Colorado Dog Missing for Over a Week Found Trapped in 'Steep' Snow Piles Outside Her Home

Pepper, a 6-year-old pup who went missing on Feb. 22, was eventually found by a volunteer and their dog near her home in Blue River, Colorado

• Pepper, a Bernese mountain dog/black Lab mix, went missing from her home in Blue River, Colorado, on Feb. 22

• Summit Lost Pet Rescue helped Pepper's owners find the dog by organizing search parties and assisting with lost pet flyers

• The dog was found trapped amongst steep snowbanks 10 days after she went missing

A missing dog was found trapped in the snow just feet away from her owner's home in Colorado — 10 days after she initially went missing.

Pepper, a 6-year-old Bernese mountain dog/black Lab mix, went missing from her Blue River home on the morning of Feb. 22. In response, her family called Summit Lost Pet Rescue for assistance, the organization shared on Facebook Wednesday.

The pet owners were encouraged to leave a "scent station" of dirty clothes and a dog bed on their porch, set up cameras, spread awareness on social media, and begin a search for the pup. Pepper's family followed these instructions and shared flyers around the neighborhood about the missing dog.

"The snow is VERY deep down in Blue River with very high snowbanks," Summit Lost Pet Rescue wrote on Facebook of the search.

"Since there were zero sightings of her, we assumed that she was either stuck someplace nearby or got picked up and left Blue River. We did expand the search down nearby trails; however, it was more probable that she was stuck in the snow, so the family and our volunteers spent a lot of time snowshoeing and searching in places she could be stuck."

Related: Dog Owner Who 'Never Lost Hope' Reunites with Missing Pup 10 Years After Pet's Disappearance

During the search, those participating spotted dog tracks "circling the neighborhood" near the pet's home.

Eventually, on the tenth day of searching for Pepper, a volunteer named Kevin and his dog Finn cracked the case when they went down to a creek they had already checked before.

Finn was "very interested in this location," and the volunteer soon realized it was because Pepper was stuck "in a small area of the creek surrounded by steep snowbanks," per Summit Lost Pet Rescue.

The canine was discovered taking shelter under a fallen tree, which had roots the same color as her black fur, and Kevin spotted her thanks to the "shining" dog tag on her collar.

"He immediately contacted the owner, who arrived with his son to help. They did calming techniques and snowshoed/post-holed in the deep creek, and it took 3 of them to get her out!!!! PEPPER WAS SAFE," the Colorado rescue added. "Ultimately, she was stuck 714 feet from her house!!"

"Thank you to our wonderful volunteers and Pepper's family who helped on this mission and spent many days on this search. It took a lot of creative & strategic thinking and techniques, patience, and hard work to hone in on her whereabouts. Team Pepper for the win!!!"

Images shared by Summit Lost Pet Rescue show Pepper in the area where she was found and readjusting to life indoors. The organization added that Pepper has since been checked by a vet and is "doing well."

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Pepper's discovery comes shortly after another Colorado pup was photographed alive 11 months after a March 2023 avalanche. Ullr, a Border collie/Rottweiler mix, was separated from his owner, Jacob Dalbey, because of the avalanche but was eventually spotted alive, according to a GoFundMe update post from Dalbey.

"After 341 days, 11 months to the day of setting up trail cameras/food and moving them around in hopes of luring Ullr into one to finally get confirmation of what I have known all along, it has happened….," the dog owner wrote in an update.

The owner noted that there were plans in place to "bring my unbelievably strong boy to safety."

"Continuing contributing funds will go to helping me maintain the ability to look for and find Ullr and bring him to safety. As I have been doing since day one. Thank you so much!" he added.

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