Seán McCormack had never even thought of hiking a huge mountain before. When they heard about a small dog that was trapped on a mountain in Northern Taiwan, they knew they had to do something.
A friend of McCormack’s had forwarded a Facebook photo to him because he is a small time dog rescuer in Taiwan. A one year old pupper was in the photo and he was inside a metal kiln which was in Taroko National Park.
Here’s a photo that changed McCormack’s life for the better.
McCormack was able to track down the woman who took the photo and she had said that she had seen the dog during her hiking trip and he was badly injured. He had already lost his right paw to a trap and his left leg had also been caught by a trap.
McCormack said according to The Dodo:
“There’s a big problem in Taiwan with traps and snares. Most of our rescues are dogs who have been maimed by one of these devices.”
He told the woman he would attempt the rescue, initially thinking he could just drive there. But this part of Taiwan was very remote. He even put the place into Google Maps, and it said he could drive…but it was super wrong (what’s new there?).
The only way to get there was a six hour hike there and a six hour hike back, with an injured doggo. After reaching out to his friend, Ross Tweedie who owns a company who called Taiwan Adventures. He knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but agreed to do it.
He also told The Dodo:
“It’s a brutal hike. It’s not one for beginners, and Sean was in the beginner category. He told me that he hadn’t done anything like that before.”
And it was very tough, McCormack almost gave up a few times. They finally got there and there was just one problem, they couldn’t find the dog, later named Sandy.
McCormack said:
“We looked in the outside kitchen area, but the dog wasn’t there. We didn’t say anything to each other, but I know we were both thinking, ‘Oh crap.’”
But they kept searching and saw something moving underneath a bunch of plastic chairs. McCormack went onto say:
“This little dog was under there, wagging his whole back end. Once we saw him, we both just changed our attitudes again — I suddenly had a lot of energy, and Ross was going to get that dog out no matter who complained about it.”
Sandy wouldn’t have survived much longer if they hadn’t shown up. The wound on his left leg had gotten worse and bone was visible. McCormack recalled:
“He was very happy to see us, but obviously in pain. When we bandaged up his leg, he was so good.”
They got ready to leave and loaded Sandy into Tweedie’s backpack. He didn’t whine or anything, he must have known that his guardian angels had come to save him. Once they made it down the mountain, McCormack rushed Sandy to the vet.
After all was was said and done, the vet had to amputate a few parts of both his front legs. He wouldn’t have been able to live if this hadn’t happened.
McCormack said after the surgery:
“He’s doing amazingly well. He was just so happy. He immediately started playing with some of the younger dogs here, and he’s just a very sweet, happy dog”
Doesn’t this just make you want to hop on a plane to Taiwan and bring Sandy back home?! Sandy is safe and sound recovering and it all happened because of Facebook. I guess Zuckerberg got something right…
