Apo (10) disappeared on New Year’s Eve – found after weeks on the mountain – NRK Vestland
– It is completely surreal that we should pick up Apo now. I was sure he was dead, says Matilde Rosendal.
– I have hoped, but not dared to believe that we could get Apo back, says her Bjarne Rosendal.
On a shabby telephone line from Denmark, they tell about the last days. Matilde, Bjarne and her son are in the car on the way to the boat which on Saturday night will transport them from Hirtshals in Denmark to Norway.
On Sunday morning, they must finally get back the family dog they did not dare to believe in being able to survive the Norwegian winter mountains.
– After 14 days in the snow high up in the mountains, for a dog that is not used to such, so …
Bjarne lets the words hang a little in the air.
We rewind to the last day of 2021.
Escaped from the rockets
Matilde Rosendal went with her mother, father, her two children and a friend with his children from Herning in Jutland in Denmark to Geilo. They were to ski and celebrate New Year’s Eve.
In the evening, when the rockets slammed, the dog Apo got scared, and escaped out the door when someone was going out with the rubbish.
– We searched and shouted around the cabin, but did not find anything, says Bjarne.
At home in Denmark, he passes the dog a lot when food mother Matilde is at work.
A taxi driver saw the dog after the road, and tried to rope it to him, but did not succeed. When the driver later drove back the same way, the dog was gone.
The family celebrated both New Year’s Day and Second New Year’s Day, but to no avail. They had to go home empty-handed to Denmark.
Matilde was just home for a few hours, then she went back alone to continue the search. Last weekend she had to give up the search to return to Denmark, empty-handed, for the second time.
Found after for weeks in the mountains
But on Saturday she received a phone call from Kristian Brusletto Kjærholt, who has coordinated the search operation.
– Kristian facetimed me. I was convinced he should tell me that Apo had been found dead. He asked me if I was with the family. Yes, I said, asking if I should walk away from them. He said “no, go to them”, and then he showed me Apo.
Apo was found and after the conditions in good shape. And now the Danish family in the car is on their way to Geilo.
– The volunteers have been absolutely fantastic, says Matilde.
It was Hallingdølen who mentioned the case first.
– Chills down the back
– There has been a huge group that has contributed. It has that ballet on it, says Kjærholt.
Around 30 volunteers have easy every day. But many more have been visited in the weeks since Apo disappeared.
On the Facebook group «Rømlingen», Matilde shared a search for Apo. The group aims to help desperate dog owners. People from all over the country have engaged in the search, and the post has been shared by around 1600 dog friends. The joy in the group was great when the good news came.
Some have traveled from both Bergen and Kongsberg to contribute. A total of 50 people participated in the search itself.
First, they searched for Apo with heat-seeking drones. Eventually, tracks and dog hair were observed on the mountain, and they have had track dogs in the area.
That way, it’s clear to stop snooping in the area Apo could be in.
– On Saturday, one of the volunteers was on a trip in the area. When he sat down to have lunch, suddenly Apo was ten meters away.
– When he sent me a picture that the dog had been found, I got chills far down my back. That’s the wildest thing I’ve been to!
Home to Denmark
On Sunday morning, Matilde and her family come to Geilo.
According to the plan, they will take the boat back to Denmark on Sunday evening. If they make it, because Matilde has many people she wants to thank before she goes home.
– We got a picture of the dog handlers at 02.22 one night they were out looking. These are people, with family at home, who are out around the clock to look for our dog. We are so eternally grateful for all they have done.