JOIN USPet dog helps to find owner who got lost in deep forest in Karnataka's Shivamogga
In a heartwarming incident in Karnataka's Shivamogga district, a pet dog helped family members and villagers locate its owner who got lost deep inside a forest on Saturday.
Shekharappa, 55, who is a resident of Suduru village in Shivamogga's Hosanagar taluk had no hopes of returning home after he fell unconscious due to heat and exhaustion, if not for Tommy, his canine companion of almost 7 years.
Shekharappa had gone deep into the forest at 6 am to fetch firewood for his home, a routine chore for over a decade, reported The Times of India. The man usually returned home by 10 am before going to work at a hotel in Ayanuru town. On Saturday morning, Shekharappa went misisng and did not return till noon, prompting his worried family to alert the locals.
Also Read | Beating the breed obsession
Villagers began to canvass the forest to locate him but could not find Shekharappa even after hours of incessant searching. This was when help came in the form of Tommy, the dog who has been with Shekharappa's family for almost 7 years.
The canine also joined the massive search operation for its master and while the villagers were in one particular stretch of the forest, the dog reportedly left the group and went off on its own. It was after a while the villagers found it barking at a distant place and they rushed there to find Shekharappa lying unconscious on the ground.
Villagers took him to a hospital in Ripponpet where he was recovered after taking medication.
Shekharappa's family members said the dog was an abandoned female who had been with them for the past seven years and often used to accompany the former when he went to the forest.
A villager Shivanna told TOI that the dog was familiar with Shekharappa's daily route to the forest and that was instrumental in locating their friend. Shekharappa, indebted to his canine friend, has reportedly promised to take care of his pet friend as long as he lives.