Hiker killed and ate his German Shepherd to survive

I hope I never have to make a choice like this, and I place no blame on the man for doing it, because I was not there. At the same time I'm so sorry for the dog, I love shepherds.

This man was doing what seems to be a long expedition type hike, and was attacked by bear. Interestingly (sadly) the dog interfered with the bear causing it to cease its attack. During the attack, food and supplies were damaged. The man was found and rescued Wednesday, after having been out for 30 days. This was in Canada.

Again, I place no blame, but I do wonder, couldn't the dog have been a help? Of course, I have not been in this situation...But he did go willingly out as opposed to being stranded in a plane crash or something, he did take the dog with him, and he did fail to properly secure his supplies, right?

I see both sides, I guess, and feel conflicted. Would like to see an interview with the guy.

Toronto Sun

reply to post by Ameilia


He did what he had to to survive...
Heck If I was in that situation I may have eaten you

Sounds like he did what he had to do and I'll bet a piece of him died right there with his dog. That piece of him didn't come out when they rescued him, I'm sure. I hope I would never face that, but in the end? I think we all would do whatever it required to stay alive, when death is close enough to see and almost touch.

The Donner Party comes to mind for a whole group of people, forced to do far more than this man had to ..and many others since in other dire situations no one planed for or foresaw happening.

There but for the Grace of God, go I.

reply to post by Ameilia


I've just woken up and thought this said Hitler instead of Hiker.

Imagine my disappointment?

I don't feel for the guy. I feel for the dog who was forced to save him twice, second time head being bashed to death by a blunt object. There's not a ton of info but from it looks like he wasn't prepared for such an adventure. No rifle, etc.? Not even a Ka-Bar? He was also warned to stay away from the area, which as he experienced would not have happened if he didn't go or had protection from the bear.

Imagine the mental anguish this man must feel having done that. I would almost rather be dead ...

reply to post by Beavers


me also.

reply to post by Ameilia

But the Nottaway River is considered too dangerous even for the hardiest outdoorsmen.

So he goes into danger, willingly and for no more than a thrill. Takes his loyal pet. Realises the danger, even after people had advised him, is real and so eats his loyal pet.

I don't think he's any good at all. I think he's stupid.

Beavers
reply to post by Ameilia

 

I've just woken up and thought this said Hitler instead of Hiker.

Imagine my disappointment?

Not to make light of the subject, but so did I. lol

I believe if there was one thing I learned and I learned it so well, it'll stick with for life from my brief time homeless, earlier in life. It's that no one....NO ONE...can say what they'd do in a given situation of desperation or hunger until they HAVE been there, personally. Anything else is guess work and without much basis or foundation to make the guess...in my opinion. Folks like us ought to just thank the whims of fate if that is a situation we've never had to face ...and recall, life is short, but not that short. It may yet be something we face, some day.

People sure have gotten judgmental on things so removed from common reference to understand, it's amazing to see.

winofiend
reply to post by Ameilia

 

But the Nottaway River is considered too dangerous even for the hardiest outdoorsmen.

So he goes into danger, willingly and for no more than a thrill. Takes his loyal pet. Realises the danger, even after people had advised him, is real and so eats his loyal pet.

I don't think he's any good at all. I think he's stupid.

The dog should have eaten him. +50 bonus points for natural selection.

reply to post by Ameilia


yeah this guy is a hard headed idiot and the dog deserved a smarter master. He was told and warned more than once of the danger and not to do it alone yet he went ahead like a thick headed moron and did it just to screw up and sacrifice his loyal friend for his own stupidity.

boymonkey74
reply to post by Ameilia

 

He did what he had to to survive...
Heck If I was in that situation I may have eaten you

I tend to encourage vegan hippies. I figure in a SHTF scenario, they'd taste the closest to cows, what with all that time spent grazing the organic produce section of their local health food store.

so he couldn't even snare a rabbit, have taught his dog to find wildlife. if hitlers dogs were able to kill on command, then someone could have taught that Shepard how to find rabbits, corner raccoons, he could have waited until nightfall to use fire to catch fish. i hope the next time that bastard goes out to the city he gets mugged

Read the book about Morie Sawataishi, also known as the dog man. He saved the Akita breed from extinction during WWII when the government paid for their coats and starving people ate them for food.

Not the first time people have had to eat Fido for food.

I just had this discussion with my son yesterday, that he should consider himself lucky if he manages to get through life without resorting to having to eat the family pet.

reply to post by nixie_nox


i remember hearing of when in certain parts of europe and russia, food was so scarce in the 40's that people were eating eachother

There are many other animals and food sources in almost any kind of environment in the world than your best friend that even saved your ass a couple of times already...fish,snakes,roots,insects,rabbits,worms,birds,to name a few.

The dog saved him from a bear, and likely kept him warm at night, and likely also kept away other wildlife that could have been dangerous.
The dog could have probably caught, or dug up something edible, and shared.

IMO, the dog - alive - was a far greater asset than this man realized.

Poor dog, I might have been able to show some kind of sympathy for this guy if his dog had already been dying, but nope that's not the case. Not only did this idiot go in a place and was warned of the danger seeking a thrill, the dog he killed rescued him from a bear??? The whole put yourself in his shoes argument fails when your dumb*** goes out looking for the trouble yourself...

reply to post by snowspirit


Sorry but you just do not know that...the guy was starving I bet all of you would do the same in his position, I know many are dog lovers but If it meant survival all of you would eat your pet dog...I would eat my cat If no other food was around.