thank goodness she was found. What a great thing to do, That guy would have to be a real hero. Lucky Sage, hope she is going OK xx
Louise Swailes
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Aw poor thing
Sheila Burke
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This is a old post and I’m sure I read somewhere that the owners had dumped him!!!
Ian Doddemeade
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Awh baby girl!
Heather Gidge
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can you please respond to my pm
Mark Morrow
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Jenna Morrow
Gene Willis
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Dam i hate that for a dog that sucks. Glad he’s ok