“I am overjoyed to witness the reunion of dear Chloe with her affectionate family.”
Upon receiving reports from individuals who claimed to have heard a dog’s cries emanating from the upper reaches of Mt. Bross in Colorado, Trinity Smith was compelled to take action.
Situated over 14,000 feet above sea level, the frigid apex appeared to be an unwelcoming environment for any household canine left to fend for itself for an extended period. Consequently, some assumed that the noises they heard must have been emitted by a coyote. Despite this, Smith took it upon herself to undertake the journey and hike up the mountain alone, just in case there was indeed a lost pet in distress.
It was during this venture that she unmistakably heard the distinct sound of a dog barking.
Despite her arduous efforts, Smith was unable to determine the precise source of the barking and failed to locate the dog. As the evening approached, darkness descended, and she was compelled to suspend the search, albeit unwilling to abandon the pursuit altogether. The following day, she returned to Mt. Bross, accompanied by her friend Sean Nichols.
This time, their perseverance paid off.
“For three hours, I climbed up every chute, attempting to minimize rockslides while calling out for the dog,” Nichols recounted to The Dodo. “Just as we were preparing to depart, the dog let out a faint bark, revealing her whereabouts.”
Perched atop a jagged boulder was a malnourished dog, evidently in her final throes of survival. Nichols managed to scoop up the canine, and he and Smith carried her down the mountain to safety.
Smith and Nichols were unaware at the time that the dog they had found, who goes by the name Chloe, had actually managed to survive for a grueling six weeks in those adverse surroundings. Chloe, a fourteen-year-old dog, had disappeared while out for a walk with her owner in the vicinity of Mt. Bross during mid-August. Usually, she is capable of making her own way back home, but this time she had not been seen since.
Her family was devastated. Following weeks of fruitless searching, they had concluded that Chloe had met her demise.
Notwithstanding her age and the hostile surroundings, Chloe was still alive, although she had lost a significant amount of weight, dropping from 90 to just 26 pounds. Smith and Nichols’ initial priority was to provide her with something to eat, and then to inform others that she had been found.
Soon, the dog’s grueling experience of being lost would finally be over.
Chloe’s family received prompt notice of her rescue, and they were able to meet Smith and Nichols at the location where the dog had been taken to receive food.
“We were only at the nearby supermarket for a few minutes before the owner rushed in to check if this was his lost dog,” Smith informed The Dodo.
Initially, there was uncertainty whether the dog was actually the family’s lost pet, but any doubts were quickly dispelled upon seeing her.
It has only been a few days since the rescue, but Chloe is already showing signs of recovery. For Trinity Smith, who went above and beyond to help the lost dog, the reunion with her family has made it all worth it.
“I am filled with joy to see sweet Chloe back with her loving family, gaining weight rapidly, and recovering so quickly,” Smith said. “She has an incredible will to survive, enduring six long weeks in such a harsh and inhospitable environment.”
Smith and Nichols recently visited Chloe and her family to see her in her healthier state.
Chloe will need more time to recuperate, but her situation would have been dire had she not been discovered. The onset of snowfall would have left her with no shelter on Mt. Bross. However, due to the efforts of Smith and Nichols, Chloe is now safe and sound, surrounded by the love and warmth of her family.