In 1774, the painter M. J. Bourrit from Geneva, wrote about the monks and their dogs. He indicated that the contributions by dogs to rescue work on Saint Bernard Pass was well known. The archives at the monastery do not tell us when dogs were first used for rescue work. In the description of the Hospice, that was written in 1644 for the "Acta Sanctuorum", we find the Hospice's agenda with a description and enumeration of the tasks of the monks and their servants. The duties listed included keeping the pass open, yet no dogs were mentioned.
We are not certain if the note from 1707 "a dog was lost in an avalanche" refers to a dog used for rescue work. Prior Ballalu recounts that in 1700, between November 11th and May 15th, servants called "Marronier" (maron, marron = mountain guide) were assigned to accompany travelers between the Hospice and Bourg-Saint-Pierre. The Prior made no mention of dogs.
Records reveal that by 1750, marroniers were routinely accompanied by dogs. The dog's broad chests helped to clear paths for travelers. The reports about rescue work grew more numerous as reports about deadly accidents began to decline. The dog's primary purpose was to accompany the marroniers, as their excellent sense of direction proved most beneficial. The dogs possessed an uncanny ability to maneuver through heavy fog or snow-storms. The dogs were always accompanied by a monk or marronier. Only later, do we read about excursions that the dogs made on their own.
During the 200 or so years that the dogs served on the Saint Bernard Pass, approximately 2,000 people were rescued. When Napoleon and his army crossed the Alps in May 1800 around 250,000 soldiers traveled through the Pass. The marroniers and their dogs were so well organized that between 1790 and 1810, not one soldier lost his life in the freezing cold of the mountains. The last documented rescue is dated in 1897. A 12 year old boy was found nearly frozen in a crevice and was awakened by a dog.
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