Dog Runs 4 Miles to Get Help for Owner After Car Crash

A dog has reached hero status after it ran four miles to alert its owner’s family of trouble when the man lost control of his truck and crashed into a stream, according to police.

Per a Tuesday, June 4 Facebook statement, the Baker County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) received a call at 9:28 a.m. local time on Monday, June 3, reporting Brandon Garrett missing.

His family grew concerned when he didn’t report to their camping site on Sunday, June 2 as planned. One of his dogs showed up on the site instead, which helped alert a family of trouble and prompted them to search for him.

According to the statement, they called authorities when they found Garrett’s truck but could not reach it due to the difficult terrain.

BCSO arrived on the scene alongside Baker County Search and Rescue (BCSR), Pine Valley Rural Fire District (PVRFD) and Halfway Ambulance. Sheriff Travis Ash spotted Garrett’s truck and one of his dogs stuck in a ravine. Garrett was heard screaming as first responders looked for a point through which they could access the creek.

Garrett was eventually located about 100 yards from his truck, above the water.

First aid was administered as U.S. Forest Service employees and PVRFD volunteers used chainsaws to clear a path to Garrett for BCSR, who needed to use its ropes team to access Garrett and get him in a rescue basket.

“He was connected to a highline rope system and pulled across the ravine,” BCSO’s statement said of Garrett, adding that he was then given medical attention by professionals and was eventually transferred to a regional hospital by helicopter.

Further investigation helped authorities determine that Garrett was traveling with his four dogs north on U.S. Forest Service Road 39 on Sunday when he “failed to negotiate a curve causing the vehicle to plummet off the embankment.”

“One of his dogs traveled the nearly four miles to their camp, which alerted the rest of the party that something was wrong,” the statement said of his hero dog.

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Per the statement, Garrett crawled 100 yards from his vehicle where he “spent the night” before his family found him thanks to the dog.

The three other dogs were found alive at the scene of the crash.