Meet Rupee, the First Dog to Climb Mount Everest

Rupee and Joanne climbed for 10 days to reach base camp, 17,000-feet above sea level.

"My greatest concern was wondering if Rupee could actually make it," Lefson recalls. "I prepared for the worst and arranged an extra porter just in case Rupee needed to hitch a ride." 

For those who may be concerned, Joanne consulted a vet before the trip and the vet said that, because Rupee was born in the Himalayas, the altitude would not affect him or make him sick.

And Rupee, who has traveled with Joanne to the Taj Mahal and Nepal, among others, loved it: "A memorable part of the trip was seeing Rupee touch and walk on snow for the first time, he loved it. He played in it at every opportunity, chased it and even tried to chew it at times."

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