A Colorado hiker who disappeared in August was found dead last month on a rugged Rocky Mountain peak, but his Jack Russell terrier miraculously survived and remained perched next to his late owner’s body for months.
Rich Moore, 71, of Pagosa Spring, Colorado, had been climbing the 12,500-foot mountain on August 19, but never returned home, according to Fox News.
Search and rescue teams arrived by helicopter and combed the woods just below the peak, then headed toward the trailhead, where they found his car, the outlet reported.
But they couldn’t find the man, even though they spent more than 2,000 hours searching for him, according to reports.
That was until about two weeks ago, on Oct. 30, when a hunter came across Moore’s body more than two miles east of the summit, along with his Jack Russell terrier, Finney.
Somehow, Finney had survived for more than two months in the desert and had not left his owner.
Rich Moore, 71, of Pagosa Spring, Colorado, had been climbing the 12,500-foot mountain on August 19. Colorado Missing Persons Organization
Dozens of people took to social media to express their condolences to Moore’s family and praise Finney as a “hero.”
“It’s so sad and yet so beautiful that little Jack Russell has stayed with him all these weeks… Sometimes tragedies remind us of the bond between man and his best friend,” one person wrote on Facebook .
“I’m so sorry this man died, but I’m glad his dog was by his side the whole time. And I’m glad the dog survived. Humans don’t deserve dogs. This loyal companion stayed with his best friend until they took him and his best friend away,” wrote another.
Many pointed out how shocking it was that the Jack Russell survived (probably relying on poorly practiced hunting instincts to capture small prey) in an effort to remain at Moore’s side.
“There is no love like the unconditional love of dogs. How faithful,” said one person.
According to Chaffee County Search and Rescue North, Moore was unprepared when he reached the top of a 13,000-foot peak in the Cottonwood Lake area near Buena Vista on Nov. 8.
The man’s body was found on a steep peak in the Rocky Mountains.Scrubhiker/Flickr
Moore was wearing only a cotton hoodie and was out of food and water.
Investigators have not discovered how the man died, but do not suspect foul play, People reported. Moore’s remains were removed from the mountain on Halloween.
The terrain where Moore was found was so steep that rescuers, including a certified K9, were inserted to the top of the mountain by helicopter.
Finney was taken to the vet and later reunited with his family.
Moore’s family, for their part, was “glad to have been able to get closure, as well as bring their dog back home,” the Taos Search and Rescue team said on Facebook.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn