Annette Poitras: Canadian Hiker Survives Three Days Lost In The Wilderness With The Help Of Her Dogs

A Canadian hiker would not have survived the three days she spent lost in the woods without the help of her dogs, who guarded her, helped her find food, and kept her warm, BBC News is reporting.

Annette Poitras, 56, was hiking in the British Columbia wilderness last week when a series of events seemed to conspire against her. She fell and got off the trail. She injured a rib. Then she lost her phone. In the midst of all of that, torrential rains started falling.

Lost, injured, and without supplies, Annette would have almost certainly been left to die in those woods, had it not been for her three dogs, a collie named Chloe, a boxer named Roxy, and puggle named Bubba.

As the rains fell, tens of millions of years of evolution kicked in, and the dogs started digging holes, just like their ancient ancestors did. Annette took a cue from her animals and did the same. Then, the pack instinct took over for the dogs. Respecting Annette as the leader of the pack, the dogs would take turns cuddling next to her and keeping her warm, while another would stand guard, and another would search for food, according to her husband, Marcel.

“One of them was cuddling [her] and one of them was on guard and the other one was looking for food.”

Helicopter now up searching for Annette Poitras @GlobalBC pic.twitter.com/muPy0TuPt2

— Jordan Armstrong (@jarmstrongbc) November 21, 2017

Meanwhile, back in Coquitlam, according to CBC News, a massive search-and-rescue effort was underway. Some 60 rescuers scoured the rugged wilderness for any sign of the missing woman.

Eventually, rescuers heard the sounds of “faint cries for help” and “loud barking,” and zeroed in on the missing woman and her dogs.

Bubba came by to thank us!

89 Searchers from 19 SAR groups from Southwest BC, Vancouver Island & the Sunshine Coast. The #BCSAR community is strong! pic.twitter.com/IK0vaR9JK7

— Coquitlam SAR (@CoquitlamSAR) November 23, 2017

Helicopters rescued the woman and the dogs and carried them away to safety.

Amazingly, Poitras and the dogs survived the ordeal relatively unscathed. She was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for the injury to her ribs, but is otherwise OK. She’s looking forward to peace and quiet after her recovery.

Meanwhile, her husband and daughter are looking forward to “giving her sh*t” about her adventure once she gets home.

[Featured Image by varuna/Shutterstock]