Into the Wild: Dogs Save Injured Woman Lost in Wilderness

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Annette Poitras was lost for days after setting out for a walk in the Canadian wilderness RCMP

A Canadian woman who was injured while walking in the wilderness would not have survived over two days without her three dogs, her husband said.

Annette Poitras, 56, was walking with her border collie, boxer and puggle in the British Columbian backcountry Monday when she fell, injured herself and lost her telephone.

Her husband, Marcel Poitras told Global News that her three dogs—a collie called Chloe, a boxer named Roxy, and Bubba, a pug-beagle mix—helped her stay alive during the ordeal, during which Poitras had no supplies and endured torrential rain.

He said that she saw one of the dogs dig a hole underground to stay warm, and did the same.

"One of them was cuddling [her] and one of them was on guard and the other one was looking for food," he said.

She also helped the dogs, covering the short haired boxer with her coat after she noticed it shivering during heavy rainfall on their second night.

He said the dogs did not leave her side.

Poitras was rescued after a two day search by the RCMP, which used helicopters and 100 volunteers to scour the countryside near Eagle Mountain for traces of her.

Some rescuers finally heard faint cries for help and loud barking and tracked down Poitras and the dogs to an area described by the Mounties as "well outside the normal trail system", according to The Surrey Now Leader.

The rescue team said she was "alive and in good condition" in an area off trail, in dense bush and swamp.

CBC reported Friday that two of the dogs visited her hospital bedside Friday.

Poitras is expected to be released from hospital later in the week. Marcel said that after his wife is released from hospital they are hoping things will get back to normal.

"Quiet, peace. Walking dogs. Visiting family," he said.

"So that'll be a great time and yeah, we're just going to get back to normal."

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