Dog lost six weeks in Poudre Canyon found in Estes Park

In what could be the Larimer County version of “The Incredible Journey,” a dog that went missing six weeks ago after falling into the Poudre River was found Friday in Estes Park.

Banjo, a 9-month-old Siberian shepherd, is back home with her family in Glacier View and recovering from her arduous adventure, said owner Donna Hill. She’s still tired, sore and a bit skittish, but Banjo appears to be settling into familiar surroundings, Hill said.

And all is right with Hill and her family and friends, who had nearly given up hope of ever seeing Banjo again.

“It’s like we spun the world backward six weeks and started all over,” she said. “But it’s a better ending this time.”

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Banjo was picked up around noon Friday by Estes Park police officers responding to a call about a stray dog that had been hanging around houses for several days, apparently searching for food.

The stray initially was reported as “a wolf with a pink collar,” Hill said.

Officers captured the dog and found she was wearing a harness, collar and bone-shaped tag identifying her as Banjo.

Police called Hill, but she was not home: She and her son, Braeden Brooks, and a niece were in Poudre Canyon spending yet another day attempting to find Banjo along the north side of the Poudre between Mishawaka and Stove Prairie.

Tired, discouraged and resigned to not finding Banjo, the searchers quietly drove down the rugged canyon in tears. When they reached Ted’s Place on U.S Highway 14, “our cellphones lit up,” Hill said.

A message from another son directed Hill to call Estes Park police, who said they had Banjo.

“I must have said ‘Are you sure?’ a hundred times,” she said.

The searchers hurried to Estes Park. After filling out paperwork and speaking to officers, they went to the town animal shelter. At first, Banjo was wary of them.

But once Hill said her typical morning greeting — “Are you going to sleep all day?” — and Banjo recognized Braeden, the dog was “thrilled,” Hill said.

“She saw her boy,” Hill said. “She slept on his chest in the truck all the way home.”

Between Tuesday and Friday, Estes Park police had received five calls about a stray dog resembling a wolf or coyote, said Kate Rusch, the town public information officer.

Officers and homeowners weren’t able to catch the elusive animal. On Friday, a homeowner reported the dog was on his deck, said Master Police Officer Monty Allen.

Allen said when he arrived, the dog was “pretty scared and pretty aggressive.”

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After speaking to the dog and feeding her treats for about an hour, Allen was able to get a leash on her.

Banjo was checked out by a veterinarian who found she was emaciated and suffering from a couple of puncture wounds, Allen said.

“It had tangled with something,” he said. “It was definitely worse for wear.”

Officers thought they were dealing with a stray with a local owner. They were astonished to hear the backstory of Banjo showing up in Estes Park, Allen said.

Banjo and Braeden fell into the Poudre River near the Crystal Wall climbing area June 13. Braeden rescued himself from the rushing river, but let go of Banjo’s leash out of fear she would drown in the rapids if he held on. The 75-pound dog was swept down stream.

Extensive searches of the canyon by family and community supporters came up empty. Hill asked rafting companies and others who frequent the canyon to keep a lookout for the dog.

Banjo was spotted a couple of times July 9 and again July 10. Braeden, who had returned to school in Kentucky, came back to Colorado last week to continue searching.

Following established roads, the distance from Mishawaka to Estes Park is about 50 miles. How Banjo managed to cross the river and reach Estes Park will likely always be a mystery, Hill said.

Banjo’s cream-colored coat was nearly black from dirt and ash, an indication she traveled through the High Park Fire burn zone, Hill said. Her foot pads were swollen from so much walking.

“She was just skin and bones,” Hill said. “And you could tell by looking in her eyes that she was very tired.”



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Since coming home, Banjo’s been “a real ball of fire,” Hill said, and glad to be reunited with her family and to sleep in her own bed.

Hill said she is grateful for the support of the Glacier View and Poudre Canyon communities during the long search for Banjo. A couple of officers she met in Estes Park were aware of Banjo’s story, she said.

When things looked bleakest, friends and strangers offered encouragement, she said.

“It brings tears to my eyes to think of all the agencies and all of the people who went out of their way and gave so much time out of their days for a lost dog,” she said.

“This really took on a life of its own. If it hadn’t, we wouldn’t have gotten her.”

Kevin Duggan is a Coloradoan senior reporter covering local government. Follow him on Twitter, @coloradoan_dugg.