Rich Moore was a 71-year-old hiker who went missing on August 19 and was found dead in the mountains of southern Colorado. The news was announced by Taos Search and Rescue, the group that led the search for Moore. The hiker was not alone, since he was accompanied on this adventure by his Jack Russell Terrier, Finney. The dog survived all this time and did not leave Moore’s side.
The goal of their excursion was to reach the summit of Blackhead Peak, a peak that rises to 12,500 feet, 3,657.6 meters, in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. After approximately ten weeks of uncertainty, a hunter stumbled upon Moore’s remains on October 30, located about 4 kilometers east of the summit.
Taos member Delinda Vanne-Brightyn shared details about Finney’s condition when he was found. As she reported, the dog had lost almost half of his body weight, but she was surprised by his apparent good physical condition. Vanne-Brightyn expressed the emotionality of the situation by noting that “that dog’s loyalty makes us all cry.” The search took place over steep, complex terrain, from the top of the mountain to the parking lot where Moore left his car. The complicated topography even required the use of helicopters to access certain areas.
The Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office, handling the case, has not yet provided information on Moore’s cause of death. Vanne-Brightyn speculates on how Finney may have survived in the wild, suggesting that he had access to nearby underground streams and was able to hunt small animals for food. Although Finney was temporarily held by the animal control division before being returned to his owners, the story highlights the remarkable loyalty that some animals demonstrate toward their owners in extreme situations.
