'Loyal' Dog Reunited with Family After Surviving for 10 Weeks Next to Owner Who Died During Hike
A local hunter located the 71-year-old man’s remains in the Lower Blanco drainage basin on Oct. 30, according to authorities
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Stock image of a Jack Russell terrierA dog who spent 10 weeks in the Colorado wilderness has been reunited with her family after her owner died while the pair were on a hike.
Rich Moore, of Pagosa Springs, and Finney, his Jack Russell terrier, were reported missing on Aug. 19 after going to summit nearby Blackhead Peak, the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release obtained by PEOPLE.
A local hunter located the 71-year-old man’s remains in the Lower Blanco drainage basin on Oct. 30. Finney “was found alive” alongside Moore’s body, according to Taos Search and Rescue.
Delinda VanneBrightyn, who works with TSAR, said Finney lost 6 lbs. while awaiting rescue in the wild, CBS News reported. "Jack Russells are pretty fierce, I have to say,” she said, adding, “they're tough little dogs."
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Moore died of hypothermia, Archuleta County Coroner Brad Hunt said, according to CBS News.
The hiker's body was found more than two miles east of the peak he was attempting to summit, VanneBrightyn said, per TSAR.
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Crews spent nearly 2,000 hours searching for Moore and Finney before the hunter’s discovery, more than two months after they were reported missing, according to the ACSO.
VanneBrightyn believes Finney likely survived by hunting small animals and avoiding large predators, according to CBS News.
"We are very glad ... that Finney was returned to the family,” VanneBrightyn said, “because they have lost their loved one, but they still have this wonderful, loyal dog.”
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Finney was checked out by a veterinarian after she was rescued from the mountain, and has since been reunited with Moore’s family.
"If that dog could talk it would be an amazing story," VanneBrightyn said, per CBS News. "We probably could not even believe the story the dog would tell."
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