Hiking group finds abandoned dog in Griffith Park, carries him off mountain in tarp

LOS ANGELES - A group out for an early-morning hike in Griffith Park Tuesday discovered an apparently abandoned dog at the top of the trail, and was able to carry the dog down to safety.

The 5 AM Crew was out for their hike Tuesday, near Tom LaBonge Panorama in Griffith Park, when they found a German shepherd at the top of the mountain with no leash, no collar and just a bowl of water. The dog also appeared malnourished, hungry and thirsty.

That's when the crew jumped into action to help the dog. One of the crew members had a tarp with him, and after a bit of coaxing they were able to get him into the tarp so the group could carry him down the mountain.

The 5 AM Crew's Instagram page went live Tuesday morning as they carried the dog, who they've temporarily named "Hiker," down the trail.

"He was kind of scared at first, and he wouldn't let us touch him and as time went on he trusted us enough to be able to put him on a tarp," a group member said on Instagram Live. He also described hiker as "adorable and sweet," and said that Hiker enjoyed the ride down the mountain.

When they got back to the parking lot, the group fed Hiker, who was so hungry that he ate right out of the bag.

Credit: The 5 AM CREW

 In an update later Tuesday, the group offered more clarity on the situation.

"We’re still not sure how he ended up at the summit, and we don’t want to assume the worst," an Instagram comment from the group read. The group also said that one of the group members has taken responsibility for Hiker and is taking him to the vet for a checkup and microchip scan.