New Mexico
Dog missing for four years found 500 miles away in different state
A beloved dog that went missing in Colorado in 2020 was recently found on the streets of New Mexico some 500 miles away.
Patches the pup and her owner Benjamin Baxter were reconnected over the weekend in a heartfelt reunion four years after she went missing from a friend’s home, local news station KRQE reported.
The pooch was staying at Baxter’s friends’ home in Calahan, Colorado after he relocated to Nebraska for work and moved into a home that didn’t permit residents to have pets.
Baxter was looking for a new place where he could bring Patches home but the free-willed canine disappeared before he could bring her to Nebraska, according to the outlet.
“She’s kind of been a Houdini her whole life. And we had ventured all over the country together. So, for her to, you know, run away, you know, chasing butterflies or rabbits, like it wasn’t uncommon, but she always came home,” Baxter told the station.
But this time was different.
“By day seven, I was like, there’s just no way, I’m never going to find this dog again,” Baxter said.
It may have taken a bit longer than expected, but Baxter finally got the call that his dog was found.
His wife called to let him know that Patches was at the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley in Las Cruces, New Mexico. She had been found living as a stray on the streets of the city of Anthony by local animal control and brought to the shelter.
The shelter checked for a microchip and found Baxter’s info.
“I’m looking through these pictures. I’m like, ‘this is my dog,’” he said. “I haven’t seen this dog. I have thought this dog has been probably dead for the last four years. And just seeing her was, I mean, mind-boggling. I cannot explain to you how crazy that was.”
Patches, who is now 10 years old, made the long journey from New Mexico to Nebraska with the help of friends like the one in Colorado who was caring for the pup when she went missing.
She finally made it back to her owner — four years and many miles later — on Sunday.
“I’m not a big crier. But you know, I definitely was getting some teary eyes just seeing my dog back in front of me again,” Baxter told KRQE.
The shelter that helped reunite the pair reminded pet owners to get their beloved family members microchipped — using Baxter and Patches’ story as a testament to the technology.
“This reunion serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring power of love and the remarkable role technology plays in reuniting lost companions,” Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley Executive Director Clint Thacker wrote in an email to KRQE. “Please remember to microchip your pets and keep the owner information current.”
Colorado Parks and Wildlife rereleased a wolf into Grand County this week after it had traveled into New Mexico, according to a news release.
The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish captured gray wolf 2403 and returned the animal to Colorado.
Colorado wildlife officials decided to release the wolf in Grand County yesterday because of the proximity to “an unpaired female gray wolf,” nearby prey populations and distance from livestock, according to the release.
“Gray wolf 2403 has been returned to Colorado and released in a location where it can best contribute to CPW’s efforts to establish a self-sustaining wolf population while concurrently attempting to minimize potential wolf-related livestock conflicts,” said acting director of CPW Laura Clellan, according to the release.
The wolf was once a member of the Copper Creek pack but departed from it this fall.
A memorandum of understanding between Colorado and Arizona, New Mexico and Utah requires that any gray wolves that leave Colorado and enter those states be returned. That was created in part to maintain the integrity of a Mexican wolf recovery program.
“We recognized during the planning process that we would need to have consideration and plans to protect the genetic integrity of the Mexican wolf recovery program, while also establishing a gray wolf population in Colorado,” said CPW’s Wolf Conservation Program Manager Eric Odell, according to the release.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A judge sentenced a New Mexico man to nearly 20 years in prison for distributing meth and having guns in his possession to use while doing so.
Court records indicate 43-year-old David Amaya sold meth from a trailer on his parents’ property in Anthony throughout July and August 2024. Agents executed a search warrant Aug. 22 and found 1.18 kilograms of meth, two firearms and ammunition in the trailer and a makeshift bathroom.
Amaya pleaded guilty to possession of meth with intent to distribute it. A judge sentenced him to 235 months in prison.
Once he is out, Amaya will face five years of supervised release.
The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office and the Las Cruces Metro Narcotics Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Williams prosecuted it.
The New Mexico Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 10, 2025, results for each game:
Powerball
10-16-29-33-69, Powerball: 22, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 3
Day: 8-2-7
Evening: 6-9-2
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Lotto America
03-13-37-42-44, Star Ball: 01, ASB: 03
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 4
Evening: 5-0-7-8
Day: 3-7-2-0
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Roadrunner Cash
02-04-06-21-22
Check Roadrunner Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Powerball Double Play
13-15-51-67-68, Powerball: 08
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Las Cruces Sun-News editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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