Would you kill and eat your dog in order to survive?

One man has recently answered that question in the affirmative, after being stranded for 3 months in the Quebec wilderness 500 miles north and west of Montreal. His friends and family are rejoicing today, to have their lost loved one returned to them, but dog lovers are scratching their heads at the manner of this man’s survival.

According to Canadian news agency QMI, 44-year-old Marco Lavoie and his faithful German Shepherd set off on a canoeing and camping excursion this summer, sometime around mid-July. A few weeks in, while taking a long hike in the Nottaway River wilderness, they wandered far away from their canoe full of supplies. In their absence, a black bear took advantage of the bounty that was placed before him.

Lavoie and his dog returned to the canoe and found that the engorged bear had eaten all the food and destroyed the canoe. Police said they believe the bear encounter occurred sometime in August. Lavoie’s dog reportedly ran the bear off, potentially saving the man’s life for the first time. Three days later, his pet potentially saved him again—when Lavoie killed the dog with a rock and ate it.

Over the next two months, Lavoie injured his ankle, ran out of food, and was unable to hunt or fish successfully. He allegedly lost 90 pounds during this survival situation, and was close to death when he was found last Wednesday. Lavoie is currently in serious condition in a hospital in Northern Quebec, but is expected to recover within a few weeks.

There has been no shortage of experts chiming in, suggesting that the nourishment from the dog saved his owner. But if a man could lose 90 pounds and still be alive, is it possible that a few thousand calories of dog meat would have made any difference? Is it possible that the dog could have hunted for its injured owner and fed them both? Is it endearing or chilling that the man’s first words to his rescuers were, “I want to get a new dog.”

Take the poll below and let us hear your take on this strange story in the comments.