A couple camping at Box Canyon in Mecca, California woke up to find an abandoned dog sleeping by their RV at their campsite deep in the desert. The Cane Corso was clearly lost or been abandoned and left to die because he was miles from civilization.
He had been alone for a while because he was very skinny and very dehydrated.
The couple reached out to The Animal Rescue Center Of California (ARC) for help and Kirk Geiger, the rescue’s founder, quickly drove out to the remote location to fetch the large dog.
The Cane Corso had bonded quickly with his rescuers and barked at Kirk as he approached them. But Kirk won over the dog, now named Anderson, by giving him a big bowl of soft dog food.
From talking to the couple, Kirk learned that the dog appeared to have been waiting for someone to come by. Anderson’s eyes had been blood red and he had a hard time standing. But after one day with water and food the campers told Kirk that the dog was standing up and doing much better.
Kirk figured that Anderson just needed more food and to be rehydrated so he took him back to ARC to care for him. Anderson wasn’t microchipped. He went to the vet for a check up and vaccinations and he turns out to be a really healthy 1.5 year old dog.
Anderson appears very friendly, but Kirk still had the dog’s temperament expertly evaluated. How was he with other dogs? Cane Corsos are powerful dogs so temperament checks are a necessary part of the rescue process. Anderson turned out to be fidgety but friendly and passed with “flying colors.”