Colorado dog missing over 5 weeks found miles from home by mountain hiker

04:57

How a dog was reunited with its family after being lost for 5 weeks

Riley can thank his new-found hero for saving his life and continue those late-night snuggles with his owner. 

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. – It might have taken more than a month to reunite a Colorado man with his lost dog, but the moment witnessed by rescuers was worth it.

Yet Riley's homecoming meant even more to his owner, Mike Krugman. The Breckenridge man lost his wife to heart failure in January. 

After 5 weeks and 1 day away from home, the 8-year-old Sheltie can continue sleeping on Krugman's wife's pillow each night for years to come.

"The dogs were mostly hers because she was there during the day, and I was out with the horses," Krugman said. "They were attached to her, and it took a real shot for them to find out what happened."

MLB EMPLOYEES SAVE DOG TRAPPED IN CAR'S ENGINE COMPARTMENT AFTER 30-MILE TRIP TO KANSAS CITY STADIUM

Riley, an 8-year-old Sheltie, was recently reunited with his owner after he wandered about 4 miles from his home in Summit County, Colorado.

(Summit County Animal Control & Shelter)

Riley can thank his new-found hero for saving his life and continue those late-night snuggles with his owner. He had wandered about 4 miles from his home on April 8 and found barely alive by a mountain hiker thousands of feet high in elevation.

"I wish I had a GoPro camera on him," Krugman said. "I would have liked to have seen how he survived."

The long search

Krugman is still questioning what Riley ate and drank to keep his alive fo so long in the wilderness. Riley is up to 15.6 pounds now and growing. An ideal weight of the small Sheltie is about 24 pounds. 

HOW TO KEEP YOUR PETS SAFE IN THE SUMMER HEAT

Riley went missing from his home on April 8. He was found alive in the mountains after 5 weeks and 1 day.

(Zachary Hackett)

Breckenridge had just witnessed a heavy snowstorm, and more than 5-feet of snow covered Krugman's fenced-in property. When Riley didn't come back home after being outside, Krugman put on his snowshoes and went looking. 

"I was pretty certain; I thought he was on the property," he recalled. "I searched the property for two days nonstop, and then I called Summit Rescue and said I don't know where he is."

Summit Lost Pet Rescue said they never stopped looking for Riley, with the help from Krugman and the Summit County Animal Control. The community searched and rallied, but there were absolutely no sightings or clues.

Pet rescuers then expanded the awareness to areas outside of Summit County just in case Riley got picked up. They were once again unsuccessful.

"The Riley rescue was such a hard mission with no sightings and had an amazing happy ending," Melissa Davis, director and co-founder of Summit Lost Pet Rescue, told FOX Weather. "Then, out of nowhere, the owner and our team got the best call that Riley was found and safe at the shelter."

Right place, right time

On May 14, Zachary Hackett found Riley while hiking on Breckenridge Peak 4 at 12,000 feet. He saw the dog hunkered down under a tree.

WHY DO DOGS PANIC DURING STORMS? HERE'S HOW TO HELP YOUR BEST FRIEND WEATHER THEIR FEAR

Zachary Hackett found Riley hunkered down under a tree while hiking on Breckenridge Peak 4 at 12,000 feet. Can you see the dog in the photo?

(Zachary Hackett)

Talk about being in the right place at the right time, rescuers said. 

Hackett wrapped Riley up and carried him all the way down to town though the rough terrain. He brought him to the shelter the next morning to be reunited with his owner. 

PET OWNERS SHOULD AVOID GROWING THESE POTENTIALLY DEADLY PLANTS

Doctors said Riley lost a lot of weight and had a low body temp but was treated at the veterinary clinic immediately.

Today, Riley is still recovering but getting his strength and feistiness back again with his fur-siblings.

"He's back to being Mr. Alpha Dog," Krugman said.

Riley can also expect to see a tracking collar that's expected to arrive soon, ending the days of his long hikes in the woods with the mountain lions, bears and coyotes. 

Krugman does not expect Riley to do this again.