Injured Dog Owner Stuck in Snowy Ditch for 2 Days Protected by Loyal Dog Who Fights Off Coyotes

Injured Dog Owner Stuck in Snowy Ditch for 2 Days Protected by Loyal Dog Who Fights Off Coyotes
(Courtesy of Taber Police Service) Inset: Illustration - Irina Safonova/Shutterstock
Epoch Inspired Staff
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Reports of a stray Akita-mix injuring locals, scrapping with coyotes, and protecting his wounded owner in sub-zero temperatures near a rural sugar factory came to the attention of police in Taber, Alberta, late last month.

The dog, Hero, was apparently only living up to his name.

It had already been two days for Hero’s owner, stranded in frosty March weather dropping as low as 7 degrees Fahrenheit, by the time officers found him, police stated on social media. The 61-year-old man had fallen into a muddy, snowy ditch and gotten stuck while the man’s dog had stood guard, protecting him, keeping him warm.

The first call to police came early on Thursday, March 28, around 6:50 a.m., reporting a large canine with potential injuries on the north side of the factory property. The second call was received just hours later, complaining that a man out running with his dog had been viciously mauled by a large dog in that area. Taber Police arrived shortly thereafter and found a large Akita-mix sitting on a berm.

Taber Police rescuing Hero and his injured owner behind tall grass, in a ditch north of a sugar factory near Taber, Alberta. (Courtesy of Taber Police Service)
Taber Police rescuing Hero and his injured owner behind tall grass, in a ditch north of a sugar factory near Taber, Alberta. Courtesy of Taber Police Service

“As [police] members approached, they heard cries for help. A 61-year-old male, from Taber, was located near the dog, hidden behind tall grasses,” Taber Police stated. “The male was stuck in a muddy ditch and advised he had been stuck there for two days.”

Taber Police Constable Austin Weersink found the man, identified by a local dog care center as Alan, injured and lying on his back.

“He was quite cold, he was shivering,” the officer told CBC. “And he was unable to get up.”

From the man’s statement, police learned of the heroic deeds of his four-legged companion, who stayed with him throughout the ordeal, kept him warm, and even fought off coyotes at one point.

And, it turns out, yet another dog was involved in the incident: Alan’s dog Tora had reportedly been shuttling between her stranded owner and his home and, in so doing, had sustained an injury to a previously broken leg when screws of a metal rod came loose.

The veterinary costs for all the injuries would add up, however, local benefactors reportedly helped raise the funds.

(Left) An Akita dog (Illustration - Irina Safonova/Shutterstock); (Right) A Taber Police officer poses with Hero. (Courtesy of Taber Police Service)
(Left) An Akita dog (Illustration - Irina Safonova/Shutterstock); (Right) A Taber Police officer poses with Hero. Courtesy of Taber Police Service
Both the man and his dogs were taken by emergency medical services to receive care—Alan visited Lethbridge Hospital, while Hero and Tora arrived at Taber Lost Paws Society, who treated the animals, set up a GoFundMe to help cover the medical costs, and posted their story on Facebook.

The fundraiser reached its goal by raising almost $3,000. But some of the cash, they stated, will also go toward Hero’s casualties.

CBC reportedly contacted the man whom Hero had bitten. Curtis Dahl says he has no hard feelings. After Hero latched onto the throat of his dog Jack, possibly a Rottweiler-mix, Mr. Dahl “struggled with [Hero] for about 10 minutes trying to get him off my dog,” he told the station, who shared photos of both himself and Jack stitched up, nursing wounds.

But when Taber Police informed Mr. Dahl about Hero and his owner’s situation, according to the police, he said he was “understanding of the situation and grateful the male had been rescued.”

In a happy update on April 6, provided by Taber Lost Paws, who cared for Alan’s two dogs in his absence, it was confirmed that the pair and Alan are doing well. They were all reunited in a joy-filled moment recorded and posted on social media.
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Epoch Inspired Staff
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Epoch Inspired staff cover stories of hope that celebrate kindness, traditions, and triumph of the human spirit, offering valuable insights into life, culture, family and community, and nature.
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