Rescued German dog returns to owner after Swiss hiking mishap

Female dog Ayla returned to Germany after crashing in the Alpstein Keystone-SDA

A German shepherd dog has been reunited with her owner in Germany more than a week after being assumed dead after falling into a ravine in Switzerland.

According to the cantonal police in the Swiss canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, a 61-year-old man from Germany was hiking with his dog from Säntis down to Schwägalp. In the Nasenlöcher area, the dog briefly played on a snow field, whereupon she slipped and fell into the depths.

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The owner could see the dog motionless in the steep terrain below with his binoculars. Despite waiting a long time and constantly repeating calls and whistles, he could no longer detect any reaction from his dog. With the certainty that his dog had not survived the fall, the German set off on his descent and then made his way home.

The accident took place on Friday 26 June. Eight days later the Appenzell Innerrhoden cantonal police received a report that a dog was in rough terrain in a meadow in the Alpstein. There was no trace of the owner.

Alpine helicopter rescue

Based on this report, specialists from Swiss Alpine Rescue and Rega set out to rescue the dog. The dog was handed over to the cantonal police and then to a vet.

As the police assumed that the owner of the animal was injured in rough terrain, Rega carried out a search flight in the area. In addition, intensive investigations were carried out and a search was made for the owner using the dog’s chip number.

Thanks to the German pet register TASSO, it was possible to locate the breeding farm, which in turn led the police to the owner of the animal.

The 61-year-old man from Baden-Württemberg was able to embrace his Ayla again on Sunday.

And the press release from Appenzell stated: “The cantonal police of Appenzell Innerrhoden wish the wonderful Ayla all the best for her future life after this odyssey in Appenzell.”

Translated from German by DeepL/mga

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