Southern Alberta man stuck in mud for 2 days rescued thanks to his dog

A southern Alberta man who was stuck in the mud for two days in Taber was rescued thanks to the efforts of his pet dog.

Police were called to the north side of the sugar factory property just before 7 a.m. on Thursday, after receiving a report of a large dog in the area.

When they arrived, police were not able to find the dog.

A few hours later, police learned a man and his dog were bitten by the original large dog while in the area.

When police went back to the scene, they noticed an Akita mix dog laying on a nearby berm. They also heard cries for help.

They then noticed a 61-year-old man was stuck in a muddy ditch behind some tall grass. He had been stuck there for two days.

The man was rescued and taken to hospital. He later told police his dog, who is aptly named Hero, stayed by his side for the entire two days and kept him warm. The pup even helped fight off some coyotes at one point.

It’s not known how the man ended up in the mud.

The man who was bitten by Hero received medical attention but was very understanding of the circumstances after he learned what happened.

Taber is located about 50 kilometres east of Lethbridge.