Video shows lost dog in woods brought to safety in viral video thumb

A hiker in Oregon reunited a pet dog with its owner, prompting a tear-jerking reunion.

Jason Hawkins, a backpacker and YouTuber from Colorado, was hiking through the woods in Umpqua Hot Springs, Oregon, about 250 miles southeast of Portland, around 4 p.m. PT on Sept. 17, when he spotted a lost dog.

“After hiking a short while, I spotted a dog barely visible out in the woods," Hawkins told Storyful. "I tried to approach him, but he kept running deeper. I knew he wouldn’t do well out there, so I followed him until I finally found him, lying down and tired.”

Hawkins later told USA TODAY over email that a group of girls asked him if he was missing a dog as he was filling out payment slips at the trailhead. However, he didn't "think much of it at the time because they seemed to have it under control, but it did put (him) on a little higher alert, thankfully."

"They must’ve given up when he ran off because I did not see them again and spotted the dog alone pretty far off the trail," Hawkins said.

Lost dog ran deeper into the woods

Video footage shows the dog, whose name and gender are unclear, sitting on the forest floor looking scared and skittish. Hawkins, in the video, said he tried to approach the dog, but it ran away from him deeper into the woods.

Hawkins followed the dog, and the two ended up pretty deep in the woods. Slowly, Hawkins was able to build the dog's trust and get close to it, eventually containing the pup by using a tripod as a makeshift leash.

Once the dog was secured, the two walked back to the parking lot, and Hawkins was able to text the pooch's owner using the number on the dog's tag. In between tracking the dog and reuniting it with its owner, it took Hawkins more than an hour and a half.

The owners pulled up in the parking lot shortly after Hawkins sent the message, though he's not sure if "they saw the text or if they were just actively looking."

Lost dog's owner gets emotional upon reunion

Hawkins said the dog's owner started crying as soon as she saw her pet, hugging it tightly and showering it with love and cuddles.

"She was very emotional, so didn’t talk much other than saying thank you a few times," Hawkins said. "I could tell she was worried sick and loved that dog immensely, which warmed my heart even more."

Hawkins, in a video on Instagram, said the pup "apparently jumped out of their car hours ago, and has just been wandering around, so it’s a good thing I spotted him when I did.”

“He got pretty deep into the woods, but we got him. It all worked out,” he said. “As soon as (the owner) saw him, she just started bawling. She was just so happy to see him again, and that made me feel so good - highlight of the day. I’m so glad we got him."

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch hiker reunite lost dog with teary-eyed owner in Oregon

Reporting by Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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