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A hiker was forced to leave her dog behind in the New Zealand wilderness last week. However, thanks to the help of internet strangers and a local helicopter pilot, the pet has been located a week later.
On March 24, Jessica Johnston fell from a 180-foot waterfall located on the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island. According to the Associated Press, she was badly hurt, suffering from bruises and lacerations, which required an airlift to safety. However, rescuers were unable to find her border collie, Molly.
Matt Newton, the owner-operator of Precision Helicopters New Zealand, started a search for Molly. “I contacted her in the hospital and said I’d go look for it,” he told the Associated Press. “I went and looked for the dog several times and no avail.”
After the first few missions did not succeed, Newton turned to the help of the internet. He launched a fundraiser to pay for more flying hours and advanced search gear. In the end, he raised $6,300 – enough to fund three more hours of flight time using thermal imaging equipment.
On Tuesday, Newton launched the renewed search, this time with the help of a veterinary nurse, volunteer searchers and a dog named Bingo. “We struck jackpot within about an hour,” he told the AP. “As we made our way up the river, we could see the dog in the thermal and then we could visually see it.”
The spot where they finally found her turned out to be just a few yards from where Johnston had been injured. However, it is unclear whether the dog had also fallen, or simply made its way to the spot in the intervening week.
Molly was in surprisingly good condition for having spent a week in the wild. Luckily, she was also cooperative with her rescuers. “She knew what we were up to, I think,” continued Newton. “She behaved real well. She didn’t run away and she was pleased to be rescued.”
Just a few hours later, Molly was reunited with Johnston, who was still recovering from her fall.
