As three hikers made their way through a secluded section of Australia’s Mt. Glorious National Park, they heard a splashing sound from a creek bed up ahead. They approached carefully and quietly, expecting to see a kangaroo or a platypus, but were stunned when they saw a chubby dog struggling to free herself from the water instead.

The hikers created a noose from rope and a long stick to pull the dog from the freezing water. The well-fed, spayed female dog must have fallen into a deeper part of the creek and exhausted herself trying to climb out.

Terrified and disoriented, the dog tried to escape from her rescuers by scampering up the creek bed. The trio of hikers surrounded her, afraid to lose sight of her in the unforgiving terrain.

The area was well over 3 miles from any homes or businesses and if she fell back into the icy water, she would not survive the night. They began to devise a plan to extricate her from the secluded forest and back to safety.

The female hiker slowly made her way towards the dog’s little nest in the bushes. After sitting reassuringly nearby for a few minutes, she reached out her hand to attempt a scratch behind the ear. The pitiful pup rewarded her with a lick on the hand.

Over time the dog they dubbed Miss Piggy came to trust the hikers and even lay her head on the woman’s leg. They created a harness out of climbing ropes, but Miss Piggy was too exhausted and frightened to climb over the rough terrain of steep banks and rocks.

The kind hikers tried pushing/carrying her, but that proved too dangerous and difficult. They determined that they needed to create some type of carrying device if they were to get Miss Piggy to safety.

One hiker walked back to the car – 15 minutes each way – to retrieve a large canvas bag and they fashioned a stretcher using ropes, towels and a thick branch.

The two men carried the 85 – 90 pound dog while the woman walked ahead clearing away branches and brush from their path. 45 minutes later, they were back at the car where Miss Piggy began to transform into a new dog. By the time they had reached home she was wagging her tail and smiling from ear to ear.

The trio posted Miss Piggy’s photo online and soon found a match! Turns out Miss Piggy is actually Elly-Bob, a precocious and well-loved pet who had escaped from her owner’s yard nearly 10 miles from the secluded spot in the park where she was found.

Bobby – as she is lovingly referred to by her dad – had been missing for over 3 weeks! How she ended up in the bush remains a mystery, but Bobby is surprisingly healthy despite her ordeal and absolutely ecstatic to see her daddy again!

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