Overview
- The Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team carried 25 kg Labrador Tokyo off Ben Nevis after she collapsed during a hike on July 5, with about 14 volunteers moving the dog on a stretcher down steep, wet terrain to a waiting vet in Fort William.
- Veterinarians and a poison‑control hotline concluded Tokyo’s symptoms matched cannabis poisoning, gave activated charcoal and observation, and the dog recovered overnight without lasting effects.
- The owner, Christina Bluhme of Esher, said police were uncertain about dispatch because of weather, and she credited the volunteer team for rescuing her pet when they happened to be returning from another call.
- Bluhme reported a veterinary bill of roughly £1,000–€1,200 and used the incident to warn other walkers that discarded drugs and other toxic items on trails can seriously endanger pets.
- Experts cited in coverage noted dogs are especially sensitive to cannabis because they have more cannabinoid receptors than humans, making rapid vet care critical, and the case highlights pressures on volunteer mountain rescue teams and rural vet services.