Stella the dog is home again after she went missing on the Juan de Fuca trail on May 2, 2020.
A pair of good samaritans who were in the area on Saturday spotted the dog and took her in, then contacted local charity ROAM (Reuniting Owners with Animals Missing).
“We knew based on the area where the dog was found this would be unusual,” said ROAM Co-Founder Lesli Steeves in a phone call with Victoria Buzz.
“I took down the statement as verbatim as possible.”
Steeves says the actions of the two men who took Stella in were “amazing.”
“I was so impressed with them and what they were doing to keep the dog safe and comfortable.”
ROAM posted about the found dog and contacted CTV Vancouver Island to run the story. It was thanks to that coverage that Stella’s owners spotted their missing pooch.
Steeves says that the owners had brought Stella with them on a honeymoon weekend out to Juan de Fuca.
“They turned around and Stella was gone,” Steeves said. “They did everything they could. They stayed for five days and searched. They figured probably a predator had taken her.”
The area in which Stella was found is lost is very large and rugged, according to ROAM. “For the dog to survive out there is just incredible.”
Steeves says the rescue has been an emotional experience for everyone involved and demonstrates the positive side of social media.
“The power of social media is part of our job. You get the word out there and all it takes is that one little share. Social media can feel toxic. If you use it for something like this, it can be absolutely incredible.”
