A dog was reunited with its owner last week after it got scared and ran away during a camping trip in Joshua Tree National Park.
The 10-month-old Doberman, Onyx, was camping with his owner, Christian Corona of Chino Hills, on June 9 near Jumbo Rocks.
While it’s unclear what happened, Onyx apparently got scared and took off into the extreme wilderness. Corona spent the next two days searching for his dog in 90-degree heat, but his search came up empty.
Corona, 28, told officials that he “never thought I would see him again.”
Late Sunday evening, park rangers began receiving reports of a dog sighting. Onyx had climbed to a perch on some rock formations, about 200 feet up near the Jumbo Rocks campground, officials said. Some mistook the pup for a bighorn sheep, officials said.
The park’s search-and-rescue team was able to climb up to Onyx and reach him in only about 15 minutes.
“Rescue officials reached the dog and he barked, as if he was startled, but it didn’t take long to warm up to his rescuers. One of them poured a bowl of water and Onyx started chugging the water. It was obvious to the rescuers the dog was very dehydrated,” a news release from the Riverside County Department of Animal Services stated.
After gaining the dog’s trust, the rescue crew was able to get Onyx in a harness and slowly bring him down from his perch.
Onyx was taken to a county shelter in Thousand Palms before shelter staff found a social media post about the missing dog. They were then able to get in contact with Corona and organize a reunion.
Erin Gettis, director of the Riverside County Animal Services, called the reunion one of the department’s “more unique.” She said it’s a good reminder about the importance of making sure your pets have a collar or tag that identifies them or, better yet, a microchip.
“Pet owners should always be vigilant in protecting their pets from situations like this,” Gettis said. “Heading toward the Fourth of July holiday, we encourage all owners to ensure the chip info for your pet is up to date and your dog is wearing a tag and collar kept in a safe location or on a leash.”
Corona said Onyx was leashed for the majority of their trip, but only during sundown was he temporarily on his own. A buzzing sound, possibly a beehive, scared the dog, who darted back to the campground before taking off into the wilderness.
Onyx’s owner said he will be a faithful leash owner in the future and won’t let “ego” stop him from prioritizing his dog’s safety.
“Dogs are unpredictable,” he said. “Who’s to say this could not happen anywhere? It could be a squirrel and he gets excited and then bolts for the street and gets hit by a car. Lesson learned. I am eternally grateful for the rangers and everyone who helped me try to find him.”
National Park rules require that dogs be leashed at all times within a park’s boundaries. In Joshua Tree, officials say there are numerous dangers to dogs, including large predators and rattlesnakes, as well as the rugged terrain and high temperatures.
A full list of dog safety tips when visiting Joshua Tree National Park can be found here.
