Skip to content
i Still Love Dogs
i Still Love Dogs

…Dog news, tips & fun stuff

  • News
  • Awww
  • Heroes
  • Grrr
  • Tips
  • Pittie Party
  • About
i Still Love Dogs

…Dog news, tips & fun stuff

Blind 11-Year-Old Lab Survives 2 Weeks Lost in Alaska

Laura Goldman, February 28, 2015August 19, 2019

blind dog lost in alaska

Madera, a blind, 11-year-old black Lab who got lost in Alaska Feb. 6, was saved by the bell.

Constantine Khrulev was riding his bike Thursday, accompanied by his dog — who was wearing the bell on his collar — when he heard another dog whining. He found Madera under a tree about 100 yards from the trail.

Madera had gone missing from her Ester home two weeks earlier after the wife of her dog dad, Ed Davis, let her out of the house to do her business.

Usually Madera came back inside as soon as she was finished. But as the temperature dipped to 40 degrees below zero, Madera was nowhere to be found.

Davis was out of town at the time, working at the trans-Alaska oil pipeline. He wasn’t optimistic about finding Madera alive when he returned home this week.

“My best hope was to walk those trails and look for a track that might be hers,” Davis told the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. “My best hope was to find a frozen dog.”

Madera had ended up in the woods only half a mile from her home. The senior pooch somehow managed to survive nearly two weeks in sub-zero weather.

When Khrulev found Madera, he brought her to a neighbor of the Davis family. Madera, who lost her eyesight due to an autoimmune disease, shed about 14 pounds during her ordeal, but was in good condition considering the circumstances.

“Maybe Madera went on a vision quest,” wrote Sharon Alden in a comment on the News-Miner article. “I saw Ed and Madera this week and she’s the same sweet dog with a great spirit and a now-trim waistline. I’m so amazed that this had a happy ending.”

Davis offered Khrulev a $100 reward, but Khrulev refused it and asked him to donate it to the Fairbanks Animal Shelter Fund. Impressed, Davis increased the donation to $250.

The News-Miner article doesn’t mention it, but I bet Davis will get Madera a bell of her own.

Photo via Facebook

Related

Awww Alaskablind dogLabrador Retrieverlost dog

Post navigation

Previous post
Next post

Recent Posts

  • GRRR: Caregiver of Austin Subaru’s Mascot Dog Loses His Job…and His Dog
  • Dogs—Not Cats—May Prevent Babies from Developing Asthma
  • Rest in Paradise, Patrick the Miracle Dog
  • Guide Dog Terrified by Thunder Led Blind Owner to Safety on 9/11
  • Once Again, Adopted Dogs Featured in 2025 Rose Parade

Most “Paw”pular Posts

  • Due to 'Pit Bulls and Parolees' Lawsuit, New Villalobos Sanctuary Planned
  • 5 Reasons Why Jon Stewart Is So Doggone Awesome
  • Frank Sinatra Loved the Ladies...and the Dogs
  • Rape Charges Dropped Against Toney Converse of 'Pit Bulls and Parolees'
  • Leonard Nimoy's L.A. Pet Store Did Not Live Long or Prosper

Like i Still Love Dogs on Facebook

Like i Still Love Dogs on Facebook

Follow @iStillLoveDogs on BlueSky

Follow @iStillLoveDogs on BlueSky

Subscribe to i Still Love Dogs

Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts. I respect your privacy and will never sell your information.

Privacy Policy

about Laura Goldman
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.

To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
©2025 i Still Love Dogs | WordPress Theme by SuperbThemes