A 14-month-old Bernese mountain dog that was missing for seven weeks was found by hikers near a trail in western Jefferson County this week and reunited with her owner.
Two hikers spotted Nova Riley near a trail in Meyer Ranch Park on Sunday, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. The park is approximately three miles north of Conifer along U.S. 285.
Nova Riley, a service dog in training to help her owner safely move around, was able to slip out of her harness and run away when she became spooked in a Safeway parking lot, her owner Robynne Simons-Sealy said.
Simons-Sealy, who is disabled, said community members and neighbors tirelessly helped her search for Nova Riley. The dog was spotted several times, but was too scared to come near people, Simons-Sealy said.
“She survived two snow storms and below-freezing weather,” Simons-Sealy said. “I was in tears every time it snowed.”
The hikers who found Nova Riley tried to befriend her when they didn’t see her with any people, but she bit one of the hikers because she was injured and scared, the sheriff’s office said in post on Facebook.
The hikers called for help, and one stayed with Nova Riley while the injured hiker met three open space rangers and Animal Control Officer Kylie Rupe at the trailhead.
The hiker only sustained a minor injury and did not need stitches, Rupe said.
Rupe and the rangers hiked three miles up the trail to rescue Nova Riley, who had a broken leg and was underweight, when a ranger recognized her from photos of a lost dog poster he had seen.
Rupe was able to quickly earn the dog’s trust with food.
“When we first got up there I had brought treats and food up with me, knowing she would probably be very food-motivated at that point,” Rupe said. “I used food to make friends, and she was very friendly but skittish.”
Rupe and the rangers were able to put Nova Riley on a tarp and carry her to the trailhead, where she was reunited with Simons-Sealy.
“She was a little wary at first because it had been so long, but once she got some good sniffs it was all happy barks and wiggly butts and very exciting,” Rupe said.
Despite her injury and hunger, Nova Riley couldn’t contain her excitement at seeing her person, Simons-Sealy said.
“When I walked up to the car it was like I was just another human being, and then she realized and she went crazy,” Simons-Sealy said. “It was so beautiful and so heartwarming and the most wonderful sound of her realizing, ‘I’m safe, I’m okay.’”
Nova Riley was taken to an emergency vet and will need to have her broken leg amputated, Simons-Sealy said. She lost about 20 pounds, or a quarter of her body weight, while she was missing.
Nova Riley is starting to calm down, but won’t let Simons-Sealy out of her sight.
While Nova Riley can no longer work as a service dog, she’s staying in her forever home with Simons-Sealy, who said she is thankful for the hikers, county staff, neighbors and community members who worked to find and rescue Nova Riley and have donated to her medical expenses.
“I can’t say enough about the kindness of people here,” she said.
