The story of a missing dog on a ski trip in the snowy Colorado mountains had a happy ending thanks to a relentless search effort. It’s always distressing when a dog goes missing, particularly in harsh weather conditions like freezing temperatures. However, the owner’s hearts were filled with joy after a successful rescue mission that led to a heartwarming reunion on Valentine’s Day.
Bergen, a one-year-old chocolate lab mix, belonged to Erin Boggs and Connor Visser. They took their furry companion on a snowboarding trip with friends in Silverthorne, Colorado, but Bergen went missing during the trip. According to The Denver Channel, the couple was devastated when they realized Bergen had vanished.
Bergen’s disappearance during the couple’s snowboarding trip turned into a nightmare, as they had entrusted the 1-year-old chocolate lab mix to a dog walker who then lost him. Scared and alone, Bergen had wandered into unfamiliar territory, making the situation even more dire. Realizing the urgency of the situation, Erin Boggs and Connor Visser extended their vacation and sought the help of Summit Lost Pet Rescue, a local search-and-rescue team.
“I think this new person trying to get her, to get a leash on her, on top of a brand new area and all of that — I think she was just spooked,” Erin told the Denver Channel.
The rescue team immediately sprang into action, setting up a comfort scent station and conducting a thorough search for Bergen. They also cautioned the couple and their friends not to go looking for Bergen themselves, as a large search party might startle the lost dog. Along with the couple, the rescue team hung neons and grilled out at their condo while continuing their search.
In addition to the professional search team, people from the area also helped find the dog and bring it home.
“There are parents coming up to us saying, ‘Hey, my daughter left a loaf of bread and peanut butter outside,’” Connor told Denver Channel. “Or volunteers were driving around saying, ‘Hey, I got nothing else to do today. Just tell me what it looks like. I’m gonna drive around all day looking for her.’”
That brave, community-wide effort to save someone worked. Summit Lost Pet Rescue heard that Bergen had been seen on Valentine’s Day.
When Connor got to the scene, he saw his lost dog and used what he had learned from the search-and-rescue team to find Bergen.
“He softly spoke her name and she immediately turned her head,” Summit Lost Pet Rescue wrote on Facebook. “They both knew the voice registered with her and immediately started calming techniques.”
The team shared a video of the moment the happy dog saw her owner again:
Bergen had been gone for three days before her owners finally found her. On Valentine’s Day, there was a lot of love to go around.
“Thank you to TEAM BERGEN for your dedication and help on this mission!” the post on Facebook says.