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Dog travels 4 miles to get help for owner after car crash

An Oregon man was injured and stuck overnight after his car plummeted into a steep ravine.
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Posted at 1:01 PM, Jun 11, 2024

The Baker County Sheriff’s Office in Oregon said a dog traveled 4 miles to get help for its owner after the driver of a car was stranded overnight after crashing his car in a steep, brushy ravine.

Officials said on June 2, Brandon Garrett crashed his car after not properly maneuvering around a curve near Halfway, Oregon, causing the car to plummet. One of the four dogs Garrett was traveling with left the crash scene and ran 4 miles to reach family. On the morning of June 3, the dog made it back to their camp, which alerted the rest of the party that something was wrong, authorities said.

The sheriff's office said Garrett was able to move about 100 yards away from the crash scene before being spotted by family. Due to the terrain, Garrett's family was unable to reach him. Rescuers were then called out and reached Garrett to provide first aid. After using chainsaws to clear a path, rescuers were able to load and secure him in a rescue basket.

Authorities said he was airlifted to a regional hospital. They did not provide an update on his condition. Brother Tyree Garrett told the New York Times that Brandon sustained multiple injuries.

“He’s got a cracked ankle and his body itself is just really bruised and battered,” Tyree told The New York Times. “So it’s going to take him a while at his age to get back on his feet.”

Garrett's three other dogs were also found alive.