
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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Trudi Elise Lichty
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God bless this precious baby always and forever and the one who saved them
Mireille De Hanovre Dutry
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mon dieu pauvre chien ..
Janne Murphy
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Less her sweet heart..so good it was a happy ending!
Jason Callaghan
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Kaye Callaghan Bailey up Silverdale
Boot Ma
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Why owner made him lose?This is unnecessary suffered?Sage need special help, don’t they know?
Alun Williams
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Bless him bechod
Seema Sharma
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I’m so glad that she survived there all alone despite being blind
Kay Tamaki
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How did he get lost in the first place thank god he was found well done
Sharyn Spector
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Thank you for saving him you are wonderful
Mahesh Parchure
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Thank you for saving her!!! Owner must be cruel and not trustworthy at all.
Diane Brunnbauer
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Beautiful dog so glad his back home
Jeng-jeng Serrano
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Ka- mukha niRiley…
Carol Christiansen
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Thank You!
Prince Indrajit Law
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<3 :* !
Helen Rhodes
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Thank god she was found and is happy back where she belongs!
Filipina Conde
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I wonder why do dogs get blind?
Diane Longshaw
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Lovely to find him x
Gayle Williams
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Diabetes
Sally Rufus
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What a super ending. I love a positive ending xx
Marieks Horne
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Thank you to the rescuer. You sre a hero and Angel. God Bless
Peter Boyce
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Same reasons as humans. Accidents, illnesses. Etc
Butch Cunningham
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Poor baby. Must of been so scared! :((((
Mandy Harwood
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Ahh bless brilliant ending big hugs baby x
Leigh Limbrick
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Tash Claringbull
Ryan Phelps
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Michael Phelps
Pk Singh Pk Singh
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You save a life.. great man….☺
Anne Burton
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So glad you saved the beautiful dog!
Michael Phelps
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That man is a hero
Marilyn Danner
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Thank God he was.found.Poor darling. Hope he is well and happy.now 🙂
Kathy Martin
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Aww, I’m so happy
Carole Deering
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Poor baby-painful to hear this
Caroljean Horton
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Bless ,
Cindy Simon
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She had to be scard to death. Glad you found her!