Unanswered questions after hiker found dead but loyal dog alive by his side
A hiker who went missing in August has been found dead with his still-breathing Jack Russell terrier pooch by his side, protecting his corpse.
Rich Moore, 71, had been up planning to walk up a 12,500-foot mountain in Colorado on August 19 but never returned home. Search-and-rescue teams dropped in by helicopter had combed through the forests just below the summit of Blackhead Peak, about 20 miles from his hometown of Pagosa Springs.
After failing to locate him, they moved toward the trailhead, where they found his car. However, he could still not be found after they spent more than 2,000 hours looking for him.
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Experts speculated that Finney survived off stream water and rodents (Facebook)
Rich's body was found by a hunter on October 30 (Facebook)Two weeks ago, on October 30, a hunter stumbled across Rich's body more than two miles east of the summit in the San Juan mountains - along with his Jack Russell terrier, Finney.
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Somehow, the 14-year-old dog had survived in the wilderness for about two months, refusing to leave his owner's side. After examination and treatment at a local animal hospital, Finney has now been reunited with her family.
In a Facebook post, Taos Search and Rescue member Delinda Vanne-Brightyn said she responded to the initial hunt with her search dog.
"We searched from just under the peak-top and directly west, searching down the mountain toward where his car was located," Vanne-Brightyn wrote. "He was found 2.5 miles east of the mountaintop beneath where we were inserted [by helicopter]."
The hiker's cause of death is currently unknown, but the Archuleta County Sheriff's Office does not suspect a crime has been committed.
When exactly did Rich die and how?
Colorado authorities are unsure about Rich's cause of death, but said they ruled out foul play. The hiker's exact time of death between his departure in August and the hunter's discovery currently remains unclear.
How did Finney survive alone in the wilderness?
Parts of the mountain were so steep the rescue team was forced to trek it by helicopter. Delinda added the hike was an "extremely rigorous" challenge. This begs the question to how the relatively old dog was able to survive on his own, which isn't easy for human either.
Delinda said the answer is quite simple: Finney likely relied on his primal canine instincts. Underground streams gave him a water source and the pooch probably hunted small creatures like field mice or chipmunks for food.
Certified dog behaviorist and trainer Russell Hartstein suggested Finney's apparent loyalty to his owner may have kept him alive. He said it's common for dogs to stick by their masters to the very end.
“They become loyal to the death a lot of times,” Russell said, according to CNN. The dog specialist also confirmed Delinda's hunches, saying Jack Russell terriers are born to survive by hunting and eating rodents and other small animals.
How long was Finney stranded on the Colorado mountain?
Authorities believe the Jack Russell terrier spent seven weeks by Rich's side. When the hunter discovered his corpse, Finney was taken to the vet for treatment. The doctor's report seemingly matches with Delinda's belief as the pooch lost about half his body weight but was still in decent shape.
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