Rupee scales Mt. Everest on 4 legs

Kathmandu: An abandoned puppy rescued from a rubbish dump in India has trekked to Everest Base Camp, becoming what is believed to be the first dog to tackle the peak, his owner said on Wednesday.

Former professional gol­fer Joanne Lefson said she adopted the 11-month-old dog, called Rupee, in the mountainous Indian town of Leh last September and decided to take him on a trip to base camp at 5,364 metres (17,598 feet).

The pair began ‘Expe­dition Mutt Everest 2013’ in the Himalayan town of Lukla on October 14, intending to raise awareness about the plight of homeless dogs and promote pet adoption.

They accomplished their record-making feat 13 days later, describing it as “one giant leap for dog-kind” on Facebook.