Dog Missing For Six Years Found In Woods, But Family Doesn't Want Her Back
Rose, a black Patterdale terrier, went missing in a blink of an eye and popped back up six and a half years later like nothing happened. One day she was gone, the next day she was alive and thriving in the Sussex woods, six miles from the home that used to be hers.
The twist is, Rose was not surviving alone. Neighbors had been quietly feeding her, treating her like a local stray, and by the time the Lost Dog Recovery UK South team set up live hidden cameras, the whole area had their own version of what “rescue” should look like. Even Nicki Scriven, who has worked with the non-profit for a decade, described the tension of watching Rose and not knowing if she would trust the trap.
And when Rose finally steps into a metal cage with chicken bait, the real drama is what happens after she is found.
A remarkable discovery unfolded when a dog missing for over six years was found alive and thriving in the woods. Rose, a black Patterdale terrier, resurfaced after a long absence, having vanished from her family's life years ago.
Surviving in the wilderness, six miles away from her original home, Rose managed to sustain herself by scavenging food intended for badgers and adopting the role of a local stray. The breakthrough in her whereabouts came when a concerned passerby spotted her, prompting the Lost Dog Recovery UK South team to launch a stakeout operation in the area.
The passerby who spotted Rose kicked off the stakeout, and suddenly the Sussex woods had a whole new audience of neighbors watching too.
Using live hidden cameras, the team meticulously observed Rose's behavior and devised a plan to safely retrieve her. Through thorough investigation and conversations with locals, they uncovered that many neighbors had been providing food for her. Nicki Scriven, 41, a dedicated member of the non-profit organization for a decade, played a crucial role in the rescue operation.
"It emerged that someone had been feeding her for what they believed to be ten years, which turned out to be six and a half. She was considered their stray feral dog, and they were regularly providing her with food. Eventually, the primary caretaker acknowledged the necessity of capturing the dog. She expressed remorse for not taking action sooner," explained Scriven.
While Nicki Scriven and the team monitored the hidden cameras from their van and ate pizza, locals kept quietly admitting they had been feeding Rose for years.
This also echoes the dog who walked over 60 kilometers to reach her owner, guided by her foster mom Krueger.
The next step was to entice Rose into a metal cage placed in the Sussex woodlands using some chicken as bait, aiming to bring her back to safety. The team set up camp in a nearby van, anxiously monitoring the camera footage while enjoying pizza.
Nicki remarked, "It's always nerve-wracking, especially with Rose, knowing she's been feral for so long. We weren't sure if she'd enter the trap right away or if it would take a few days. But whether it's been a day or six and a half years, it's always rewarding to safely rescue a dog. In my ten years here, we've encountered dogs that didn't make it home, which is heart-wrenching and devastating."
That’s when the plan to lure her with chicken into a metal cage turned into a nerve-wracking waiting game, because Rose had been feral for so long.
The team was astonished to discover that Rose had a microchip from 2017, indicating she was 12 years old. After an extensive search, they located Rose's owners on Facebook and delivered the news that she was alive and in good health.
Unfortunately, due to changed circumstances, Rose's family is unable to reclaim her. She will be placed into rescue once again. The family had Rose for only 24 hours before she ran off and vanished. Since then, they have relocated and are no longer able to care for an older dog.
Then comes the complicated part, the moment Rose is safe enough to return, but the family doesn’t want her back after all those years.</p>
Nicki reflected on the situation, expressing a mix of emotions. "It's undoubtedly upsetting to learn that Rose's family can't take her back," she began. "But ultimately, our priority is Rose's well-being. She'll need time for rehabilitation and reassessment before she can be placed in a new home. While it's saddening that she won't be reunited with her original owners, we're committed to ensuring that she receives the care and support she needs."
She continued, "We understand that Rose's situation is bittersweet. On one hand, we're overjoyed to have found her alive and well after all these years. However, it's heartbreaking to realize that she never had the opportunity to experience the love and companionship of her family."
In a poignant Facebook post, the organization conveyed a similar sentiment, acknowledging the complex emotions surrounding Rose's discovery. "While we're ecstatic to have located a beloved pet who had been missing for so long," the post read, "our happiness is tempered by the realization that there won't be a joyous reunion for Rose.
She missed out on the chance to be reunited with her family and experience the warmth of their love once again."
After six and a half years of being “someone’s stray,” Rose is found, but the family still says no.
Rose’s family may relate to the couple’s frantic plan to find their lost dog after it ran off in fear.
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