Guide Dog Goes Home Across 1,000 Miles

The photo of Gilbert, when he was 4 years old

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On Gilbert York’s simple funeral, there were his adoptive parents, trainer, and his elder sister Wendy. His father -old York who was seriously ill – was lying on bed in Denver Hospital, nagging the name of "Gilbert". In addition to old York, everyone heard Professor Sean Wentsic’s narrative, watching the valuable videos (although not complete). All of them understood how Gilbert got home from 1000 miles away, which toughed everyone to cry. What is the strength to support this guide dog get home of no return? The book “Loyal Dog Gilbert” written by Sean Wentsic , published by the United States Del Publishing Corporation records all of this...

In March of 2002, Tonny York’s wife was dead , leaving this blind old man lived along. Old York suffered from cataract 5 years ago, he almost can’t see anything now as a result. York’s married daughter Wendy wanted York to leave home and live with them, but York didn’t want to. Wendy had nothing to do with him, so hired a tender to take care of their father. Later，puppy Gilbert whose father is a Labrador was born in York’s neighbor’s house, and be adopted by York. York likes Gilbert very much.

At Wendy’s suggestion, considering Gilbert becoming his “eyes”, York sent Gilbert who was one month old to the guide dog training school in Kansas. Then, Gilbert got its adoptive parents- Mr. and Mrs. McDonald, and was looked after in every possible way. Mr. and Mrs. McDonald gave the best food to Gilbert and talked instead of criticize if Gilbert made mistakes.

Gilbert took training by itself for the first 11 months, and training with old York for 1 month. In June,2004, Gilbert finally went back to the York’s house to live with old York. At that time, Gilbert was 2 years old, and old York 67 years old. Old York knows that dogs can live for 13 years on average, so he set a goal of living for 78 years, so that he could be buried with Gilbert. Since then, Gilbert got his family name: York. At 8:00 every morning, Gilbert would be standing in the garden, waiting for his master and guiding him to the park nearby for a walk. Once Gilbert was put on the special saddle, he would be full access to a working state, “which is very handsome,” said old York.

Days went by, things changing subtly. Old York’s health suddenly turned bad, often being hospitalized, sometimes for a month, putting Gilbert in Wendy’s house. But it was so unlucky that Wendy’s husband suffered a car accident in spring of 2008, with a leg lost. The expensive treatment put this family to a difficult position. Old York insisted that Wendy doesn’t rent her flat any more and moves to York’s old house. All the housework was taken by Wendy, and she was the only one who could earn money in the family. Very soon, her meager wages were not enough for relief.

In June 2008 when Gilbert was 5-year-old, old York made a shocking decision: to sell Gilbert! He said he was often in hospital and didn’t need Gilbert any longer. What’s more, they were too poor to raise Gilbert with nice food. Later Gilbert was bought by a blind man in the city of Garden, Kansas. The deal was 15,000 U.S. dollars. On June 22, Gilbert’s was sent to the car by York. When the car was driven away, the old man’s eyes were full of tears.

After departure, old York began to stay sitting in the yard alone, not taking a walk in the morning as before...

One morning of the last day in July, when frail old York was still asleep, he heard the familiar dog bark. He got up, opened the door, and found Gilbert. It was Gilbert! He toughed, even he was smelly, thin, with some hair missed, but he was Gilbert! Old York was so excited.

The story of Gilbert’s coming home from 300 miles away was soon spread, and a number of media asked for interviews, but were refused.

Old York had to figure, that Gilbert had been sold. It didn’t belong to the York now. then York called the Garden family, ready to give back the dog. But the new master required to refund, because he would never trust Gilbert again. Old York gave back 15,000 U.S. dollars, embarrassed, upset but also happy.

The news caused the interest of a zoologist--Professor Sean Wentsic. He phoned to York’s home wishing to study at Gilbert. But Old York firmly rejected the requirement. After refunded the 15,000 U.S. dollars dog purchase, Yorks family life was even more difficult. They decided to sell Gilbert again. In the next few days, several buyers had contacted York. Finally, taking into account a variety of reasons, they selected Pierre, 1,000 miles away in Chicago. Professor Sean Wentsic came after hearing this .He was feeling that Gilbert would go back to York’s home it had been sold. Because guide dogs (especially Labrador) memory was very strong. It could remember the difficulties encountering home and the joy of meeting its owner. Heard these speculation of Professor Sean Wentsic, Pierre hesitated. At this time Professor made a suggestion that he can pay the other 7500 dollars but a tracking device must be injected in Gilbert's body for two months and a brand written "Gilbert" should be put on Gilbert's neck. After these two months, he would remove the tracking device by himself if Gilbert was still in Chicago. Pierre agreed.

September 14, Pierre, his son and Gilbert boarded the train from Denver to Chicago, began the 18 hours 40 minutes journey, more than 1000 miles. It was Gilbert's longest journey in his life. With the help of the GPS, the Professor saw the yellow spot represented Gilbert moving from west to east. Thereafter, Professor has only seen the yellow spot moving in the small-scale. However, a phone from Chicago informed that Gilbert has gone when Professor was ready to give up .One morning, all Pierre ‘s family members were out, after walking back with Gilbert, Pierre did not close the door completely. Gilbert took this opportunity to escape.

Professor immediately turned on the tracking system. The yellow spot was moving toward to western quickly. Pierre called the police, but police didn’t set file on the grounds of missing less than 24 hours. Furthermore, the role of calling the police was not really helpful because police would not put too much spirit on finding a common dog. There were only two possible reasons for Gilbert’ stopping: The first : it was adopted by veterinary clinics, and the second: Gilbert was dead.

In order to solve this guide dog’s backing home secret, Professor decided to bring notebooks, DV and other tools to track Gilbert. If lucky, Professor would catch up with it. Professor interviewed people who had seen Gilbert and got the video side of television and removed the location of Gilbert via satellite. He also made all his ways to contact the masters of the field recorders and got some useful information to restore Gilbert's backing home line. ”Gilbert is a human raised dog. Feeding on his own, finding the way and resisting the enemy by itself were a huge challenge. Fortunately, many Americans treated dogs as good friends. Professor interviewed more than 10 people who had fed Gilbert food.

One old man was even adopted Gilbert for four days when it was probably the 10th days of Gilbert leaving the buyer’s home, Gilbert's leg had been cut by something sharp. It was really terrible. Old man said, "I can not help feeding the child secretly , he saved my life." One day the old man was almost hit by a car because of his cataracts. Fortunately, Gilbert reminded him that he should pay attention to the traffic safety by biting his pants. And Gilbert also delivered the old man home. So old man adopted Gilbert and took care of it.

In the old man’s home, the Gilbert’s injury has improved. However, the cataract of the old man was not very serious, he often did not need the help from Gilbert. Four days later, Gilbert seemed to finally understand that this was not his father York, so he ran away.

After an in-depth study, Professor realized that Gilbert returned home along the railway from Chicago to Denver (Pierre had taken the train from Denver to Chicago when reclaiming Gilbert home). Dogs have bad eyesight, the ability to identify was poor, Professor concluded that Gilbert tracked his way home with the smell of the train and the shock of train’s passing. Coincidentally, the last buyer’s house and York’s house were also linked by a rail.

Many roughs were waiting for Gilbert on its way home. No people provide Gilbert food in the wilderness. Professor did not even know when Gilbert learned from predators. Gilbert has been becoming a hungry wolf. It caught a rabbit, biting, tearing, grazing…when it was about 30 days for leaving Pierre’ home, in mid-October in cold weather.

In the environment of hungry and cold that made Gilbert become cruel. He learns the rules of the jungle survival - survival of the fittest. From a group of video, people could vaguely see some stray dogs attacked Gilbert,its back, neck, legs had injuried badly...

By October 25, something bad happened: the signal of the tracking device disappeared! The reason might be e-depleting. At that time, Gilbert reached a field between the North Platte and Lincoln about 450 kilometers distance of Platte River from Greeley straight-line. This section was very difficult for Gilbert to walk over, because this section’s railway was over the river about 2000 meters long.

Day by day passed, in late November, the central United States was snowing heavily, continuing until the end of March. Just entered in January, York felt ill and was hospitalized because of heart attacks. In order to take care old York more conveniently, Wendy rent a house at a low price near the hospital.

Quickly to the February 14, Valentine's Day, romantic atmosphere spread everywhere. But York’s house was still gloomy. A rapid knock broke the silence, Mrs. Johnson-York’s old neighbor-said quickly: “You dog had been found finally! My dear York, Gilbert went home!” Gilbert had returned to the old home for four days. As usual, early in the morning, he lay at the door waiting for his owner going out for a walk .But York did not appear. At noon, Mrs. Johnson recognized Gilbert in the snow . Gilbert was squatting at the door of the old York’s house like a statue day and night.

After hearing Gilbert’s back, York was very excited,. He stumbled to go home .Then, at a 200 meters distance from the front door, old Yokr used all his efforts to call "Gilbert…my dear Gilbert…”. Gilbert pricked up his ears, shaking the snow, running toward old York .They met again.

Gilbert had a leg fracture,Often convulsions, vomiting, very weak. Veterinary said he was chronically undernourished that his life was not long. Half a month after Gilbert’s death, old York passed away .