Dog that got lost at Joshua Tree National Park reunited with owner

A man and his dog reunited last week at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus after a recent rescue in Joshua Tree National Park.

28-year-old Chino Hills resident Christian Corona was camping at the Jumbo Rocks campground on June 9 when his 10-month-old Doberman, Onyx, seemingly got spooked and ran away. There were several attempts throughout the day and the following day to find the dog, but all were unsuccessful.

“I never thought I would see him again,” said Corona.

Later on Sunday, Joshua Tree National Park officials started getting reports of a dog sighting. Onyx had climbed to a perch on rock formations, approximately 200 feet up, near the campground.

JOSAR, a search and rescue outfit that includes volunteers and National Park Service staffers, was activated to retrieve the dog. Thankfully, Onyx was in a spot that didn't require much technical climbing, and it only took the JOSAR team roughly 15 minutes to reach the pooch.

When rescue officials reached the dog and poured a bowl of water for him, it became obvious that Onyx was very dehydrated. After providing assurance, treats, and comfort, the rescue team members harnessed the dog and eased him down from his temporary perch.

Onyx cooled off in a well-air-conditioned ranger's vehicle, and was later transported by Riverside County Animal Services Officer Bryan Yarnall to the county's shelter in Thousand Palms.

Shelter staff noticed a social media post about missing pets in the Morongo Basin and read about the missing Doberman. An Animal Services employee then reached out to Onyx's owner.

“This is one of our more unique reunions,” Animal Services Director Erin Gettis said. “People don’t realize we respond to Joshua Tree National Park since the majority of the park is within Riverside County. Pet owners should always be vigilant in protecting their pets from situations like this. A microchip or collar with a tag could have resulted in a much sooner reunion.  Heading toward the Fourth of July holiday, we encourage all owners to ensure the chip info for your pet is up to date and your dog is wearing a tag and collar kept in a safe location or on a leash.”

Temperatures soared to the mid-90s throughout the weekend. The incident is a reminder for pet owners to take extra precautions for their pets.

The rescue also illustrates the need for pet owners to use extreme caution when visiting wilderness areas. A dog must be leashed at all times in a national park and dog owners must be aware that a dog’s behavior is very different inside a national park. There are a lot of dangers for a pet: Water is not available and there are larger predators and rattlesnakes.

Corona said he now knows why this happened. “Ego,” he said. “I have a very close relationship with him and many people come to me for dog advice because they see how well-behaved my dog is.”

He said he had his dog on a leash all day Friday in camp and Onyx showed few signs of wanting to explore alone. He stayed calm and he stayed put. But on that post-sunrise trip to the bathroom, Onyx was off leash and Corona said he will be a faithful leash user from this moment forward.

“People be warned – dogs are unpredictable,” Corona said. “Who’s to say this could not happen anywhere? It could be a squirrel and he gets excited and then bolts for the street and gets hit by a car. Lesson learned. I am eternally grateful for the rangers and everyone who helped me try to find him. It was so heartwarming – people came together to help. It was just amazing.”

View a full list of pet-safety tips provided by the National Park Service here.