Hikers Rescue German Shepherd Abandoned on Griffith Hills
A hiking crew in Los Angeles made a heartwarming discovery on Tuesday morning when they found an abandoned German Shepherd at the top of Griffith Park’s Mt. Hollywood Summit.
According to a statement on the hiking crew’s social media narrating the incident, the dog, now named Hike, was discovered just after sunrise, seemingly abandoned by its owner. Despite waiting for over 25 minutes, no one claimed the dog. Concerned about the rising temperatures, the hikers carried the dog down the mountain in a tarp.
“Hiker was found at the top of Mt. Hollywood Summit just after sunrise. Scared, alone with his tail between his legs, ears down, no collar, no leash, and no chip,” the statement reads.
“No one at the top of the mountain would claim him for over 25 minutes. The sun was coming up (about to get hot) and we decided to bring him down. He wouldn’t walk so we carried him down in a tarp.”
In a video shared on Tuesday, the hiker crew could be seen making their way down the mountain with Hiker in a tarp calmly enjoying the ride.
Hiker taken down from the mountain in a strap
Hiker was taken to a veterinarian, where he received necessary shots and medical attention. He has since been adopted by one of the hikers, Daniel, who has provided him with a loving home and plenty of food and toys.
The hiking crew is seeking donations to help cover the cost of Hiker’s veterinary bills and other necessities. Interested individuals can contribute directly to Daniel via Venmo at Danielmartinez949.
According to News Week, the hiker crew founder, Omar Covarrubias reported that Hiker has been doing well after the rescue. He’s in good hands with Daniel, who revealed in the crew’s group chat that the dog barked at him in the middle of the night, but only because Hiker wanted to use the restroom. Otherwise, the two have gotten along well.
“It almost seems like they chose each other,” Omar reportedly said.
Omar Covarrubias leads the hiker group named The 5 A.M Crew, the crew meets at Griffith Park’s merry-go-round parking lot number one at 5 AM every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday and starts the hike at 5:15 AM sharp. The crew aims to hike a 6-mile round trip with a 3-mile incline, and back down by 8 AM each activity day. It was in one of their usual Tuesday Hike that they rescued Hiker.
Omar is grateful for the outpouring of support from the community and hopes that this story will inspire others to help animals in need.
“No owner has come forward yet, so Daniel will be adopting Hiker for now. We appreciate every single person who stepped forward to help in any way they could. This experience has truly shown the power of community,” the post read.
Oma urges the community to stay tuned, promising to share more updates about Hiker. Since the video posting on August 20, it has garnered attention with many commending the Hikers crew for their effort.
“Just saw this but had to say how much I appreciate you all for being such good humans. Thank you for saving that good boy! Keep us posted on Hiker (great name!),” one user wrote
“You guys are so Awesome! Thank you for stepping up, taking action, and saving Hiker,” another added.
“Such an amazing group of men and women. Way to care for our furry friends. I’m down to make a donation if Daniel needs help to go towards treatment or food,” share another.
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