California dog guards owner who died in the snow, refusing to leave the area until state deputies arrived on the scene.
During a strong winter storm on January 28, 69-year-old David Glenn Deshon of Foresthill went missing. A Placer County Sheriff’s Office press release said that two days later, 100 yards away from a neighbor’s home, they found the man’s body.
Man’s Best Friend
David’s daughter, Shona Deshon, said that Baby Dog, one of his two dogs, stayed on David’s chest to help him stay warm. “He didn’t die alone. He didn’t die alone at all,” Shona said.
Shona said her father’s car might have been trapped in the snow, causing him and his dog to hike to get home. “He tried to hike up 200 feet that way, but I guess (he) decided ‘No’ and came back and went down the road and hiked up the hill. You can see his tracks in the snow,” she said.
The sheriff’s office said that when authorities arrived, the dog refused to leave Deshon’s dead body. A neighbor, who knew the dog, was asked by authorities to walk down to retrieve the canine.
The dog would not let the rescuers, the sheriff, anyone near my dad. So they had to go and get a man who lives on a property known as Baby Dog, so they could go and get my dad and bring him to me,” said Shona, WHIO reported.
David’s other dog, Buddy, was eventually found close to a neighbor’s house. The two dogs were brought to Placer County Animal Services facility, where he received antibiotics. Shona said she could not bring both dogs because her fence crashed down after the last storm.
“I just feel like I need to take Baby Dog because he’s part of my dad now,” she said. Shona noted that Buddy would be put up for adoption for anyone interested in taking care of him.