A group of hikers was exploring caves in Dewey Hickman Nature Preserve when they suddenly saw something moving 30 feet below them. They leaned down to get a closer look — and realized that the movement came from an extremely skinny dog, clearly needing help!
As soon as the group saw Hawkeye, who they later found out is named Hawkeye. They knew he wasn’t just any dog- this was a pet they had to save!
“They repelled down and tied him up to a harness and lifted him out,” April Breeden of Harrison County Animal Control told us. “When Hawkeye came out of the cave, he was very emaciated. Once they were in the cave with him and once he got out as well, he was very gentle. They originally repelled down to check it out and came back up. He started barking like, ‘Don’t leave me.’”
The group had no idea how long the dog had been trapped in a cave, but they knew he needed to get checked out and given proper care as quickly as possible. They took him to Harrison County Animal Control, and they guessed that based on his condition he had probably been alone in the cave for up two weeks.
Hawkeye had been wearing a collar when he was found, so the shelter assumed that somebody must have owned him. When local news stations picked up his story and his family realized someone found their beloved dog they were thrilled!
“The family saw his story on the news and contacted us,” Breeden said. “The family had let him out to potty and he took off about two weeks prior to him being found.”
Hawkeye’s family was waiting for him outside, and when they saw that Hawkeye had been found by a group of good-hearted people who cared enough to rescue him, they were very thankful. As soon as the lost dog saw his family walk through the shelter doors, he couldn’t help but let out one big happy bark.
“When he saw his dad, he was so excited, jumping and kissing him,” Breeden said.
The family is forever grateful to the people who helped them find their beloved lost dog found in a cave. They’re so lucky that he made a full recovery, and we hope everyone had as much joy being part of this happy story as they did!
