After being lost for five months, Henry the dog is back home with his Penticton owners thanks to SicamousB次元官网网址� K9-1-1 Animal Rescue.
Henry lived with Duffy Baker and Koa Hughes in Penticton for four years before being transitioned to a home in the Ashton Creek area that had acreage for him to run. After about a week, fireworks set off near the property spooked Henry and he bolted, running up the nearby logging road to Hunters Range mountain. HenryB次元官网网址檚 caretaker in Ashton Creek contacted Baker, and the two spent about three weeks searching the area for the pup. Finding no signs, they didnB次元官网网址檛 think he could have survived, and they mourned the loss of Henry.
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Meanwhile, Henry had been spotted towards Enderby, and was initially thought to be someoneB次元官网网址檚 loose pet. When it became obvious Henry was searching for food and shelter, SicamousB次元官网网址� K9-1-1 Animal Rescue got involved.
The rescue began posting security camera footage from the houses Henry visited on social media lost pet pages. After weeks, the team finally came across a post of a dog that had gone missing in Enderby that matched HenryB次元官网网址檚 description, including his black collar, and was eventually able to reach Baker and Hughes who confirmed HenryB次元官网网址檚 identity.
B次元官网网址淗aving to think, after you lose a dog, that heB次元官网网址檚 up in the mountains, you donB次元官网网址檛 think heB次元官网网址檚 ever coming home,B次元官网网址� said Baker. B次元官网网址淭o wake up that morning and get the message that heB次元官网网址檚 alive and in a neighbourhood, not just in the woods, was a huge relief.B次元官网网址�
Henry had been missing since July 4, and a plan to catch him was set in motion in early December.
A home on a beach where Henry, caught on camera, had a pattern of returning to search for food at night was the location where the rescue set a live trap. The first night, Henry explored inside the trap, and even lay down for three hours on the mat beside it, which had on it clothing that smelled like Baker and Hughes. Unfortunately, the trap wasnB次元官网网址檛 set the first night so as not to spook Henry, and the dog didnB次元官网网址檛 come back.
Baker travelled to Sicamous to help get Henry, but since the dog didnB次元官网网址檛 return to the trap that evening, Debbie Fortin, who runs K9-1-1, came up with a new plan. Fortin knew where Henry napped during the day and had Baker walk along the beach below that area, hoping to lure Henry with BakerB次元官网网址檚 scent. Once Henry was spotted, Baker tried to get close to him and lay down, trying to be submissive toward the dog. Henry approached but didnB次元官网网址檛 get very close, giving only a feral bark and running back up the hill to the road above the beach.
Baker then got in his car and decided to search for Henry.
B次元官网网址淚 was in the car thinking to myself, B次元官网网址業B次元官网网址檓 going to wreck this, did I just ruin everything?B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� said Baker. But a gut feeling told him to drive around, and he did find Henry in a different place in the neighbourhood heB次元官网网址檇 been living in.
Henry seemed to recognize BakerB次元官网网址檚 car as Baker drove slowly, but the dog walked in the opposite direction. Baker, on the phone with Hughes and at her suggestion, turned the car to go in the same direction as Henry, tossing pieces of worn clothing gently out the window, and Henry followed. When Baker put his hand out the window, Henry circled the car, sniffed his hand, hesitated with his paw on the step into the vehicle, and finally jumped in the car.
B次元官网网址淚 was crying, I was holding him, he was licking my face, it was just really good,B次元官网网址� said Baker. B次元官网网址淭here was something missing in our family, and it was him.B次元官网网址�
Often dogs that have lived in the wild for that long will transition into a feral status and never return to domestic behaviour, Fortin said. Henry is doing really well, however, only showing signs of anxiety and recovering from being slightly underweight.
B次元官网网址淗e hasnB次元官网网址檛 skipped a beat. HeB次元官网网址檚 still the same old Henry,B次元官网网址� Baker said.
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