Joanne Lefson, an animal rights activist and globetrotter, saved Rupee from a garbage dump near Ladakh in Northern India at the age of just a few month. In 2013, Rupee made headlines by being dubbed “the first dog to climb Mt. Everest.”
Oscar, a canine companion who had traveled all over the world with Lefson was killed in a car just months before they planned to visit Mount Everest. It seemed like a sign that Rupee was close to death when she found her. Rupee received excellent nutrition and a lot of veterinary care in order to recover. Lefson wasn’t sure he’d be up for a lengthy hike in the mountains, but it turned out Rupee was more than capable of doing so.
Although dogs (or any other domestic animals, for that matter) are rarely seen on Everest (even close to Base Camp), it’s not uncommon to see some stray animals hanging out during the climbing season. Some climbers follow others, while others live in the valley or nearby villages and are attracted to the activity and the chance to find food (per Nature and Travel Lover).
Some stray dogs will bravely climb the mountain to reach Camp 2 in good weather. These dogs are usually dogs who have become accustomed to the area and its conditions. They are willing to chase climbers until it gets difficult and then they turn around.
Rupee wasn’t the first dog to ascend Everest, technically speaking. According to the Wisdom Panel in Nepal, there are more then 20,000 stray dog on the streets of Katmandu. Street dogs are considered “suspicious” in nations where rabies is an issue, and people avoid them out of concern that they might be bitten or catch the disease (via Nature and Travel Lovers). However, strays are drawn to climbers, particularly foreigners who aren’t terrified of canines.
Dogs are known to follow climbers and often join treks towards Mount Everest because they receive food, a pat on their heads and even a kind word.
But Rupee is the first dog formally noted at Mount Everest’s base camp, earning the moniker “the slumdog mountaineer” because of his mountaineering exploits (per Daily Mail). According to Nature and Travel Lovers, he is also the only dog to have completed the 80-mile, 10-plus day journey to Mount Everest’s base camp.
While the inclination isn’t high, you’re traveling at an altitude of more than 3400 miles above sea level, which means there’s around 50% less oxygen than at lower altitudes. It takes at least five hours per day to walk through difficult terrain (via Adventure Alternative). It’s not a stroll in the park, to put it briefly.
Even though Rupee had not spent months or years loitering at Everest’s base camp like many stray animals, the fact that he was born in the Himalayas at a higher elevation undoubtedly helped. People claims that Lefson would probably be able withstand thin air because of the fact that he was evaluated by a veterinarian before the trip.
Lefson received a medical approval and set about getting ready for her journey. According to Nature and Travel Lovers, the first stage was to plan a journey that permitted her to bring a dog along, which required walking the long way to South Base Camp (the North Base Camp wouldn’t allow dogs to come along).
Lefson was worried about Rupee’s ability to handle the long journey because he was still a young puppy at 8 months old. According to Daily Mail, she, therefore, decided to bring along an extra porter “in case Rupee needed to hitch a ride” on the hike. Porters are sherpas who accompany climbers and transport their gear and other equipment.
Rupee however surprised everyone by having a great time playing in the snow.
Lefson is an animal rescuer who wanted to spread awareness about stray dog adoptions and the incredible potential of these dogs if given another chance.
She also wanted to honor Oscar, her beloved dog who she rescued, and his legacy.
Mera, a different stray dog, broke Rupee’s previous record in 2019. The fact that Mera didn’t try the climb with her owner may have shocked people more. Instead, she made friends with a group of climbers trying to reach the top of Nepal’s Baruntse peak and followed them there. According to Bark, Mera and her human friends reached 23,389 feet above the sea level. She was temporarily stranded on a glacier during the trip, and she spent two nights outside sleeping on her own until the expedition guides came to rescue her.
Don Wargowsky, a brave 45-pound climber, and the dog shared a tent for the three remaining weeks of the ascent (via The Independent).
Initially, an unwelcome guest on the climb, Mera quickly won over the sherpas with her tenacity and strength and became known as their “good luck charm” for the expedition, which successfully reached the summit of the peak as scheduled.
Mera joined the climbers on the way down the mountain. She looked like a mix of a Tibetan Mastiff, a Himalayan Sheepdog.
Mera had a fortunate week, as the expedition’s base camp manager adopted her. Even if she didn’t reach Everest, her achievement deserves to be remembered as well.
SOURCE: GRUNGE
