Jessica Johnston has been reunited with her beloved border collie after a frightening fall down a 55-metre waterfall left her injured and separated from her pet in the New Zealand bush.
The emotional reunion came just days after the woman was airlifted from a rocky section of a waterfall on the South Island on March 24 with cuts and bruises.
At the time, rescuers were forced to leave without Molly, who could not be found.
What followed was a story that many pet owners will recognise, the determination not to give up, and the kindness of strangers stepping in to help.
Helicopter pilot Matt Newton contacted Johnston while she was still in hospital and promised he would keep searching.
“I contacted her in hospital and said I’d go for a look for it,” Newton said.
“I went and looked for the dog several times and no avail.”
Refusing to stop there, Newton and his family launched a fundraiser to cover the cost of more flying hours and specialist search equipment.
Donations quickly poured in, with strangers contributing more than $NZ11,000 ($A9000) to help find the missing dog.
On Tuesday, Newton returned to the area with a veterinary nurse, volunteers and a rescue dog named Bingo.
Within an hour, Molly was found – hungry and exhausted, but alive – just a few metres from where Johnston had survived the fall.
“We struck jackpot within about an hour,” he said.
The helicopter dropped low enough for a volunteer and the rescue dog to approach Molly and coax her to safety.
Despite spending nearly a week alone in the bush, the border collie was in “surprisingly good condition”, Newton said, and it is believed she survived by eating feral animals.
Other volunteers, who were waiting at the helicopter base to take turns in the search, were informed that Molly was found, and they celebrated the good news together.
“Instead we just had a big barbecue and all had a cuddle with Molly,” he said.
A few hours later, Johnston, who was still recovering from her injuries, arrived for an emotional reunion with her beloved pet.
“I think that’ll speed up her healing process somewhat,” Newton said.
“Having your dog back, that’s for sure.”
Images: Precision Helicopters
