The dog who stayed by his dead owner's side for two months after he died while they were on a hike together has been reunited with his family
The Jack Russell terrier, Finney, managed to survive long after his owner, 71-year-old Rich Moore, passed away. The canine was taken to the vet, before reuniting with his family.
Moore, of Pagosa Spring, Colorado, went hiking up the 12,500-foot mountain on August 19, but never came back home
Search-and-rescue teams were deployed to the area by helicopter, making their way through the forests somewhere below the peak. They went toward the trailhead, where they found his car, it has been reported.
In spite of their efforts, which entailed 2,000 hours spent searching for him, they failed to find the man.
It was only when a hunter went to the area that his body was found. The hunter came across the dead body on October 30 more than two miles east of the summit. Alongside the remains was Moore's Jack Russell terrier, Finney.
Finney had miraculously managed to survive for over two months in the wilderness, not leaving his deceased owner’s side. People have since taken to social media to share their condolences as well as hail Finney as a “hero.”
“So sad, and yet so beautiful that the litte Jack Russell stayed with him for all these weeks…Sometimes tragedies remind us of the bond between man and his best friend,” one person wrote on Facebook.
“So sorry this man died but I am glad that his dog was there by his side all the time. And I am glad that the dog did survive. Humans do not deserve dogs. This loyal companion stayed with his best friend until they took him and his best friend away,” wrote another.
“There is no love like the unconditional love of dogs. Such faithfulness,” a commenter added.
According to Chaffee County Search and Rescue North, Moore was had not been well-prepared for the hike. When he arrived at the summit of a 13,000-foot peak in the area of Cottonwood Lake, close to Buena Vista on November 8, he was wearing little more than a cotton hooded sweatshirt and had no food or water left.
It hasn't been determined how exactly Moore passed away, but investigators do not believe there was any foul play.
Moore’s body was taken away from the mountain on October 31. The terrain where his remains were found was so steep that the team of rescuers, which included a certified K9, were dropped off by helicopter onto the mountaintop.
Despite the devastating loss, Moore’s family were “glad they were able to gain some closure, as well as bring their dog back home,” the Taos Search and Rescue team said on Facebook.
