Our life-savers – literally

I am speaking of the dogs that saved a Canadian woman from certain death.

This story has been widely reported.

I first saw it as a prominent news item on the BBC News website:

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Three dogs help injured woman survive Canadian wilderness

24 November 2017

The search for Annette Poitras and her dogs lasted three days. COURTESY COQUITLAM RCMP

A Canadian dog walker could not have survived over two days in the wilderness without the help of her border collie, a boxer and a puggle.

Annette Poitras, 56, was walking the three dogs on Monday in the British Columbia backcountry when she fell, injured herself and lost her phone.

She was rescued on Wednesday afternoon after a long hunt by Coquitlam search and rescue.

Her husband says the three dogs helped Poitras stay alive during the ordeal.

Marcel Poitras told Global News that his wife and the dogs – a collie called Chloe, a boxer named Roxy, and Bubba, a pug-beagle mix – took care of each other over two days and two nights, with no supplies and periods of “torrential” rain.

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Newsweek also carried the story on November 25th.

(Continuing on from where I left the BBC report.)

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Her husband, Marcel Poitras told Global News that her three dogs—a collie called Chloe, a boxer named Roxy, and Bubba, a pug-beagle mix—helped her stay alive during the ordeal, during which Poitras had no supplies and endured torrential rain.

He said that she saw one of the dogs dig a hole underground to stay warm, and did the same.

“One of them was cuddling [her] and one of them was on guard and the other one was looking for food,” he said.

She also helped the dogs, covering the short haired boxer with her coat after she noticed it shivering during heavy rainfall on their second night.

He said the dogs did not leave her side.

Poitras was rescued after a two day search by the RCMP, which used helicopters and 100 volunteers to scour the countryside near Eagle Mountain for traces of her.

Some rescuers finally heard faint cries for help and loud barking and tracked down Poitras and the dogs to an area described by the Mounties as “well outside the normal trail system”, according to The Surrey Now Leader.

The rescue team said she was “alive and in good condition” in an area off trail, in dense bush and swamp.

CBC reported Friday that two of the dogs visited her hospital bedside Friday.

Poitras is expected to be released from hospital later in the week. Marcel said that after his wife is released from hospital they are hoping things will get back to normal.

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Back to the BBC item or more specifically two more photographs included by the BBC in their report of the incident.

Chloe, Bubba and Roxy stayed with Annette Poitras for the two days. Courtesy COQUITLAM SAR HANDOUT

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Chloe, Roxy and Bubba being rescued from the bush. COURTESY NORTH SHORE RESCUE

In the words of Mr. Poitras, the husband of the rescued woman, “He says they are looking forward to “quiet, peace, walking dogs, visiting family” now the ordeal is over.”

Dear wonderful Chloe, Roxy and Bubba – life-savers all three of them!

Lucky Mr. & Mrs. Poitras.

What would we do without our dear dogs!

22 thoughts on “Our life-savers – literally”

  2. A lovely ending to a nightmare situation.
    The dogs were highly aware of the situation at all times.
    Something I have often noted is that if dogs notice even the slightest bit of anxiety in your voice, they come running immediately to find out what is the matter. And more, will stay by your side until they sense you are feeling confident again.

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    1. Yes, isn’t that true about dogs! Indeed, as you will know, Colette, even a body movement can signal that anxiety. Here’s an example from yesterday afternoon.
      I was expecting a delivery from UPS. The local driver reliably delivers before 4:30pm. Not yesterday. At 4:45pm I stood up and walked to the side window of the living room where one can see the driveway that runs down our property to Hugo Road. I was slightly irritated that the delivery might not come before dark. I hate walking the quarter-mile driveway to close the gate in the dark!
      The dogs immediately picked up on my mood and Ruby and Cleo started barking as all the dogs crowded around me. They knew something wasn’t right!

      (The UPS driver did arrive a little after 5pm. It had been a very busy day for him! I just was able to rush down and close the gate, noting a very beautiful half-moon up in a clear evening sky.)

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  3. Thankful that everyone involved survived this ordeal. Where would we be without our 4-legged guardian angels?

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  10. Pingback: Our life-savers – literally — Learning from Dogs – Happy Tails Boxers

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