(ANIMAL NEWS) COLORADO — An abandoned German shepherd, Missy, was found trapped under rocks and badly injured on a Colorado mountain. Her guardian had left her on the mountain during a storm eight days before and never returned for her. Now Missy’s guardian is being charged with animal cruelty, yet still wants his dog back. Read on for more on Missy’s story. — Global Animal
Missy is making a slow but steady recovery. Photo Credit: 9 News
NBC News, Eun Kim
The owner of an abandoned German shepherd discovered by hikers along a craggy Colorado mountain has been charged with cruelty to animals, the latest twist in a highly charged battle over who will gain custody of the pet.
Hikers discovered Missy, whimpering and bleeding, between some rocks on Mount Bierstadt, a 14,000-foot peak mountain in Clear Creek County, Colo. By the time a team of volunteers rescued her days later, she had had been trapped there for eight days.
“The criminal charge of cruelty to animals has been filed against the dog owner, Anthony Joseph Ortolani,” according to a brief statement released by the Clear Creek County Sherriff’s Office. “The next court appearance date for Mr. Ortolani is October 16.”
A message sent to Ortolani’s Facebook site was not returned. A call left on a number believed to be his was not returned.
Missy was turned over to animal control officials at the Sheriff’s Office after her rescue, but Sgt. Rick Safe said a veterinarian’s clinic has been taking care of her because of the severity of the animal’s injuries. She was severely dehydrated and had numerous lacerations when she was brought in. She also needed antibiotics for cut-related infections, he said.
“She’s going to make a full recovery,” Safe said. “The dog is happy. The vet says she’s fantastic and is doing great.”
Missy was discovered last Saturday, Aug. 11, by a couple hiking Mount Bierstadt. Because of the dog’s weight – they estimated she weighed at least 100 pounds – they patched her bloody paws with bandages from their first aid kit and left her on the mountain with some water.
They returned home and sought help on an online hiker’s forum, 14ers. One of the hikers, Scott Washburn, assembled a team of volunteers and the group headed up the mountain on Monday morning, according to the long thread recounting the rescueon the forum. The group found Missy, her wounds reopened, and blood splattered all over the rocks surrounding her.
The dog was transported back to the ground in one hiker’s oversized backpack after an all-day rescue mission. Pictures of the rescue also were posted on the online forum.
After Missy’s owner was identified as Ortolani, angry posts sparked a discussion so heated that the site administrator locked down additional comments.
Among the earlier posts was one from Ortolani, who said he was forced to leave Missy behind after a storm moved in and he had to protect a young hiker under his care.
“I am not proud of leaving Missy. I did what I thought was right at the time to protect myself and the teenager that I was with,” he wrote. “People say that I should have stayed there and sent my friends son to get help. I was responsible for him, and I was not leaving him there alone with clouds growing over Bierstadt, and I was not going to send him off alone with absolutely no cell service.”
He said he called the Sheriff’s Office for help. Safe confirmed the office received his call on Aug. 5, but told him they did not have the manpower or equipment to conduct a search and rescue mission for the animal.
Ortolani said he then looked online for anyone who might have found Missy. When he didn’t see anything, “it broke my heart, but I thought she was gone.”
Washburn, who has told local officials he and his wife would like to adopt Missy, said they understand why Ortolani originally left the dog, but add that because he never returned for her, his actions should be considered abandonment.
Ortolani said he had no choice.
“If the rescuers will not put their lives in jepordy (sic), it didn’t really seem all that wise to ask my friends and family to do the same,” he said. Now, he reportedly wants the dog back.
Once Ortolani heads to court date on Oct. 16, a judge ultimately will decide who Missy can live with, Safe said.
More NBC News Today: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/48706502/ns/today-today_pets_and_animals/#.UDKdFlFiGt8
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NO! He didn’t even try to save it after he was safe!
NO! He didn’t even try to save it after he was safe!
NO! He didn’t even try to save it after he was safe!
Absolutely not….no excuse for not finding a way to help her and get her down. Jerk.
I never would have taken a dog up a mountain in the first place. Obviously it was not good for the dog as her paws were cut up from the rocks.More…
I never would have taken a dog up a mountain in the first place. Obviously it was not good for the dog as her paws were cut up from the rocks.More…
I never would have taken a dog up a mountain in the first place. Obviously it was not good for the dog as her paws were cut up from the rocks.More…
I could never imagine leaving my dogs out there to die. what an idiot
sorry this guy does not deserve to get this dog back. A companion animal has our back and we should have its back. That dog would have never left this man had he been injured. Just goes to show you how disloyal some asinine humans are.
I wonder if the situation had been reversed and the hiker had been injured… would Missy have left his side? I doubt it. The guy abandoned this beautiful dog to die. He does not deserve her.
there is an online petition on change.org to keep the man who left her to die from getting her back. the people who rescued her want to keep her and they are the ones who deserve her, along with the best of everything that life can give them. actions speak louder than words and the actions of people in this situation tell you what kind of people they are-both the one who left her to die and all the good people who helped save her.
NO. I would never ever leave my dogs out there on their own
No – I take my dog hiking. I also bring the appropriate supplies with me to care for him when we hike. I am careful to take on hikes I know he is capable of doing without injury and if he cut his pad I would take care of wound and turn around right then and there and head home.
If Missy’s feet were so cut so badly she could no longer walk that was the owners fault, he should have headed off that mountian before her feet got to that point. The storm excuse is just B.S.
Definition of guardian – One that guards, watches over, or protects; A defender, protector, or keeper
He sure as hell shouldn’t get her back.
Nope, that owner doesnt deserve him. He should go home with those kimd heart rescue!
I was trying hard to consider the man’s point of view until I understood that he didn’t go back for the dog. His reasoning being that if others wouldn’t risk their lives, neither would he. That is just wrong.More…
This man does not deserve to have this – or any other dog (or other animal).
No.
why is this an issue? if missy was a human daughter, authorities would take her away right??!! i’m just saying…
No
NO!!!!
Abandonment severs ownership in my opinion.
No way this guy gets her back!!