JACKSON, Wyo. — A local dog that wandered off while hiking on Teton Pass on Sunday morning, Aug. 17, has been found and reunited with her owners.
Maggie and Haden Calegan looked for their 1-year-old blue heeler Melly on Sunday afternoon, and they decided to spend the night camping on Teton Pass in case Melly found her way back. Haden logged about 30 hiking miles looking for the pup.
The owners posted photos and descriptions on various Facebook pages, including Jackson Hole Pets (Lost and Found). That Facebook post was shared over 90 times. Buckrail reported the story on Monday, Aug. 18.
“I went to Staples to get signs laminated, and someone was like, ‘Oh, I saw your post on Facebook,'” Maggie Calegan told Buckrail.
On Tuesday, the owners received a phone call notifying them that Melly had been seen near a parking lot on Teton Pass. The dog was skittish near the road, wary of people trying to coax her, and ended up bolting back into the woods. Maggie hung up signs near the top of the Pass, then went to the Stagecoach Bar to spread the word, where she received a second phone call saying that Melly was near the road again.
This time, Maggie and Haden drove to the top of the Pass and sat down with some kibble to wait for Melly, who was eventually spotted about an hour later.
“She was very skittish. She didn’t look like she was a stray dog, but she was acting like, ‘oh my gosh, I don’t know who you are,'” said Maggie.
After a few minutes of shaking the kibble, Maggie was able to get Melly to come closer. Once Melly recognized Maggie and Haden, the reunion was a sweet one. Maggie and Haden expressed their gratitude for everyone who played a part in helping them find Melly.
“I felt like everybody in town was looking for her,” said Maggie. “It was so sweet.”
Editor’s note: This article has been updated with the correct spelling of Calegan
