When Breckenridge resident Zach Hackett first rescued Riley — a 9-year-old sheltie dog who had run away five weeks earlier — in May, nothing happened for about 10 days.
Then the story swept across the country. After Summit Daily News and KDVR reported the story, Hackett received congratulations from Congressman Joe Neguse’s office, and the national nonprofit People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) honored him with a compassion award. Soon, The Washington Post, The Dodo, Fox Weather and other major news outlets were reaching out to interview Hackett.
But before all that attention, Hackett said he had been struggling. The days between when Hackett first heard Riley’s faint “yip” while exploring the trails near Peak 4 behind his new apartment and when the media caught wind of the story had been difficult ones, he said.
The uplifting story of the rescue, though, has helped Hackett connect with a wider community and find happiness and hope for the future. It also inspired him to start his own pet-care business.
