Hikers rescue malnourished dog wandering in Palm Desert in triple-digit heat

A hiker was shocked to find a malnourished and shaggy dog wandering around the desert on Ramon Road during temperatures surpassing 100 degrees.

"We were almost to the hiking spot in Palm Desert when we saw what we thought was maybe a bobcat going across the street. So we slowed down, and we were like, 'Oh my god, it's a dog,'" Zoe Cadman, one of the people who rescued the dog, told CBS Los Angeles.

Cadman, a Monrovia resident, came down to Coachella Valley to go hiking with some friends. Instead, she ended up chasing the dog down the side of a deserted Ramon Road, just below the Coachella Valley preserve.

"Pretty remote, out in the middle of nowhere and he was just running and running down the middle of the road," Cadman said.

Cadman was finally able to catch the dog thanks to the help of a biker who was passing by. She made a makeshift leash out of a piece of twine that she found on the ground and gave the dog some water.

Now away from the heat and a bit rehydrated, the dog, nicknamed Dave his rescuers, was rushed to The Shabby Dog, a dog grooming, daycare, and boarding service located in Sierra Madre, a city east of Pasadena.

"When we saw him he was a mess. Very dehydrated, mats, fox tails all over him. In fact, we're treating his feet, nose is sunburned," said Sandy Duvall, the owner of the Shabby Dog.

The Shabby Dog has several years of experience helping rescues. Duvall said she doesn't think Dave would've lasted much longer if he hadn't been rescued when he was.

"Number one he would have gotten hit by a car, but just the dehydration alone. And he's pretty thin," Duvall said.

But Dave survived and now he is being taken care of by Shabby Dog staff. Groomers gave him a much-needed haircut and he was taken to a veterinarian to get shots.

Cadman has been visiting him every day too.

Staff guess Dave is about four or five years old. He was microchipped but is not registered to anyone. Staff is working to find out if the chip came from a rescue organization or a veterinarian.

"I honestly firmly believed he was dumped," Cadman said.

Cadman and staff are hoping to find a home for Dave.

"I think Dave deserves a good home where he can go explore with his favorite person," Cadman said.

If you are interested in adopting Dave, email The Shabby Dog at info@theshabbydog.com with the subject line "Dave".

Staff would prefer no phone calls.