Hiker Rescued From Swiss Glacier Thanks To His Tiny Dog
Dogs have been used to aid in rescue missions in the Swiss Alps for centuries — but usually they aren't this tiny.
A man was rescued from a glacier in Switzerland last week, and he can thank his dog for saving his life.
The unnamed hiker was traveling across the Fee Glacier in the Swiss Alps with his loyal companion one early afternoon when he suddenly broke through a snow bridge and fell into a crevasse. His dog did not fall through.
Overview of the summer ski slopes located on the Fee glacier in Saas-Fee, Switzerland.
(Photo by Dominic Steinmann/Getty Images)
Fortunately, the man had a walkie-talkie, which he used to call for help. But when the Air Zermatt crew and rescue specialists helicoptered in to find him, they had trouble locating the barely-visible collapse site. That is until one of the rescuers spotted a small dog pacing along the edge of the crevasse.
"The little dog did not move during the entire operation and closely followed every movement of the rescue specialists," according to a press release from Air Zermatt. "It is fair to say that his behavior contributed significantly to the successful rescue. The dog is a four-legged hero who may have saved his master's life in a life-threatening situation."
Air Zermatt called the dog a chihuahua. But judging by the photos, it's almost certainly a Papillon.
Tomato, tom-ah-to.
Dogs have been the unsung heroes of the Swiss Alps since the 1600s, when monks began using St. Bernards to aid in search and rescue missions throughout the snowy terrain. In fact, these big dogs are credited with saving about 2,000 travelers over the past two centuries along the St. Bernard Pass on the border with Italy.
Now, we have helicopters and GPS to do that sort of thing. But, as evidenced by this tiny Papillon, we still need the help of man's best friend.
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