A lot of people like to go hiking with their dogs. Dogs are great companions, and they typically like being outdoors as much as people. Still, no pet owner would ever want to put their animal’s life at risk just for their companionship.
Paul Finnegan from Shotts, Scotland, recently set out to hike a mountain with his 12-year-old border collie, Meg.
While he and Meg were on their hike, the weather started to change, and before long, the wind was blowing fiercely and the rain was pouring down on them.
They both worked their way back down the mountain to safety, but before long, Meg’s legs started to give out on her. Something was wrong, and she was simply exhausted and unable to go any further. Paul picked up his beloved dog and started to carry her.
As the weather got worse, it got harder for Paul to carry Meg.
He soon realized that he was going to have to leave Meg behind if he wanted to save himself. It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but he put Meg down and made his way down the mountain alone.
Meg couldn’t follow, but Paul hoped for the best.
He had plans on going back to find Meg after the storm was over. He made it down the mountain safely and decided to sleep in his car, so he would be close to the mountain as soon as the storm was over.
He mentioned the situation to a family member, who posted about it on Facebook, hoping other people would help him look for Meg.
She posted:
“Does anyone know who I can call for help or anyone know any people who does these rescues for animals?”
People weren’t happy about the story.
A lot of people commented on the post saying how awful it was for Paul to leave the dog behind.
One woman named Karen Mills also commented:
“That poor dog would never have left his side if it was him that was hurt. He should be prosecuted for abandonment and neglect.”
Most people felt that Paul shouldn’t have even attempted to take his old dog up the mountain. Even if she appeared to be in good health at the time, he should have considered her age. A lot of people agreed that if Paul wouldn’t have taken Meg up the mountain, he wouldn’t have had to make such a horrible choice and he might still have his dog with him.
Paul’s hiking companion also confirmed that it wasn’t an easy decision for Paul to leave the dog and that he also tried to carry her down the mountain.
They both started searching for her the next morning and spent the next five days looking for her. Unfortunately, they found her dead.
Not everyone agrees that Paul was to blame for Meg’s death. Andy Ravenhill of Oban Mountain Rescue Team felt that the comments about Paul were uncalled for and explained that the weather can change quickly in the mountains. He said it was not likely that Meg was going to make it down with or without Paul, but Paul had a chance of surviving if he didn’t have to carry Meg.
Still, some people are calling Paul’s actions cruel and neglectful.
The Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals conducted an inquiry into his actions. Meanwhile, Paul is mourning the loss of his dog and hiking buddy.
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