In the aftermath of the Los Angeles wildfires, a formerly stray dog was rescued from an overcrowded shelter – where she faced the risk of euthanasia – and given a new home in Alaska.
But the German shepherd-husky mix, named Jackie, didn’t stay long. On her very first day, she slipped out of her collar and vanished into a nearby forest.
Since then, she’s been surviving on her own in the wooded area, which is home to black bears and next to a busy road.
Juneau animal control officer Thom Young-Bayer said, “maybe she [Jackie] wants to be free and feral,” but noted that “it’s not a safe way to live” given the area’s conditions.
Young-Bayer and his wife have been spending their free time searching for Jackie, often in the evenings, trying to slowly earn the trust of the nervous pup.
But Jackie is elusive; she tends to burrow into the forest floor for cover and avoids looking into their headlamps, making her hard to spot in the dark.
The couple recently caught a glimpse of Jackie in the woods, but they quickly lost sight of her as her dark coat allows her to blend into the forest, camouflaging her among tree roots and stumps. The traps they’ve set have also come up empty.
Local pet adoption agency Juneau Animal Rescue is asking the public to report any sightings of Jackie and to avoid actively searching for her, as she’s extremely skittish and may be frightened off.
Unfortunately, not much is known about Jackie’s background.
She was brought into an animal shelter as a stray in early January, just days before the Los Angeles wildfires. She’s estimated to be 2 to 3 years old and is known to have moderate stress and anxiety levels.
Young-Bayer, who has previously worked with rescue groups in Los Angeles, helped coordinate the transfer of Jackie and two other dogs who were at risk of euthanasia to Juneau for adoption. Before moving in with her new family, Jackie spent some time in a foster home.
According to Mike Mazouch, animal control director at Juneau Animal Rescue, Jackie didn’t have enough time to form a bond with her adoptive family before she slipped out of her collar and ran off.
Initially, officers considered using a tranquilizer, but decided against it, fearing it would be too risky as they weren’t confident they’d be able to find her afterwards.
However, they’re not willing to give up yet.
