Cockapoo survives a month in Maroon Bells wilderness

SNOWMASS, Colo. — A little cockapoo relied on a big heart, wily wits and maybe a little luck to survive four weeks in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Area near Aspen.

Bella disappeared June 18 while hiking the Capitol Creek Ditch Trail with Betsy and Jim Chaffin and their extended family, including two other dogs. Bella had gone ahead of the human pack with the Chaffins’ grandson and other dogs when she turned around. Somehow, she got off course and, willingly or not, went on an epic journey.

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She was reunited with the Chaffins four weeks to the day she went missing after being found by a worker on a ranch not far from the Capitol Creek Trailhead.

“It’s a bit of a miracle,” Betsy said.

The 10-month-old dog lost half of her weight — from 8 to 4 pounds — was impaled with two porcupine quills, had matted hair, was understandably skittish and, of course, was dog-tired. She was recovering at the Chaffins’ home and was once again as friendly as ever.

Her story is remarkable for a couple of reasons, the Chaffins said. First was the obvious tale of survival by the little dog. But second was the degree of support the Chaffins received from friends and total strangers.

“The thing that really touched us was the outpouring of support,” Jim Chaffin said. “One of the real gifts was the connections to the community.”

Here’s the story they recounted recently: 

Their grandson figured the Chaffins and their group were just a little ways behind him, so he didn’t think twice about Bella turning around. When they reconnected on the trail, they realized the little dog was missing.

“We never thought she’d leave the trail,” Betsy said.

They divided into two groups for a search that proved fruitless. Distraught, they reluctantly left Capitol Creek and endured a mostly sleepless night.

“You just feel so guilty,” Betsy said. “We just figured a coyote got Bella.”

They returned to Capitol Creek the following day and searched the area where Bella was last seen. They stopped other hikers to inquire whether they had seen the little white dog and put up “missing dog” posters throughout the area.

Their hopes sagged and grief grew with each passing day. But on Day 10, there was reason for hope. Aspen resident Buzz Patten was hiking with his wife when they spotted a small, white dog getting a drink. They attempted to approach the dog, but it took off running.

“We think she went into survival mode where she did nothing but hide, eat and drink,” Betsy said.

The sighting lifted their spirits, so Betsy and Jim returned to the trail nearly every day. “Betsy never gave up hope,” Jim said.

They consulted with ReRe Baker — the longtime Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office animal safety and control deputy, who has since retired — on what to do.

Betsy Chaffin  said Baker’s words of wisdom helped keep hope alive: “She said, ‘If this little dog has survived 10 days in the wilderness, she has a will to live.’ ”

They also contacted Seth Sachson, director of the Aspen Animal Shelter, for guidance. He put them in touch with the owner of a dog that was adept at locating humans and pets, as well as a different person who makes psychic connections with dogs.

“We said, ‘By cracky, we’re going to pull out all the stops,’ ” Betsy Chaffin said.

Over the next three weeks, they erected a pup tent in Capitol Creek with some of their clothes and Bella’s toys inside. They scattered belongings elsewhere along the trail to try to lure their beloved pet, but still no Bella.

“One thing became obvious: We weren’t going to find Bella until Bella wanted to be found,” Jim Chaffin said.

They called all the veterinarian offices, groomers and animal rescue groups in the middle and upper valley in case Bella had been found and returned or was being kept by a rescuer. They placed a missing dog classified advertisement and called the radio stations.

As the days ticked by, some friends gently suggested it was time to get realistic.

Betsy Chaffin decided to place additional missing dog posters down the valley from the Capitol Creek Trailhead. That turned out to be a pivotal decision. 

Rosario Ochoa saw the poster, and on July 17, he spotted a little white dog along the road that he suspected was Bella. He stopped to collect the dog, but it growled and ran into the woods. Betsy Chaffin said Ochoa later relayed to them that he talked soothingly to the dog and coaxed it to him. He called the number on the tags and left a message for Betsy. She soon returned the call and the Chaffins met Ochoa an hour later in Basalt. As can be expected, Bella went nuts when she saw them.

Bella was nothing but skin and bones, so the Chaffins were feeding her small amounts of food four times per day. She sleeps a lot. Veterinarian Katie Beiser removed the porcupine quills, gave Bella fluids, performed a medical shave and advised the family on nursing the dog back to health.

The Chaffins wondered what their dog experienced.

“How does any dog survive in the White River National Forest for a month, much less an 8-pound, 10-month-old, little cockapoo?” the Chaffins wrote in an email letting people know Bella was found. “There was plenty of water between the creek and the rains. Was she eating grasses, cow pies, an occasional varmint? This is a drainage populated by coyotes, fox, mountain lion and bear — how did she manage to hide? What stories Bella could tell but will never be told.”

> This story is powered by COLab, the Colorado News Collaborative. 9NEWS joined this historic collaboration with more than 40 other newsrooms across Colorado to better serve the public. 

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