Lulu the dog has a ‘tough day’ on hot California trail. Then rescuers step in

A dog had a “tough day” on a Southern California hiking trail but ended up getting a ride to safety courtesy of a search and rescue team, officials reported.

The Montrose Search & Rescue team received a call about a “dog in distress” on Strawberry Peak Trail, about 2 1/2 miles from Red Box on Sunday, May 25, the team said in a series of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Lulu, a medium-sized dog, had become overheated while hiking and could not continue, the team said.

“We hiked in, gave Lulu water, and gently poured some over her head and body to help cool her down,” rescuers said on X.

The rescue team then carried Lulu back down the trail to safety using a wheeled litter.

Photos with the posts show Lulu seeming to enjoy the ride.

“Please don’t take dogs on trails during warm weather — even on days that feel ‘moderate,’” rescuers advised. “Dogs can’t cool themselves the way we do, and their paws are vulnerable to burns from hot trail surfaces.”

Montrose is about a 15-mile drive north from downtown Los Angeles.

This story was originally published May 27, 2025 at 3:16 PM with the headline "Lulu the dog has a ‘tough day’ on hot California trail. Then rescuers step in."