Sage, a blind 12-year-old Labrador retriever, made her way into the woods near Boulder Creek, California, at the end of February, and disappeared into the cold, wet forest.
After her family discovered she was missing, they looked everywhere for her, assisted by friends and neighbors, but the low temperatures, rainy weather, and uptick in mountain lion sightings didn't bode well for Sage. One week after Sage walked away from home, neighbor Dan Estrada and his friend Victor Lopez spotted her in a stream, "her chin just above water level," Estrada told the Santa Cruz Sentinel. "I jumped in the stream and hugged her."
An EMT, Estrada knew Sage wouldn't have made it much longer, and he carried the weak dog out of the forest. The Cole family was ecstatic to see Sage again, and neighbors have been stopping by their house to spoil her with treats, including a steak. Estrada was offered a reward by the Coles, but he said no, and came up with a different idea — in honor of Sage's rescue, a celebration will be held on March 18, and seven custom leather dog leashes made by Estrada and Lopez will be raffled off. All of the proceeds raised will go to the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter.
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