Blind Dog Found, Rescued in California Mountains

Sage was missing for a full seven days before a neighbor found her.

In late February, the Cole family of Santa Cruz, California, went to bed, thinking that somebody had let their 12-year-old labrador retriever Sage back into the house. Unfortunately, no one had...and Sage went exploring in the woods behind their house.

Problem is...she's blind.

Neighbors and community members went out to try and find her, but they were concerned - the nights were cold and rainy, and mountain lion sightings had increased in the area.

Neighbor Dan Estrada and his friend Victor Lopez were taking a hike with their own dogs when they spotted Sage, lifeless in the water. They thought she was dead...and then she perked up at the sound of their dogs. Estrada climbed down to the stream and carried her out.

Both Estrada and Lopez have their own rescue dogs, and instead of claiming the reward for finding Sage, they made seven leather dog leashes and will raffle them off for the local animal shelter.