LOS ANGELES/JUNEAU - A stray dog named Jackie, rescued from the devastating wildfires that recently swept through the Los Angeles area and seemingly given a new lease on life, has become the subject of an unfolding drama in Juneau, Alaska, after escaping her new home and taking to the wilderness.
Jackie, a German Shepherd and Husky mix, faced imminent euthanasia at an overcrowded Los Angeles County shelter before a lifeline appeared in mid-February: adoption by a family in the distant city of Juneau. However, the hopeful beginning quickly dissolved when Jackie slipped her leash on her first day with her new owners and vanished into the adjacent forest.
Since then, Jackie has been surviving in the wild, consistently evading traps set by animal control officers and dedicated volunteers. Despite tempting baits of hamburgers and chicken, she has remained wary. The forested area where Jackie frequents borders busy roads, and recent increased sightings of black bears emerging from hibernation have amplified concerns for her safety. Volunteers have since ceased using bear attractants like cat food in their traps.
"Maybe this is what she wants, to be free and wild," mused Thom Young-Bayer, a Juneau animal control officer, while acknowledging the inherent dangers of her current situation. Young-Bayer and his wife, Skylar, have been tirelessly searching for Jackie after work, often into the late hours, hoping to build trust with the elusive canine. Jackie has proven adept at survival, often nestled in soft moss on the forest floor or cleverly avoiding the direct beams of searchers' headlamps. Infrared camera footage captured by Young-Bayer reveals Jackie's red heat signature, eerily reminiscent of a scene from the movie "Predator."
Young-Bayer recently caught a fleeting glimpse of Jackie in the dense woods, but her dark fur allowed her to quickly disappear amongst the stumps and roots. A thorough search yielded nothing, and a trap he had monitored for weeks remained empty. Returning to the road where a fellow officer waited, Young-Bayer learned Jackie had been seen crossing a frozen pond.
In recent encounters, however, Young-Bayer has found himself face-to-face with Jackie more frequently. "She used to bolt as soon as she saw a person," he noted. "Now, she's letting people get closer, so there's definitely progress." He added that he and his wife are trying to avoid sneaking up on her, wanting instead to help Jackie feel safe.
The Juneau Animal Rescue, the local animal adoption agency that also handles animal control and care services, is urging anyone who spots Jackie to call them immediately. This measure aims to minimize the number of people involved in the search, given her extremely skittish nature.
Little is known about Jackie's past. She arrived at the California shelter as a stray in early January, just days before the devastating wildfires swept through the LA region. Estimated to be between two and three years old, shelter records described her as quiet with a medium level of anxiety and stress.
Skylar Young-Bayer, who volunteered with a rescue organization in the area, helped facilitate Jackie's transport, along with two other dogs facing euthanasia, to Juneau for adoption. Before finding her adoptive family, Jackie spent time in a foster home.
History offers precedents for animals escaping and evading capture for extended periods. In New Orleans, Scrim, a 17-pound terrier mix, gained local notoriety after months on the run before finally being caught in a cat trap in February.
Mike Mazouch, the animal control and care manager for Juneau Animal Rescue, pointed out that Jackie didn't have sufficient time to bond with her new family before bolting. Authorities deemed using a tranquilizer gun too risky, unsure if they could safely retrieve her afterward.
Last week, while accompanying Thom Young-Bayer to retrieve a deactivated trap in the woods, Mazouch witnessed Jackie approach within 50 feet of him on a frozen pond. He managed to snap a photo of her peering through the thin trees. Mazouch described the efforts to capture her as "a battle of wills," asserting, "She's not willing to give up, and we're not willing to give up."
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