Featured Rescues
*this is a small fraction of the rescues that we've completed. We do our best to highlight our missions but can't get them all listed here.
ROCKY- Lost 43 days
While making a cross-country move from New Jersey to California, the owner made a stop in Summit County with plans to ski. He dropped his dog, Rocky, off at a pet sitter near Montezuma Dec. 28, but shortly after he left, Rocky escaped his harness and ran away.
They called us and our team of volunteers went to work asap with the sitter and owners, and local community. We set up cameras, a scent station, and neon signs. Rocky was seen on New Year's Eve, but then no more sightings for 40 days!! Our team and the sitter put in thousands of hours over the next few weeks doing everything we could to find Rocky, to no avail. THEN, a neighbor saw Rocky on her Arlo cam on Day 43 of him missing and notified Summit County Animal Control and Shelter, who called us immediately with this sighting of Rocky on her porch and our SLPR team was there within 20 min and got eyes on him! We assessed the situation, laid out scent items and food, and slowly moved the trap. We TRAPPED him within 7 hours of this sighting!! We are grateful for Buffalo Mountain Vet and Summit Shelter for nursing him back to health until the owners flew in from Cali to reunite!!
Click here to watch us on
World News Tonight with David Muir or watch from our Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/reel/849077924844615
Story in Summit Daily News.
MUFFIN- Lost 2 days- Our 1st Tree Rescue!!
Muffin is a sweet indoor only cat who escaped from her window on Thursday night. The owners searched all over with no luck. They called us Summit Lost Pet Rescue, Inc. the next morning and our volunteers got to work quickly, searching, hanging cameras, scent stations, neon signs, etc. There is a shed right out the window so we searched that extensively thinking the cat could be hiding under there, but didn’t see her. Later that afternoon, we searched there again, and BOOM there she was hiding deep in the corner. There were only a few openings, so we barricaded her under there and surrounded the shed with rocks so that her only way out would be to go into our trap. Well, the sneaky little gal must’ve escaped while we were on the other side placing the rocks, because she never went into the trap, and she wasn’t under the shed the next morning.
One thing we always recommend while searching for lost cats, is to pay attention to bird behavior, because they see things that we don’t. We learned this from our mentor Kat Albrecht-Thiessen with Missing Animal Response Network! Well the black crows were going crazy so we walked over to that area and looked up in the trees and there was Muffin, perched high up on a branch about 20 feet high. We left the owner alone with Muffin to see if she could coax her down with food and singing to her, but Muffin wanted nothing to do with it. So they climbed up a tall ladder to try to lure her, but she ended up climbing about 15 feet higher up the tree.
That’s when the owner’s called Summit Fire & EMS for help! They were gracious enough to come assess the situation and decided they could help! They used their taller ladder and climbed up with some yummy cat treats and smeared it on the branches to try to lure Muffin down. That didn’t work, so they used their pike pole and poked around near Muffin to try to encourage her to move down the tree. IT WORKED- she was making her way down the tree!!! While the firefighters were busy on the ladder, our Summit Lost Pet Rescue team was under the tree holding blankets, ready to catch Muffin just in case she fell. Well, watch the video and you can see that she did indeed fall and we caught her (thank goodness) and ran her quickly inside her house before she wiggled out of the blanket! Muffin was dehydrated, hungry and super tired, but otherwise is doing great!!
ANGEL- Lost 4 days
Angel is a large anatolian shepherd that was walking with her owner down in Breck. Angel got spooked, wrapped the owner around her legs with her leash and pulled her to the ground. The owner lost grip of the leash and Angel took off. She contacted us right away and we began our search and protocols putting up neons, a scent/comfort station and cameras.
SLPR recognizes that a dog dragging a leash is extremely dangerous so we have to act quickly. There is a possibility that the leash can get stuck on a branch or some object, and the dog will then be stuck. We had multiple volunteers in the field all day, and for the next 4 days following up sightings from people calling us and tracking her travel pattern.
Then on day 4, one of volunteers got eyes on Angel, he stayed calm and didn't call or chase her, and we got the owner there immediately. Another volunteer coached the owner on calming techniques (see pic below), and Angel slowly came up to the owner. GREAT work Team Angel and the owner for working quickly!!!
This is just a small fraction of the video, and it took some time for Angel to trust the owner to come close enough. You can see in the video how skittish lost dogs truly are and they typically don't recognize their owner until they get close enough to smell them. This is very typical behavior when a dog is in fight or flight survival mode, and the reason we preach calming techniques (getting on the ground with back turned is optimal), and DO NOT CHASE/WHISTLE/YELL/FOLLOW a lost dog!
WILLOW- Lost for 6 days!!
Willow is the sweetest little shar pei who went missing when her family was visiting Summit County. She got spooked and ran out of the house really close to Hwy 9 in Blue River where people drive WAY too fast! (Please slow down!) The owners worked so hard day in and day out searching for their sweet girl in the freezing cold and snowy conditions. They contacted our SLPR team and our volunteers got to work right away, searching, hanging neon signs to produce sightings, cameras with scent stations, and shared all over Facebook.
We had multiple sightings come in and we followed every lead and tracked her travel pattern. At one point the owner saw her crossing on the ice on the Tarn into the Spruce Creek area and she came about 8 feet from her, doing calming techniques, but Willow still ran from mama. (*the majority of dogs often run from their owners when they are in fight or flight survival mode)
The owners were feeling pretty down and completely exhausted. Then..... on Day 6 of her being lost, the owner was walking the trail that she last saw her at and writing her name in the snow. She ran into a dad and daughter walking their two dogs and asked if they wouldn’t mind checking their porches/decks in case Willow was hiding out there. She finished the trail, turned back walking towards her car and she hears the dad yelling after their dog! OMG there was Willow being chased by their dog and she ran right into mama's arms - and then the big bag of bacon she had!!!!! Turns out she was hiding out under an A Frame cabin two houses down from where her car was and their dog had sniffed her out and chased her back to mom!!
WELCOME HOME WILLOW!! She had some injuries to her paws, but the vet check up went well! Bloodwork came back great, she had a cone of shame for her paws, but now she is fully healed and back to her normal self!!
ARIA- Lost 6 days
Aria, an indoor only cat was lost after a car accident on I70 at the tunnel, in horrible freezing, winter conditions, at 11,000ft!
A front range couple had been in a traffic accident on the icy Interstate just outside the west portal of the Eisenhower Tunnel at 7 am. Aria, a 9-year-old gray-striped tabby cat, had escaped the car and ran straight up a steep hill to the forest above. The owners desperately tried calling for her, but to no avail. Aria was lost in a winter storm, just below the Continental Divide, at over 11,000 feet.
SLPR is fortunate to have a close relationship with both CDOT and Summit County Animal Control, and by 7:30 am we had word of Aria’s predicament. SLPR volunteers gathered equipment and met up with CDOT and AC at the scene, where CDOT provided vehicles with emergency lights to protect volunteers as they assessed the situation, and AC shared details regarding where Aria had last been spotted.
Aria’s flight path had been insanely steep, so an easier route to her last known location was found. With our team’s experience and knowledge of lost pet behaviors, we had a feeling that she was most likely hiding close by. (Cats hide in silence when they are lost) So we set an un-armed trap, camera, and “owner’s scent items” in the most probable area where we thought she could be. The roar of I70 in that area was incredible and the winds and blowing snow were intense, making this area an especially unfriendly environment for a lost pet. Aria’s tracks up the hill were already buried in the drifting snow, and there was no sign of her.
High winds and sub-zero temperatures on Friday continued into Saturday, and then finally began to improve on Sunday, but still no sign of Aria. Volunteers went to the site daily to search, and the owners participated when they could. However, blowing snow from the weekend had filled in holes around the forest undergrowth, making it especially difficult to find any trace of Aria.
On Wednesday morning (Day 6 of Aria’s disappearance), a volunteer headed up to the site once more. After several hours of searching, the volunteer spotted a slight movement under a log. It was Aria, and she was within about 15 feet of our traps and cameras!!!!! The rest of the team was notified and another volunteer rushed up to help. The two cat whisperers, who both have incredible experience handling cats, were able to “corner” Aria under the log so she had no escape route, and she was then quickly scooped up and safely zipped into a cat carrier.
Aria was reunited with her family on Wednesday afternoon. After a veterinary checkup and some hydration, she is once again enjoying cozy corners and warm sunshine in the security of her own home. Thank you to our wonderful volunteers who spent every day out there in freezing cold temps, high winds and nasty snowy conditions at 11,000ft!!
SCOOTER- Lost 5 days
Scooter, a 1-year-old little but mighty terrier mix decided he wanted to jump out of his family’s car window on July 4th!!! The family was headed to Silverthorne for a mountain getaway with Scooter and their other dog, Izzy. As they stopped at a light off the highway, Scooter—antsy from the long drive—leapt right out the car window into traffic. In a flash, he vanished.
Frantic, they searched the area near Wendy’s, got in touch with local authorities, and were referred to us, Summit Lost Pet Rescue, Inc.
Within minutes, we called them back and volunteers arrived soon after to help coordinate the search. Neon signs went up, scent station set out, social media post made, and calls finally came in. Witnesses said Scooter was hit by a white truck and ran off limping toward the outlet mall.
But then—nothing, not one single sighting. For days. After days of searching, the family returned to Denver, devastated. Their house felt empty without Scooter.
On day 4, everything changed. A solid sighting from a good samaritan—Scooter was alive. Many volunteers headed to this area to search for him. One volunteer actually got eyes on him and he was about 20 yards from her. She instantly laid down on the ground and started calming techniques (DO NOT CHASE), so he wouldn’t be spooked. He ran anyway, which most lost dogs do. Our team set up cameras and a live trap in this area and placed the scent station there, in hopes to lure him out of the woods.
The family raced back to Silverthorne. Volunteers grilled hot dogs, searched trails, and even brought Izzy, hoping the familiar bark might lure Scooter out. And it worked!!!! Wednesday morning, after hours of waiting, Izzy led her mom into the woods—and there was Scooter, right by the trap. Sitting calmly, tail wagging, ready to come home. Scooter was tired, dirty, but miraculously unharmed. No injuries, no cuts. Just happy to be reunited.
After five days, countless volunteers, the local community rallying, and a rollercoaster of emotions, this little escape artist made it back home—safe, sound, and still smiling.
THYME- Lost 13 days
Running ALL over I70 and 13 long sleepless nights for our SLPR team!!!! She went missing after she escaped from her foster humans workplace in Frisco, Colorado.
Thyme had recently been placed in a foster home and she has a history of running, so we knew she could be anywhere. We started our search by hanging neon signs around town asking people to call us if they spotted her. That night we started getting lots of calls that Thyme was seen all over town, running from Copper Mountain, to Frisco, to Silverthorne, halfway to Breckenridge, and even darting dangerously across Interstate 70 MANY times!!!
She was covering lots of ground and eventually volunteers from Summit Lost Pet Rescue, were able to track her travel patterns and locate Thyme and set up a scent/comfort station for her to come back "home" to. But she wouldn’t get close enough to capture, so we decided to set a trap and install a game camera to keep an eye on the trap. Volunteers & the foster cooked Thyme's favorite foods to entice her to enter the trap. Every night she would come sniff the trap, but she was reluctant to go inside.
On day 8, SLPR and Animal Control got a call from a Good Samaritan who reported they’d seen Thyme crossing the highway at Copper and was limping. That night we saw the limp on our game camera as well. Becoming increasingly concerned for Thyme’s safety, our team of volunteers went out every night (Greg we're looking at you!!! Thank you) to do calming techniques and try and earn her trust. She would accept food from us, but she wouldn’t come close enough for us to put a slip lead over her head.
With the help of our generous donors, we obtained a new, larger trap and armed it live on night 13. We hoped that Thyme would be less reluctant to enter the trap if she had more space. Volunteers installed the new trap and baited it with steak, salmon, dog food, and peanut butter. Shortly after the larger trap was set, Thyme FINALLY went all the way inside and triggered the trap to close!!!!!!!!
Once Thyme was trapped we loaded her up and removed the trap to a confined area where she could be safely released and secured with an escape resistant harness. Thyme was taken to see our local Silverthorne Veterinary Hospital veterinarian who diagnosed her with a dislocated hip, likely the result of being hit by a car. She has received surgery from the help and care of the Summit Shelter to repair the hip. Once she’s recovered, Thyme will be available for adoption through the Summit County Animal Summit County Animal Control and Shelter.
Thanks to all of our volunteers, our donors, the very dedicated foster, everyone who called in sightings, the Camp Hosts and campers at Heaton Bay Campground, Summit County Sheriff's Office, Silverthorne Veterinary Hospital and our partners at the Summit Shelter & Animal Control.
YETI- Lost 11 days
WELCOME HOME YETI- Indoor only cat found 3 miles away!! Never give up on lost cats. Yeti was found three miles from his home after being lost for 11 days!
Yeti, an indoor-only black smoke Maine Coon cat, disappeared from his home in the town of Dillon on Saturday, May 24, while his owner was away on a trip. The pet sitter searched everywhere and discovered he had torn and escaped through a window screen. Friends searched for the cat in town, and a post was made to social media.
On Thursday evening, May 29, a resident in the Lakeside neighborhood near Summerwood noticed a large black cat as she was walking her dog. She didn’t recognize the animal and immediately checked social media to see if there were any lost pet reports. That is when she discovered the post for Yeti. She immediately called the owner, even though she lives over 3 miles away from where Yeti went missing!
Summit Lost Pet Rescue was contacted, and the search was on, but there was not a single sighting for five days. Then, on Wednesday evening, the Lakeside resident again spotted Yeti on the rec path outside of her house. She immediately called the owner and with the help of a group chat with SLPR volunteers, she kept a watchful eye on Yeti as the owner made his way over to her neighborhood. Traffic on Hwy 6 was bad that evening with the I-70 closure, and for a few harrowing moments, it appeared that Yeti might head up to the road. However, the owner was able to use calming techniques shared by SLPR volunteers, and Yeti came to him! After being missing for a full 11 days, Yeti received a clean bill of health from his vet and is happy to be home!
BOB- lost 1 day
BOB- The Veteran Service Dog, who got lost after a car accident at the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70 at 11,000ft!!! It takes a village to save lost pets, and this was an AMAZING, collaborative mission!!
We got a call from a Summit, Fire & EMS firefighter who was on scene after a Veteran got into a car crash at the tunnel. He knows about our Summit Lost Pet Rescue and asked if we could help. He saw Bob, the Shibu inu, escape out the broken windshield and cross all lanes of traffic almost getting hit multiple times. A CDOT worker also saw Bob cross all lanes. Cars and trucks were flying out of the tunnel and slamming on brakes trying not to hit Bob. Our Summit Lost Pet Rescue team immediately stepped into action! We asked for the medics to get some dirty clothes from the owner, who was on his way to the hospital, and we asked for permission to get items out of the car, which was on its way to the tow yard.
On our way up to the crash site, we stopped to grab the scent items from both the hospital and the car. In route, we also contacted CDOT (Colorado Department of Transportation), as they were talking to Animal Control about the dog and wanted to help. This isn’t an area where you can just casually park and walk around searching, because of the high traffic dangers, the crazy snowy weather, and the securities they have in place for the tunnel. We spoke with their team and understood and respected what we could and couldn’t do up there and they were amazing to work with. They allowed us to do what we know best, which is saving lost pets!!! We set up a live cell camera along with the scent station near the crash scene where the dog was last seen, in hopes to lure him out of hiding. There is SO much snow up at 11,000ft so he had very minimal places to hide. We searched the CDOT buildings with their team to rule those out. No sightings at all after Bob initially ran off after the crash.
THEN- the next morning, we got a call from CDOT saying that one of their plow drivers had eyes on Bob, way up a steep snowbank RIGHT on I-70. They didn’t move so they wouldn’t spook him and they also started watching him from their cameras!! We dispatched our team, and a volunteer was up there within 10 minutes. He approached slowly and carefully, while a CDOT truck was on watch for our safety. (So grateful for that!!) Within the next 20 minutes we had two more team members at the scene and moved the scent station close to Bob. We took turns doing calming techniques for 1.5 hours (because it was freezing and icy up there), and we also gave Bob some time to smell the scent items and earn our trust. We monitored Bob’s temperament and behaviors very closely. We noticed that he kept picking up his paws, probably because they were frozen. So we made the decision to start crawling backwards closer to him up the snowy hill. We moved a couple feet, and watched him. No reaction, so we kept inching closer and closer, tossing food, and playing his Mom’s voice over the phone. We finally got close enough to let him smell us, his Dad’s shirt, and pet him and feed him out of our hand, and were able to leash him!! (while slipping down the steep hill haha). Once leashed, we gave the thumbs up for another volunteer to hike up and help carry him down. We celebrated with the devoted CDOT team, called the owner asap, told the worried firefighter who initially called us, and we made our way down the mountain to meet up with the Veteran owner who just got released from the hospital. In route, we contacted Passion Fur Paws vet, and she had an opening and was able to see Bob to check him for injuries. Both Bob and the owner, are now making their way back home to Utah with their family.
Rescue takes a village, it’s never just one hero! We are so grateful for the call and initial head up from Summit Fire & EMS, the many discussions and partnership with CDOT, our amazing Summit Lost Pet Rescue volunteers, and for Animal Control for initially being up there searching for the dog. We are SO relived Bob is back home with his dad, who is amazing human being, a Veteran, and was so grateful for everyone’s help. We spent a bit of time with them both making sure they were set up in the hotel and had everything they needed until their family drove to them from Utah. WELCOME HOME BOB!!
Stash- lost 8 days
WELCOME HOME STASH!! Stash was recently adopted and escaped his new home in Silverthorne. The owner called us immediately and we told him to put out a scent station right away. Our team and owners searched into the night and coming days with no luck. A couple sightings came in over the next days across Hwy 9 in the trail system, so we set up new scent stations and cameras, but he was always one step ahead of us. A few days go by and nothing. We put neon signs many miles away where the trail system led, and we finally got a call that he was 13 miles north in a remote neighborhood. He definitely ran deep into the trail system up north. We set up a scent station and camera there and on Day 8, our volunteers were able to capture him using calming techniques.
Joy- lost 14 days
WELCOME HOME JOY- Pretty wild story!!! Another cat hitched a ride in a car and ended up about 3.5 miles away!!!
Missing from Aug 5-18th- 14 days
Joy went missing from Prospector Campground while her family was visiting and camping from out of state. They were walking her in her harness and leash by the water when she got spooked and she slipped her harness. The owners looked frantically for her for a couple days before reaching out to us. Once they did, signs were hung and a FB post was shared to help spread local awareness, and the search was on. There were a couple possible sightings by some fellow campers but the owners did not see her.
On August 11th, a neighbor of our volunteer noticed a black and white cat under his car in Summit Cove. Zac went out to look for the cat but didn't see it and assumed it was a neighbor cat. A few nights later, our volunteer Shelly actually saw Joy on her security camera. We compared markings and confirmed that it was in fact Joy. We assume that Joy hitched a ride with Zac on 11th because he was at the campground that day searching. We will never know how she made it down to Summit Cove from the campground, but this is the most logical possibility. Especially since cats like to hide up inside car engines or bumpers when they are scared. A trap, scent/food station and camera was set up!
Over the next couple days, Joy wasn’t seen again and the owners had to drive back home to Texas. Finally on the 17th Joy was seen on camera and in person walking back and forth from Shelly’s to Zac’s houses, which is a few blocks away from each other, although she ran from all of us each time she was seen. We find it absolutely crazy and hysterical that Joy knew who was looking for her and made herself seen to both volunteers. The owners were already in Texas and decided to drive back yet again on the 18th. They pulled into the Cove around 7:30pm and Shelly saw Joy cross the street again heading towards Zac’s house 3 minutes later. They immediately went to Zac’s and started doing calming techniques and they were finally able to grab and secure her!
She was secured in the truck while we all celebrated and talked about how crazy this mission was. During that time, Joy decided it would be funny to lock the truck while it was running!!!! With the owners locked out now, we were getting ready to call the police, right as Joy rolled the window down to let them in!!!!
She got a clean bill of health from the vet and is truly happy to be home!!
Blaze- lost 1 day
WELCOME HOME BLAZE!! Blaze is the sweetest 5 month old puppy who escaped from his owners while playing on the beach in Dillon. He still had his leash on and ran up over the Dam Rd and down into the bike path area. Our team and owners searched into the night with no luck. The next morning a good samaritan saw our neon signs AND saw Blaze chilling in the rock scree below the Dam Rd. The owners and our team went right away and did calming techniques so he wouldn't run. We were able to close in on him and secure him! Yay for neon signs, NOT CHASING, and calming techniques for the win!! Go team go!!!
Finley -lost for 2.5 weeks
WELCOME HOME FINLEY
Finley is a black and white, long hair indoor only cat who has never been outside before. He went missing from his home near Boreas Pass Rd in Breckenridge and was nowhere to be found. Our volunteers helped the owner with our standard search protocols, dug everywhere in their and neighbors yards, hung neon signs and FB posts to try to get public awareness, hung up a camera at the owners house as they left a door or two cracked open to give him access to come back in. ( this is the best tip for anyone who loses a cat, is to leave a door cracked open).
There were a few false sightings of a different cat, but it was not Finley. Just when the owner was starting to give up hope, we got a call late last night on the July 16th. Two amazing good Samaritans found Finley at Sapphire point!!!!!!! They stopped to enjoy the sunset and Finley meowed and came directly up to them as if he was asking for help. They called Dispatch first and then they called us. They were instructed to drop the cat off at the 24 hour safety dropbox at the shelter (this is a great resource if somebody finds a dog or cat after hours and can’t hang onto it) until we were able to get there to get Finley and return him to the owners.
We would love if Finley could talk and tell us how he got alllll the way to Sapphire Point. Our thoughts are that he most likely hid inside a car when he initially went missing, as many cats do. Then the car probably took off and stopped somewhere near Sapphire Point and that’s when Finley most likely hopped out of the car and got displaced. This happens more often than people think, so always check cars if your cat goes missing!! They like to hide inside car engines, tire wells and bumpers.
We are sooooo grateful the two Good Samaritans TOOK ACTION and secured Finley and called us immediately!! We thank them for not just walking away and later telling us they saw a cat! They knew he needed help and stepped into action to be Finley’s heroes!!
These reunion pics and videos are so heartfelt!!
For more lost cat search tips, please see the picture attached.
Banjo -lost for 1 day
WELCOME HOME BANJO!! LOST FOR 24 HOURS! Banjo is a very sweet and skittish black lab mix who went missing from a family friend near the bike path in Frisco and ran up into the trail system. They hiked and searched for him but couldn’t find him, so they called us and asked for help and our volunteers got to work. We asked them to get a scent station out (owners dirty clothes/dog bed/dirty towels) at the trailhead immediately. Many dogs will come off the trail back to the trailhead looking for the owners. Volunteers went out to search with the friends and family in the trails as well, hung neon signs and made FB posts to spread awareness.
Finally, they got a sighting way up in the trail system where it intersects with multiple other trails. We had to act quickly to get him to stay in the area so he wouldn’t go deeper in the trail system. We advised them to move the scent station to where he was seen, take yummy food and do calming techniques to see if they could draw him out of hiding. It was a very busy day up there so he stayed in hiding. They set up a cell camera on the scent station over night to see if he would come back. Around 6am the next morning, he showed up on cam and sniffed his bed. We were thrilled he stayed close. The friends of the owner went up right away and sat at the scent station and did calming techniques again. Banjo’s mom was in route back home and immediately went up to this spot. Within minutes he heard and smelled mom and ran out towards her!
Mae- lost 1/2 day
Mae ran off when she got spooked on her morning walk and her leash was still attached. She ran up the trail system so we asked the owner to leave a scent station at the trailhead to encourage Mae to come back down off the trail. The owners and our volunteer went to search. Mae was hiding in the woods and her sibling dog Stan sensed her. The family was there w/Stan and our SLPR volunteer, so they just stayed on the trail talking and singing to coax her out. Our volunteer had a bag of treats that crinkled. It was the sisters voice that coaxed her out as she sang real happy and playful singy songs!!
Calming Techniques WORK!!! This is why we always tell people DO NOT CHASE OR YELL!!! Our lost pet alumni Maple helped as well with her owner! (She’s the tan/white furry in the pic)
Pepper- Lost 10 Days
Pepper is a 6-year-old Bernese/black lab mix who went missing from her home. The family called us a few hours later and our volunteers got to work with them. We sent them our standard search protocols- put out a scent station on their front porch (owner's dirty clothes and dog bed), set up cameras, made social media posts to spread awareness, hung neon signs in the neighborhood, and boots on the ground search. Flyers were also made and handed out to the neighbors for them to check their garages, decks, tree wells, any place that she could be stuck. The snow is VERY deep down in Blue River with very high snowbanks. Since there were zero sightings of her, we assumed that she was either stuck someplace nearby or got picked up and left Blue River. We did expand the search down nearby trails however it was more probable that she was stuck in the snow, so the family and our volunteers spent a lot of time snowshoeing and searching in places she could be stuck.
We noticed many dog tracks that were circling the neighborhood near her house with no human prints nearby so it could've been Pepper, and we kept track of these prints as clues. Although she never showed up on our cameras, so we didn't know for sure. Finally, on DAY 10, our volunteer Kevin and his dog Finn, who spent many days and hours searching, went down by the creek again to search. There was a lot of deep snow and fallen trees down there and not easy to get to, but Kevin’s dog Finn was very interested in this location. After further investigation, they saw that PEPPER WAS STUCK in a small area of the creek surrounded by steep snowbanks and taking shelter under a fallen tree. A black dog under muddy black tree roots made it very hard for Kevin to see her, but his dog Finn did. Eventually, Kevin saw her tag shining on her collar. He immediately contacted the owner who arrived with his son to help. They did calming techniques and snowshoed/post-holed in the deep creek, and it took 3 of them to get her out!!!! PEPPER WAS SAFE!! Ultimately, she was stuck 714 feet from her house!!
Thank you to our wonderful volunteers and Pepper's family who helped on this mission and spent many days on this search. It took a lot of creative & strategic thinking and techniques, patience and hard work to hone in on her whereabouts. Team Pepper for the win!!! Pepper was checked by the vet and she is doing well!!
**We often take our dogs on searches with us and use them as “magnet dogs”. When pets go missing, they often are afraid of humans, but have a better trust with other dogs.
Bandit- lost 2 days
Bandit, a small terrier mix, and his owners were involved in a rollover car accident while heading eastbound on I70 just before Vail Pass, when they hit some black ice and rolled their vehicle. The owners were taken to the hospital and Bandit was nowhere to be found! The family and first responders searched all over that night with no luck!! Our Summit Lost Pet Rescue team and our lost pet rescue partners in Vail/Eagle were notified the following morning on Thanksgiving and we both posted all over our Facebook pages to alert both Summit and Vail/Eagle communities. Then we ran out right away to start the search protocols with the family, while the owners were recovering in the hospital. (the turkey can wait!!!)
We hung neon signs along I70 from Vail Pass all the way down past the accident site to spread awareness to the Holiday travelers. We then set up two cameras and scent station (owner’s dirty clothes) near the accident site in a safe space away from I70, to give Bandit some familiar smells to find and stay in the area.
The search was on all day Thursday and Friday. No sightings came in at all, but we found some small dog tracks that we followed in between the accident site and our cameras and scent station. THEN before night fall and snowstorm yesterday…… the family got a call…. Bandit was seen running on I70 right at the site of the accident, and then a few minutes later got the BEST call saying that he was seen a couple miles west and caught by two good Samaritans on their way home to Aspen. The family left to go meet him and we were all so relieved that he was safe and ok. He seems to be ok with just a few scratches on his belly!!!
Thank you to Bandit’s family for working around the clock with our Summit Lost Pet Rescue volunteers and our lost pet rescue partners in Vail/Eagle, the Vail community who went out to search on their own, Eagle County Animal Control and Vail Police Department, Mountain Rescue Recovery towing who stopped to check to make sure we were ok when they saw us on I70, then they joined the search! It was an amazing Thanksgiving gift to have Bandit return to his family. They are all resting and recovering together!! So much to be thankful for!
**Rescue note- If a pet is involved in a car accident, please get the owner's dirty clothes out near the accident site asap (a safe distance away from the road of course). The scents will help keep the pet nearby. Its also SO important to never ever chase any lost pet, which is why we always say DO NOT CHASE!!!
Mazie- lost 8 days
Mazie is an indoor only cat who escaped from his balcony. He was staying super close to home (as most indoor only cats do), but the owner could not get him to come to her. She reached out to us for help, so we set up a camera and scent station. He was consistently coming to the same spot, so we set an armed live trap. Within a few hours, he went inside the trap to get the yummy food and he was SAFE!!!
Dorito- lost 25 Days!
WELCOME HOME DORITO! He is an indoor only cat who busted through a screen and was lost for 25 long days! We suggested that the owner leave a door cracked so that Dorito has a way back in. They also set out a scent station and a camera. We saw Dorito a few times on camera and during searches, so a trap was set. Finally after 25 days, after a lot of patience, he went into the armed trap and was safe!!
Riley- lost 5 weeks & 1 day
WELCOME HOME RILEY!
Miracles DO happen!!!
Riley went missing from his home on April 8th and literally just vanished. The owner reached out to us and we sent our search protocols -scent stations, signs, physical searches, social media posts, etc. The community searched and rallied with our amazing SLPR team and Animal Control but there were absolutely no sightings, no clues, nothing. We then expanded the awareness to outside of Summit county just in case he got picked up. Nothing!!
THEN, after 5 weeks and 1 day, the owner and our Summit Lost Pet Rescue, Inc. team got THE most amazing call from Summit County Animal Control and Shelter… RILEY WAS FOUND!! A hiker (AKA Riley's HERO!) found him up on Peak 4 at 12,000 ft. The hiker just happened to randomly be in the area and heard one loud bark. He then saw Riley hunkered down under a tree. Talk about being in the right place at the right time!! He wrapped him up and carried him allllll the way down to town and brought him to the shelter the next morning to be reunited with his Daddy. Such a beautiful moment!
Riley lost a lot of weight and had a low body temp but was treated at the vet right away. He is recovering so well now and getting his strength and feistiness back again with his fur-siblings. We are soooo grateful for this happy reunion. Thank you so much to our amazing SLPR team of dedicated volunteers, shelter & animal control, the hero hiker, and the owner for all the hard work and perseverance!
Hobbes- lost 7 days
WELCOME HOME HOBBES-
Hobbes is a sweet indoor only cat who snuck out the door and ran away. He's not used to being outside so the owners contacted us right away. We sent them our cat search protocols and the search was on. We always suggest that they do a VERY thorough search immediately in their yard and next door neighbors yards. Some of these tips include- Check car engines (we've pulled a few out of engines), trailers, under decks, sheds, garages, look up in trees, inside drain pipes, and let all neighbors know asap so they can check inside Airbnb rentals. (many cats get stuck inside rentals). We also asked them to ask their neighbors to check Ring cameras and contact HOA. Flyers and signs were hung and posts were shared all over FB.
There were no sightings for 6 days, but they kept searching diligently every single day! Then on Day 7 (usually when hunger starts to take over), the owner heard a faint meow out the back door. He went outside and heard more meows under the deck. (see picture to see the hole in the deck) We searched this deck more than once and didn't see or hear him so we think he found his way back to the deck from elsewhere. We asked the owner to block the hole so the cat couldn't get out until we got there and told him to sit there calmly calling Hobbes name to see if he would inch his way out safely. And Hobbes did just that!! He nuzzled up to daddy's hand and he was able to securely grab him and pull him out!! YAYYYY success!!! Thank you to the owners who worked SO hard to get their baby back and thanks to Team SLPR for helping and being so awesome!!
Moe- lost 1 day
WELCOME HOME MOE!!!
Moe is an INDOOR ONLY cat who escaped his house in Summit Cove when a toddler left the door cracked open. He spends all his time inside and isn’t used to being outside at all. The owners reached out to us the next day and we gave them all of our cat search protocols for them to get started on right away and our team went over to search. Instantly as we pulled up by the house, one of our volunteers saw the cat laying on a neighbor’s deck across the street. We stood back and let the owner try calming techniques to get the cat to come. She approached slowly, saying his name playfully while shaking treats, but he still ran and hid under the long deck. It was too deep and narrow for us to fully climb under and get him to safety, but we army-crawled in mud and rocks as far as we could to try to flush him out using a pole to gently guide him out. He was having none of it and hiding in the deepest corner not moving, so we got very creative :) We barricaded him in and blocked every single hole he could run out of, using cornhole boards, folding tables, rocks, wood, towels, coats and more. (yes we felt like Macgyver) We then set a baited trap for his only way “out”. Within the hour, he was successfully trapped and safely back home.
Marsha - lost 2 days
WELCOME HOME MARSHA!!! Marsha is from Denver and escaped from a friend’s home up here in Silverthorne, right off of I70. She was initially seen running deeper into Wildernest near Salt Lick trail system, but then no sightings happened for almost 48 hours. Our team stepped into action right away to help the owner. We gave him our search protocols, neon signs were hung, scent stations were immediately put out and the search was on! No further sightings came in until Day 2, she was seen by Lowes and then crossing the busy I70. Our team, the owner, Animal Control and Silverthorne PD all searched for her asap to try to prevent her from crossing back on the highway. The owner and our volunteers spotted her up on the hill between I70 and Dillon Dam Rd and the owner instantly went to the river to coax her down gently. Our team stayed back to give Marsha space and let the owner calmly get her down. She recognized his voice and started wagging her tail! She zig-zagged down the mountain, crossed the river and jumped into her owner’s arms and let out many loud yelps of joy and relief! We ran down, leashed her and all took a huge sigh of relief with tears of joy!
Lilly -Lost 3 days!
Lilly wandered away from the pet sitter on Peak 7 in Breckenridge. We immediately set out a comfort station and our team hung neons and searched the wooded area near their house. The owner then flew back from Mexico to help. We have had cases (very rare) in the past where the dog would try to find its way home. The owner lived on Baldy which we all know is not just down the block. Just to be be cautious we hung neons and flyer on Baldy near the owners house and set up a comfort station, just incase she made it back there.
3 days went by with out a single sighting and we felt she may have left the area and may be heading towards home. The night of April19th the owner said his neighbor saw Lilly in the parking lot of their home. The owner went out and saw Lilly sniffing his car (a huge scent station!!) and when approached she ran off. This is where using calming techniques are used. He went inside to get some food. He saw her again but she was standoffish and barking at him. He remembered what we told him and he sat down with his back towards her. Not making eye contact, throwing her food and singing her name softly. After a few minutes she came closer and closer until she was able to smell him. Gotcha!!!
Thanks to our team, AC officers out searching, our community and of course the pet sitter (there every second of the day) and owner he got her back.
