Hurley, Bernese mountain dog

Family 'whole again' after reunion with lost dog
Darcy Wintonyk, ctvbc.ca
Updated: Fri. Apr. 8 2011 5:44 PM ET

A North Vancouver, B.C., family says they are whole again after being reunited with their missing dog, who spent more than two weeks wandering the North Shore mountains lost and hungry.

See more photos at: http://www.cvfaf.org/Hurley.html

Hurley, an 18-month-old Bernese Mountain Dog, was saved by search crews in a dramatic long line helicopter rescue just south of Capilano Lake on Thursday.

The dog was spotted by a fellow Bernese owner, who was among the hundreds of volunteers and community members who have given their time to search for the beloved pet.

"We couldn't be happier, our family really wasn't complete without Hurley and we were feeling that, all of us," Darwin Schandor told CTV News from his home just hours after he brought the dog home to his family.

"We now know what he means to us, our family. He's one of us," his wife Tracie said.

It has been an emotional two weeks for the Schandor family.

The couple and their two children, Hudson and Kiana, were on vacation in Maui for spring break when their pet sitting service called on March 24 to say that Hurley had wandered away during an outing on the Baden Powell Trail. The dog was supposed to be outfitted with a GPS collar, but the agency, Embark Dog Centre, decided not to use it because they felt the dog was well behaved.

That was the last time Hurley would be seen for two weeks.

The family spent up to 15 hours a day searching the rugged terrain near their home for any clues, but to no avail. A Facebook group, now 600 members strong, was launched for community members to report any possible sightings, and to tell others where they were searching.

"What kept us going was how many people volunteered their personal time to help find this member of our family. Even complete strangers," Darwin said.

"We may live in a big city but this is a small community."

The family even commissioned a helicopter to scour the area by air as a last-ditch effort. Tracie said her children, aged eight and 10, cried every day that Hurley was missing.

"We did start preparing them, and telling them there's a possibility he might not come home and those are some pretty tough conversations to have," she said.

The dramatic rescue
Members of North Shore Rescue quickly launched into action Thursday afternoon after receiving word the dog was spotted on a trail near Mosquito Creek.

Tim Jones said he had a hunch the dog would be near the water.

"When you can't find a person in a ridgeline or a trail system, they're in the creek," he said. "We felt the best way to get it out safely was through a long line rescue."

Two members were flown into the area by chopper, slowly lowered down into the rocky gully by a 200 foot long cable.

Rescuer Jeff Yarnold said Hurley wasn't thrilled to see searchers -- at first.

"He's a big dog. Once the leash was on him he was like ‘take me home,' and then he was thrilled," he said.

Hurley survived for two weeks with minimal food but lots of water. The dog is 20 pounds lighter, but otherwise okay, according to a veterinary assessment after his rescue.

Back at their North Vancouver home, Hudson and Kiana described the elation they felt when they saw their missing dog.

"It was so amazing. I just couldn't wait to pet his fur," Hudson said.

"I missed him a lot. It was really sad, but it turned out happy like him too," Kiana added.

Tracie said Hurley has free run of their home now -- and that their family has learned a valuable lesson.

The Schandor family — Darwin (clockwise from left), Hudson, Tracie and Kiana — can’t stop hugging their dog Hurley, after almost giving up hope he would be found.

"He's a bigger part of our family that we ever knew he was," she said.
Hudson added: "Never, never, never give up."


Accountability

Meanwhile, Embark Dog Centre said this is the first time it has lost a dog in its care.

Paul Riley, who spent many hours alongside the family searching for Hurley, describes the employee that was with the dog when he disappeared as one of their most experienced.

Riley said staff spent a lot of time assessing Hurley before they deemed it okay to let him walk off-leash.

"A Bernese Mountain Dog is not a flight risk. So for something like this to happen it makes you rethink everything," he said.

A sign posted on the door of the centre Friday said the business would focus on more training in the future.

Riley said they are rethinking their business model after what happened.

"With animals, you can read body language, but accidents like this can happen," he said, adding that he's just grateful the Schandors found their missing pet.

"If I have a business that's great, but if I don't, the kids have a dog and that's the main thing."

The Schandors say Embark has offered to pay a portion of the rescue costs.

Source: http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110408/bc_hurley_home_110408?hub=BritishColumbiaHome
Printer-friendly version here

Also read the family's
https://www.facebook.com/notes/bring-hurley-home/the-rescue-and-a-big-huge-thank-you/175699819145716

And the recount by the man that went searching for -- and found -- Hurley:
http://www.nsnews.com/life/Hurley+rescue+recounted/4607716/story.html