A 10-year-old Jack Russell terrier named Luna has been safely reunited with her owners after surviving for a month alone in Yellowstone National Park, overcoming predators and challenging conditions.
Luna, who disappeared from her owners' cabin at the park's Canyon Village base camp on September 10, was located on Wednesday morning thanks to the collaborative efforts of local rescuers, park employees, and tourists. Her survival required her to avoid predators such as bears and coyotes while finding sustenance and shelter.
Katie Boucher, president of the Norris Ark Training & Recovery Center, which coordinated the reunion, described the successful outcome as particularly gratifying. Luna's owners, a couple from California, had returned home after a week of searching but were notified of potential sightings through social media. Boucher became involved after seeing local posts about the missing dog.
Luna's ordeal began when she reportedly fled into the woods after park cabin staff entered her owners' room. Yellowstone National Park regulations prohibit pets from being left unattended. While Boucher advises against bringing pets into such environments, she noted that lost pet incidents are common, though most are eventually recovered. Tourists and surveillance footage indicated Luna had remained within a roughly two-mile radius of Canyon Village.
Boucher believes Luna likely survived on readily available water and animal scat, though her precise diet and shelter remain unknown. The dog appeared to have lost approximately half of her body weight. Luna's past experience as a stray adopted from an animal shelter may have contributed to her resilience.
A humane trap, known as a Missy Trap, was set up with permission from the National Park Service. A small shelter placed inside the trap attracted Luna, who had been seen nearby in the days preceding her capture. Her owners traveled back to Yellowstone for the emotional reunion. Boucher remarked that the moment of their seeing each other again was filled with significant emotion.
