“Man and dog friendship and affection have no bounds.”
It’s tough to put into words the bond between a man and his dog, but one image tells it all.
Meet North, a brave Alaskan malamute who kept his father safe under the harshest of circumstances.
A teenage mountaineer was injured and stuck 5,600 feet up Mount Velebit last Saturday. According to The Associated Press, a rescue crew of 27 tried to ascend the mountain range that borders Croatia’s Adriatic Sea coast, but it was made more difficult by harsh weather conditions, ice, and fallen tree boughs.
Fortunately for the hiker, he was accompanied by his dog, North. North refused to leave his father as dusk fell and temperatures plummeted, protecting him and keeping him warm until aid arrived.
“Friendship and affection between man and dog have no bounds,” said Hrvatska Gorska Sluba Spaavanja (HGSS) on Facebook. “North escaped unharmed, but his companion, a young climber, was not so fortunate.” He knelt by him and warmed him with his body.”
Rescuers arrived about midnight and were able to bring the hiker and his dog medical treatment the next morning.
His father made it through the night and down the mountain thanks to North’s dedication.
“[North’s] loyalty did not cease with the rescuers’ arrival,” the Facebook post added. “He was one of us, and he had been guarding his guy for 13 hours. We may all learn about caring for one another from this example.”
North is currently at home, resting and receiving plenty of goodies and pets, while his father is anticipated to recover completely.
The dog is being hailed as a hero, but the fluffy guy was merely doing what any friend would do: making sure his companion got home safely.