Ten weeks after American Rich Moore went into the mountains and did not return, rescuers found his live dog, who had stayed by her owner's body. The Jack Russell Terrier named Finny survived by hunting mice and other small animals.
71-year-old Rich Moore planned to climb Blackhead Peak in Colorado on August 19. He took his dog named Finny with him, but they never returned home.
Rescuers searched for a long time on the steep western slope of the mountain, between the spot where Moore's car was parked and the summit, which is at an altitude of 3,800 meters above sea level. However, the search yielded no results.
The search services posted announcements with photos to attract the attention of other mountain enthusiasts.
Ultimately, on October 30, a hunter discovered the body of the missing man. It was found in the San Juan National Park, about 2.5 km east of Blackhead Peak. Finny was found alive nearby.
The dog weighed less than three kilograms: it had lost about half of its weight. Finny was first taken to a veterinarian and then returned to the family of the deceased owner.
“This is an amazing story. The dog not only survived but also showed its loyalty to its owner,” noted Delinda Vann-Brighton from the local volunteer rescue group.
According to rescuers, the dog somehow managed to avoid attacks from wild predators such as cougars, coyotes, and bears. It likely survived by hunting small mammals.
“Jack Russells are quite sturdy little dogs,” Vann-Brighton told the Associated Press.
“We are very glad that Finny has returned to her family. They lost a beloved person, but they have his wonderful, loyal dog left,” she added.
According to local authorities, Moore died of hypothermia, which may have impaired his ability to navigate.
Moore's friends told the publication Outsider that he was an experienced mountaineer and had previously climbed Blackhead Peak with a friend. This time he went only with Finny, and according to Moore's wife, Dana Holby, she tried to talk her husband out of this hike, but unsuccessfully.
When Holby learned that Finny had survived in the wild for 10 weeks, she was astonished. She and her son cried when they picked up the dog from the veterinary clinic, she told the magazine Outsider.
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