<h2><strong>Hiker Rescues Lost Puppy from Pennsylvania Coal Pit After Frigid Weeklong Search</strong></h2> <h3>A Miraculous Rescue in Pottsville</h3> After a <a href="https://journosnews.com/category/environment-climate-sustainability/viral-animal-stories-trending/"><strong>weeklong search in freezing temperatures</strong></a>, a missing <a href="https://journosnews.com/category/environment-climate-sustainability/viral-animal-stories-trending/"><strong>6-month-old golden retriever named Freddy</strong></a> was finally found trapped in a deep coal pit in <strong>Pottsville, Pennsylvania</strong>. The heroic rescue was made by <strong>Collin Leiby</strong>, a local hiker and wedding photographer, who had been keeping an eye out for the lost pup. <h3>A Fateful Discovery on Sharp Mountain</h3> Leiby was following his own dog along a mountain trail when he glanced toward a <a href="https://journosnews.com/category/environment-climate-sustainability/viral-animal-stories-trending/"><strong>deep coal pit below</strong></a> and noticed something moving near a pile of rocks—<strong>Freddy’s tail</strong>. <blockquote> <h3><strong>“A tear came to my eye,”</strong> said Leiby, 33, who lives just a few blocks from Freddy’s home. <strong>“I started calling his name. He slowly got up and started walking toward us.”</strong></h3> </blockquote> Freddy, exhausted and weak, attempted to climb up the <a href="https://journosnews.com/category/environment-climate-sustainability/weather-storms-forecast-updates/"><strong>icy coal pit wall</strong></a> but couldn’t make it. Leiby <a href="https://journosnews.com/category/environment-climate-sustainability/viral-animal-stories-trending/"><strong>reached down, grabbed him, and gave him water</strong></a> before clipping a leash on him. Together, they walked off the mountain—Freddy eagerly <strong>crying and jumping</strong> as if to say, <strong>"Get me home!"</strong> <h3>A Community’s Tireless Search Efforts</h3> Freddy’s <strong>owners, Pam and Joe Palko</strong>, had <strong>never given up hope</strong> after he disappeared on <strong>February 17</strong>. They launched an all-out effort to find him: <strong>Social media alerts</strong> <strong>Flyers distributed across schools, churches, and town</strong> <strong>Volunteer search parties</strong> <strong>Search dogs and thermal drones</strong> to locate Freddy in the vast, snow-covered terrain Despite their relentless efforts, <a href="https://journosnews.com/category/environment-climate-sustainability/weather-storms-forecast-updates/"><strong>temperatures dropped to single digits</strong></a>, and days passed without any sign of Freddy. <blockquote> <h3><strong>“It was excessively cold,”</strong> said Pam Palko. <strong>“As the days went on, our hopes were getting smaller.”</strong></h3> </blockquote> <h3>A Heartwarming Reunion</h3> On <strong>Monday evening</strong>, just as the Palkos were <a href="https://journosnews.com/category/environment-climate-sustainability/viral-animal-stories-trending/"><strong>chasing a false lead at an animal shelter</strong></a>, their <a href="https://journosnews.com/category/environment-climate-sustainability/viral-animal-stories-trending/"><strong>home security camera sent an alert</strong></a>—a stranger was at their door <strong>with Freddy!</strong> Moments later, a <strong>neighbor, Dr. Carolyn Canizaro-Orlowsky</strong>, a retired veterinarian, called them. Rushing home, the Palkos found <strong>Freddy weak, hungry, and confused</strong> but safe. <blockquote> <h3><strong>“When they showed up, he started wiggling,”</strong> said Canizaro-Orlowsky.</h3> </blockquote> Freddy had lost <a href="https://journosnews.com/category/environment-climate-sustainability/weather-storms-forecast-updates/"><strong>over 10 pounds</strong></a> but was otherwise <a href="https://journosnews.com/category/environment-climate-sustainability/viral-animal-stories-trending/"><strong>healthy and recovering</strong></a>. <h3>A Lesson in Hope and Perseverance</h3> For the Palkos, Freddy’s return was especially emotional. They had <a href="https://journosnews.com/category/environment-climate-sustainability/viral-animal-stories-trending/"><strong>lost a beloved 4-year-old dog to cancer last year</strong></a> and had gotten Freddy as both a new companion for themselves and for their <a href="https://journosnews.com/category/environment-climate-sustainability/viral-animal-stories-trending/"><strong>2-year-old golden retriever, Harper</strong></a>. The incredible support from the <a href="https://journosnews.com/category/environment-climate-sustainability/viral-animal-stories-trending/"><strong>Pottsville community</strong></a> gave them strength throughout the search. <blockquote> <h3><strong>“There’s a big collective sigh of relief,”</strong> said Canizaro-Orlowsky. <strong>“It’s a neat lesson not to give up.”</strong></h3> </blockquote> Now, <a href="https://journosnews.com/category/environment-climate-sustainability/weather-storms-forecast-updates/"><strong>Freddy is home where he belongs</strong></a>—thanks to <strong><a href="https://journosnews.com/category/environment-climate-sustainability/viral-animal-stories-trending/">a determined hiker, a devoted community, and an unwavering belief in never giving up</a>.</strong> <a href="https://apnews.com/article/missing-dog-found-pennsylvania-coal-pit-5d55099d4eb48fad7b5d49f48a4fa56a"><em>Source</em></a>