Oh, Bravo Sierra! Irrespective of the man having lost his supplies, or not being ready...he did have his dog, and it saved his life...twice.
The dog saved his life from the Bear (probably). Then the dog fulfilled his role again by saving his life from starvation.
I have had dogs all my life. One who was a faithful friend of our entire family (my iwfe, myself, and our five kids) for 17 1/2 years. I owuld hacve risked my life to save that dog in the right circumstances.
But, if it came down to that dog or one of my children, or that dog or my life (where I provide for my wife and kids), the dog would sacrifice its life to keep us alive.
Any talk about this being selfish or a betrayal are rediculous.
Gut wrenching? Yes. Betrayal, no.
I agree with you. I read about people jumping in frozen ponds, or dangerously high seas to save their dogs. It seems like the dog usually gets out on its own; the people don’t. Their was one case in California where a wave swept a dog of a beach, a boy went after it, the parents after the boy, and only the dog came back, leaving a teen-aged girl without parents or brother.
Nonetheless, it would probably take me more than three days to eat my dog - unless she started eyeing me first. And I’d like company in bear country.