Dog lost for a week in New Zealand bush found after strangers fund US$6,300 air search

After a hiker, Jessica Johnston, was rescued from a waterfall in the New Zealand bush on March 24th, her dog Molly went missing. Rescuers were unable to locate the dog during the initial emergency response. A helicopter pilot, Matt Newton, initiated a search for Molly, but was initially unsuccessful. Newton then launched a fundraiser which raised over $6,300 from strangers to fund further aerial searches. On Tuesday, Newton, along with a veterinary nurse and volunteer searchers, located Molly near the site of Johnston's accident. Molly was then safely reunited with her owner in the hospital.

Molly, a border collie, was rescued in New Zealand's remote Arahura Valley after being missing for a week. Her owner, Jessica Johnston, had been seriously injured in a fall on March 24th and rescued by helicopter, but Molly was lost in the rugged terrain. A volunteer team of former helicopter pilots and crew launched a search after public donations quickly exceeded their fundraising goal of $2,400, reaching $11,500 in eight hours. The team located Molly near a waterfall close to where Johnston had fallen. Despite the challenging location, Molly was found alive and well, and was safely transported by helicopter. The rescue highlights the lack of official funding for animal rescues in the New Zealand wilderness.