Dog Survives 43 Days in Colorado Wilderness Before Dramatic Rescue and Reunion
A remarkable story of canine survival and human dedication has emerged from the remote peaks of Colorado, where a 10-year-old dog named Rocky was reunited with his owner after spending 43 days alone in the harsh Rocky Mountains. The brindled mutt, whose name coincidentally matches his alpine ordeal, vanished during a cross-country move and defied all odds to survive subzero temperatures and treacherous conditions.
A Terrifying Disappearance During a Cross-Country Journey
Steven Maa and his girlfriend Kate were relocating from New Jersey to Los Angeles when they stopped in the former mining town of Montezuma, Colorado for a skiing break on December 28. Within minutes of handing Rocky over to a dog-sitter, the frightened animal slipped out of his harness and bolted into the wilderness as a snowstorm blanketed the area.
"Steve was definitely concerned that Rocky wasn't going to survive the night," said Brandon Ciullo, founder of Summit Lost Pet Rescue, who was contacted via a referral from Montezuma's Mayor Lesley Davis. "I explained to him: 'We've been doing this for 10 years. My biggest worry and concern is vehicles, then wildlife and then environment.'"
An Extraordinary Search Operation Unfolds
The local non-profit organization, which boasted a 99 percent success rate in 2025 with 213 out of 214 lost dogs recovered safely, immediately implemented their practiced rescue plan. They established remotely monitored cameras throughout the area and created a "scent station" with items carrying familiar smells of Maa or Rocky himself.
"Especially if it's an unfamiliar area, a dog will come back, smell something that smells familiar, and then end up just staying in that particular area," Ciullo explained to local media.
Three days into the search, cameras captured Rocky alive, providing crucial hope to his devastated owners. However, when Maa approached, the dog barked and ran off again, demonstrating what rescuers describe as extreme "fight or flight mode" common in lost animals.
The Longest Survival Record for a Lost Pet Dog
What followed was an unprecedented 39-day period where Rocky disappeared completely. Maa and his girlfriend searched for 16 hours daily for eight additional days before being forced to continue their move to California for Maa's new job. Volunteers maintained the search effort, with Ciullo noting this represented the longest any pet dog had ever been missing and still returned safely in their experience.
By early February, with success probability dwindling, the rescue organization began winding down their search. "I think my judgment was a little clogged with emotion," Ciullo admitted. "I just kind of couldn't believe we couldn't find him and I was disappointed."
A Dramatic Breakthrough and Tense Finale
The breakthrough came on February 9 when a Ring doorbell camera captured a fleeting glimpse of a familiar black canine shape. Ciullo, who was searching for another dog at the time, immediately shifted focus, telling the other owner that Rocky had been missing for 43 days and was likely "extremely starving" and "very, very close to dying."
Rescuers set up a specialized trap using Maa's clothes to create a scent trail and baited it with food. Rocky approached but avoided triggering the pressure plate, even laying down to sleep on a blanket inside the trap. "I was pleading with Rocky to please let me help you. I'm here to help you," Ciullo recalled.
When Ciullo attempted to approach, Rocky woke, barked, and fled again. Rescuers then heard haunting howls from the woods. "When a dog is dying, he comes very vocal and usually starts howling," Ciullo explained. "You can hear him in the woods just howling. And I'm like: 'That's Rocky. He is in pain.'"
Determined not to give up, Ciullo declared: "I'm not leaving this godd*** mountain until this dog is in the back of my truck."
A Joyful Reunion Against All Odds
After one final false start, Rocky finally triggered the trap. When found, he weighed only 28 pounds—barely more than half his normal weight—yet astonishingly displayed remarkable energy and spirit. "He was running around. He went straight to the toy bin," Ciullo marveled. "We couldn't believe that this dog that hasn't probably eaten in 43 days had this much energy and this much life to him."
On February 13, Maa drove from California for an emotional reunion. "We were just so overjoyed... and just [in] disbelief that he could survive for that long, just extremely proud of him for being able to do that and be so resourceful out there," said Maa, noting that Rocky quickly returned to his affectionate "cuddle bug" personality without apparent lasting trauma.
For the rescue team, the successful outcome validated their dedicated work. "He's the only dog I've ever cried over," Ciullo confessed. "These reunions are why we do what we do." In a subsequent Facebook post, Summit Lost Pet Rescue expressed gratitude to their community and volunteers who worked "thousands of hours" to save Rocky, emphasizing that such rescues require "partnership, a village, and donations to save lost pets."
