by Montezuma, Colorado — A 10-year-old brindled dog that vanished into the snowy wilderness has been reunited with his owner after surviving 43 days alone in the Rocky Mountains.
Rocky disappeared on Dec. 28 while staying with a pet sitter in Montezuma. His owner, Steven Maa, had stopped in town for a day of skiing during a cross-country move to California when the dog bolted into steep mountain terrain during a snowstorm.
Rocky ran into rugged, snow-covered mountains and was not seen again for more than six weeks.
Search Begins in Freezing Temperatures
Maa and his partner searched through the night in subzero temperatures, combing the steep slopes before reaching out to Summit Lost Pet Rescue for help.
The nonprofit immediately set up:
- Trail cameras
- A scent station filled with familiar smells
- Social media alerts with Rocky’s photo
Three days into the search, a trail camera confirmed Rocky was still alive.
The sighting gave rescuers hope — but Rocky then disappeared again for nearly 40 days.
Owner Forced to Leave, Search Continues
After dedicating more than a week to the search, Maa made the difficult decision to continue his move to California for a new job.
Volunteers continued searching the mountainous terrain daily, though efforts scaled back as weeks passed without new sightings.
Then, on Feb. 9, a breakthrough occurred.
A Montezuma resident’s Ring camera captured footage of a dog believed to be Rocky. Rescue founder Brandon Ciullo immediately responded.
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“This dog has been missing for 43 days… extremely starving and very close to dying,” Ciullo said.
Trap Attempts and Final Rescue
After Maa confirmed the dog in the footage was Rocky, rescuers set up a humane trap lined with blankets and scent trails.
Within three hours, Rocky entered the trap and lay down — but the trigger failed to close. Rescuers adjusted the setup and added peanut butter to lure him back.
Hours later, Rocky returned and the trap successfully secured him.
After 43 days alone in harsh winter conditions, Rocky was finally safe.
Emaciated but Remarkably Resilient
Rescuers described Rocky as “super emaciated,” having lost nearly half his body weight, but otherwise in relatively good condition considering the ordeal.
He was reunited with Maa on Feb. 13, marking an emotional moment after weeks of uncertainty.
“Getting to see Rocky and seeing how happy he was to see me was definitely very emotional,” Maa said.
A New Life Far From the Mountains
Rocky is now living in California with Maa and has adjusted back to domestic life. Despite everything he endured, Maa said Rocky’s personality remains unchanged.
“He jumped straight back into his old personality and just being a cuddle bug.”
The extraordinary reunion underscores both the resilience of animals and the dedication of volunteer rescue teams who refuse to give up — even in extreme winter conditions.
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