A missing dog from Colorado’s Rocky Mountains has been located after 43 days.
Stephen Marr, the 11-year-old owner of Rocky, had left him with a pet sitter in Montezuma while he went skiing at Keystone on December 28. Things quickly took a turn for the worse, according to a report. Rocky managed to slip out of his harness and took off toward Keystone. Stephen returned to search for his dog and reached out for help.
He contacted Summit Lost Pet Rescue, a non-profit organization, who then initiated a search effort.
The rescue team set up trail cameras and a comfort station with familiar scents to entice Rocky back. They also advised local residents to keep an eye out. Although there were a few sightings in the following days, Rocky managed to evade capture.
It was confirmed by various reports that Rocky was still alive, providing a glimmer of hope, as stated by the Cowboy State Daily.
Stephen was en route from New Jersey to California for work with Rocky in tow. After an exhaustive eight-day search yielded no results, he had to leave with a friend’s dog, as noted by Brandon Ciullo, the director of Summit Lost Pet Rescue.
Ciullo reassured Stephen that leaving didn’t signify the end of their search. “Don’t worry, we’re still looking. Once we find him, we’ll fly you back,” he told the young boy.
Then, quite unexpectedly, a breakthrough occurred.
Six weeks later, the team got a report about a sighting and rushed to investigate. They were able to confirm it was Rocky and successfully reunited him with Stephen on Friday.
Remarkably, Rocky survived harsh winter conditions and was found in an area where wolf packs had recently been reintroduced, according to reports.
When he was rescued, Rocky was in poor condition and had lost a significant amount of weight. “He went from 50 pounds to 26 pounds, but he made it through without starving or succumbing after 43 days. He faced so many challenges,” Ciullo remarked.
The Summit Lost Pet Rescue organization shared photos and videos of the touching reunion of Rocky and Stephen, expressing gratitude for the community’s efforts. “Thanks to the Summit community and the countless volunteers who dedicated their time to save Rocky! It takes a village and donations to rescue lost pets,” they concluded.
