A dog in England who ran away from her family was found in the woods living on her own after more than six years, reports the BBC. Rose, a black Patterdale Terrier, fled her Surrey home back in March 2017 within a day after her family adopted her. A rescue team spotted the dog in Crawley Down last month, following which they came up with a plan to capture her.
Rescue team lured dog with food
In a Facebook post, Lost Dog Recovery UK South said their rescue team had set up cameras and observed Rose for a few days after spotting her. On Dec. 9, they managed to lure her with “a huge warm roast chicken feast.” Subsequently, they found a microchip and discovered that the pup went missing “6 miles away from Ashurst Wood” more than six years back.
“She was sighted loose in the 10 days after she first went missing but then the trail went cold,” the post reads in part. The organization added that they don’t know when exactly Rose arrived in Crawley Down. However, they assured the pup is safe and “will not spend the rest of her senior years fending for herself in the cold and wet.”
Sadly, though, Rose will not have a “happy reunion” since her owners have moved away and won’t be able to take her back. The organization also noted that as a senior dog, the pup “will likely need” veterinary care and medication.
In an interview with Daily Mail, Nicki Scriven, who was part of the rescue mission, said the team wasn’t sure if Rose “would go into the trap straight away” since she’d been “feral for so long.”
“But it is rewarding for any dog,” Scriven said. “Whether it has been a day or six-and-a-half-years it is rewarding to get that dog safe.”
Later, in another Facebook post, Lost Dog Recovery UK South shared that Rose will now be in the care of Last Chance Animal Rescue, a shelter based in Edenbridge, Kent. The 12-year-old pup will soon be available for adoption.
“Not all stray dogs have a story like Rose,” the organization wrote. “But every stray dog matters to us just the same.”
