Hikers rescue 2 lost dogs near Mt. St. Helens

Katherine Cook | KGW-TV (Portland)

Two dogs made it home safely, after spending nearly a week alone in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

Dennis Elton and his dogs, Woody, a Brittany spaniel, and Brock, a chocolate lab, drove into the forest on October 26 near Mt. St. Helens.

When the dogs got out of the truck, Elton said they caught a scent and ran off.

"I looked for them for hours," said Elton."I'd never left a dog in the woods before."

Elton's family posted pictures of the companions on social media and Craigslist. Elton spent the next six days returning to the forest, looking for the dogs but to no avail.

"He spent $500 on gas and drove hundreds of miles," said Elton's wife, Shawn. "We were all heartbroken."

On Sunday, Elton's prayers were answered.

Two good Samaritans had found the dogs at separate points on the trail, each about 25 miles from where the dogs had escaped.

Corey Theisen found Woody while hiking with friends. He said the dog was cold, wet and scared.

"I was thinking how am I going to help this dog?" said Theisen. "So I took a couple pictures of him and I posted them online and I asked all my Facebook friends to help me."

The story was shared more than 9,000 times and eventually made its way to Elton.

"I said that's Woody! That's Woody!" said Elton. "I stood up on the edge of my bed and said, where is he?"

After Elton picked Woody up from Theisen's home in Portland, Ore., he got a phone call from his wife saying someone else had found Brock and posted pictures of him on social media.

Nick Gibson found the chocolate lab while hiking near Lava Canyon. He brought Brock to his home in Camas, and soon connected with Elton.

"(Shawn Elton) started telling me the story about the other dog and everything and it just sort of blew me away," said Gibson.

Dennis Elton drove both dogs back to his home in Amboy, Wash., thankful for everyone who had helped, and grateful that the dogs were still alive.

"They went 25 miles," said Elton. "I don't know how they got through this."