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catbyte

(34,165 posts)
Fri May 29, 2020, 09:10 PM May 2020

Dog Travels 40 Miles To Find Her Way Back To The Woman She Loves

“It was a miracle ... I never stopped looking for her" 💓😍

BY LILY FEINN

When Seneca Krueger first picked up her foster dog Zelda last year, she could never have predicted the remarkable journey the dog would one day make to be with her again.

Krueger, who works as a psychotherapist, is a dog foster mom who specializes in helping rescued dogs learn to trust people again. She's fostered 30 dogs so far, but Zelda was an especially difficult case.

“She came with anti-anxiety medications,” Krueger told The Dodo. “Zelda paced. All day long she was either pacing or hiding.”



Krueger noticed that Zelda seemed calmest when on a leash, so she began tether training her — and slowly the skittish dog began to open up. “When I was home, she was attached to me,” Krueger said. “Over the course of two weeks of tether training, I had also weaned her off of her anti-anxiety medications, and the pacing had decreased. She was even willing to come out of hiding on her own for brief periods of time.”

After two months of living with Krueger and her two family dogs, Zelda finally wagged her tail. At four months, she began to bark and play — though she still struggled with unexpected noises and when visitors dropped by.



Still, Krueger knew that she had helped Zelda as much as she possibly could, and it was time to let her go. “As Zelda began to gain a little more confidence, I decided it was time for her to find her forever home,” Krueger said. “This is what you are supposed to do as a dog foster; help them adjust and then happily say goodbye as they go and live their best lives.”

Krueger drove Zelda 40 miles to her new home, but parting with her was more difficult than she anticipated. “I had to pull over to the side of the road because I couldn’t see through my tears,” Krueger said. “For the first time in my 12 years of dog fostering, I felt like I had given away my dog.”



Ten days after saying goodbye, Krueger received the call that every dog owner dreads — Zelda had gone missing after slipping her leash. Krueger immediately jumped in the car to begin searching for her.

An all-volunteer dog search team called START (Search, Track and Retrieval Team) had also gotten word of Zelda’s disappearance. The team set up feeding stations and trail cams around the area, and sightings of Zelda began to pour in.



As temperatures dropped below zero, Krueger refused to give up on her search. “The coldest days were the days I spent the most time searching because I was desperate to get Zelda warm and safe,” Krueger said. “I spent hours out in the freezing cold, following dog tracks through ravines, frozen swamps and fields.”

Over two months later, Krueger got word that Zelda had been spotted in Minneapolis, halfway between the dog's new home and her foster home.

Only then did Krueger realize that Zelda was trying to make her way back to her.



The adopters surrendered Zelda back to Wags and Whiskers Animal Rescue, the organization that set up the adoption, and Krueger was thrilled to have her dog back — if only on paper. “She was mine again, and I was more determined than ever to find her,” Krueger said.

Two weeks later, Krueger received news that Zelda had been spotted near her home. She put out feeding stations around her house and began dumping dirty laundry on the front lawn in hopes that the smell would coax Zelda back to safety.

A couple reached out to Krueger to let her know that they had been feeding a very skittish dog who looked like Zelda. But after so long, Krueger didn't want to get her hopes up. “Although I really wanted this dog to be my Zelda, I knew that if there was a lost, scared dog out there on the streets, we had to help it," Krueger said. "Even if it wasn’t the dog that I knew and loved, and missed so much."



Finally, the couple was able to trap the emaciated dog and called Krueger in the early hours of the morning to let her know. Inside the cage, Krueger saw a small, nervous dog, who barely resembled the Zelda she once knew. But when the manager of START arrived, a quick scan of the dog's chip confirmed the impossible.

After over three months on the run, Zelda had found her way home.



“It was a miracle, and what else do you do in the face of a miracle? I sobbed," Krueger said. "I apologized to Zelda for not recognizing her. I touched her for the first time in 97 days. I assured her that she was going home forever and that I never stopped looking for her.”



Zelda has been adjusting well to being at home, and couldn't be happier to be with her mom again.

"She has become my Velcro dog, and is never more than a few feet away from me at all times," Krueger said. "My other dogs are happy to have her back as well and groom her a lot."

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=166897684743760

For Zelda, this family is forever. "I never could have imagined that the whole time I was searching for Zelda, she was searching for me, too," Krueger added. "Zelda is officially my dog. But let’s be honest, it’s not like I had a choice. She is very persistent."

https://www.thedodo.com/close-to-home/dog-walks-40-miles-back-to-her-foster-mom
16 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Dog Travels 40 Miles To Find Her Way Back To The Woman She Loves (Original Post) catbyte May 2020 OP
Damn onions! dhol82 May 2020 #1
K&R for the precious pupper. nt tblue37 May 2020 #2
Something has always bothered me about fostering. Evergreen Emerald May 2020 #3
I feel the same way. I could never foster a dog, because I could never give it up. smirkymonkey May 2020 #5
Same with me! Rhiannon12866 May 2020 #7
Once I get attached to a dog, it's forever. smirkymonkey May 2020 #8
It's tough adopting older dogs since you know it's not a whole lifetime Rhiannon12866 May 2020 #9
Awww! What a beautiful photo! smirkymonkey May 2020 #10
Yup, that's us! Rhiannon12866 May 2020 #11
Awww! He sounds like such a sweet pupper! smirkymonkey May 2020 #12
He had another quirk, he had no interest at all in other dogs, completely ignored them except one Rhiannon12866 May 2020 #13
I am often tempted to foster a pregnant cat, but... 3catwoman3 May 2020 #16
Sorry to do this-but it brought up a bad memory. Boxerfan May 2020 #4
Oh god, that is such an awful story. It actually made me feel sick. smirkymonkey May 2020 #6
I would've hated him. Duppers May 2020 #14
He was not a father. He was merely a... 3catwoman3 May 2020 #15

Evergreen Emerald

(13,069 posts)
3. Something has always bothered me about fostering.
Fri May 29, 2020, 09:46 PM
May 2020

Foster parents know that the relationship is only temporary. But, the animals do not. They finally learn to trust and love again, and then...dumped off to someone new, rejected by the person they finally grew to love.

I know it is the best process we have in place for the animals. But, sad.

 

smirkymonkey

(63,221 posts)
5. I feel the same way. I could never foster a dog, because I could never give it up.
Fri May 29, 2020, 10:21 PM
May 2020

I just fall in love too quickly and I feel like it must feel like abandonment to the poor dog all over again. I just could never do it.

Anyway, this is a sweet story and I am happy that Zelda found her way home. I hope her foster mom keeps her forever. She is such a sweet, beautiful little pupper.

Rhiannon12866

(202,966 posts)
7. Same with me!
Sat May 30, 2020, 03:10 AM
May 2020

Except for the beloved dog I grew up with who my Dad bought as a puppy, all of the dogs in my life have been older pups from rescue (except for my Jack who found me at 5 months - he just turned 14) and I would never have given them up for anything. I've never been disappointed and my dogs all found their forever home with me.

 

smirkymonkey

(63,221 posts)
8. Once I get attached to a dog, it's forever.
Sat May 30, 2020, 04:04 AM
May 2020

I could never give them up. I don't know how people do it. I'm so glad that you have given so many dogs good homes too!

Rhiannon12866

(202,966 posts)
9. It's tough adopting older dogs since you know it's not a whole lifetime
Sat May 30, 2020, 04:37 AM
May 2020

But I just can't seem to help it, since I've found dogs who need me. My eldest pup was my Barney who they said was 10 or 11 when he found me. He was a cocker like the dog I grew up with, but he'd been a stud dog at a "commercial kennel" until he got too old and they said he needed "a special home" since he had never lived with people and wasn't housebroken. But his foster mom, a wonderful woman who did an amazing job with him, kept in touch and still visited a few times. He was just the best dog, beautiful with the best temperament and I had him for 8 precious years. And I'm counting on having Jack at least as long.


Rhiannon12866

(202,966 posts)
11. Yup, that's us!
Sat May 30, 2020, 05:43 AM
May 2020

He was always such a sweet dog despite his terrible background. His foster mom who I got to know well (she placed a second cocker with me a few years later, so I had two!) had rescued a lot of dogs on her life and she said that poor Barney was by far the messiest, took her a long time to get him at least cleaned up. But you can see that he cleaned up beautifully and we hit it off right away, I had to pass muster with his foster mom. That's the only pic I have of him online. That was right after I had surgery and it was painful to leave him while I was hospitalized. He also had a few quirks, like thinking he could make friends with a lawn sprinkler and when we went on walks we had to give parked cars a very wide berth, but learning about him was endearing.

Rhiannon12866

(202,966 posts)
13. He had another quirk, he had no interest at all in other dogs, completely ignored them except one
Sat May 30, 2020, 06:17 AM
May 2020

There was a little doxie who lived on the next street and we often passed her house on our walks. If she was out, Barney would stop and wouldn't move on unless we were able to say hello. I got to know the lady and her daughter and one time she and Chloe joined us on our walk. Yikes, that little dog with her tiny short legs could go on long walks! Barney finally got tired (he was not a young pup!) so I ended up carrying him the rest of the way home...

3catwoman3

(23,812 posts)
16. I am often tempted to foster a pregnant cat, but...
Sat May 30, 2020, 04:35 PM
May 2020

...I have yet to give in to that temptation. I know I would want to keep the momma and all the babies. We have 3 already. I’d be fine with more (we have had 5), tules so my husband.

I once commented here that is takes me about 30 seconds to fall in love with a kitten. Someone responded, “Why so long?”

I make donations instead.

Boxerfan

(2,531 posts)
4. Sorry to do this-but it brought up a bad memory.
Fri May 29, 2020, 09:54 PM
May 2020

I repressed it for years.My father among other things was a horrible human. We had 2 dogs in Portola Valley on a small ranch farm.
The older dog-Ruffie-apparently got a case of worms.
Dad "took her to the vet"

It was about 2 weeks later. Just before Christmas and a light snow on the ground-which was very rare. Ruffie came up the drive and we darted to see him but our mother drew us back. He had walked 30+ miles from where my dad dumped him. I'm pretty sure he went to shoot him & the dog ran off. But he loved us kids & he made it home.

My Dad took him away & shot him.


Because taking him to get actual care would have cost $30.00 actual money in the 60's....

He was a millionaire thanks to his Daddy that was chump change. He was just a horrible human.
Sorry.

 

smirkymonkey

(63,221 posts)
6. Oh god, that is such an awful story. It actually made me feel sick.
Fri May 29, 2020, 10:25 PM
May 2020

You must have been heartbroken. That poor, sweet dog. He just wanted to be with the kids he loved and who loved him back.

What a horrible thing for your father to do to the dog and to you kids. It was really downright abusive. I really hope that was only one awful incident and that your whole childhood wasn't filled with stories like that. Sorry, but your dad just sounded like a horrible person.

Duppers

(28,094 posts)
14. I would've hated him.
Sat May 30, 2020, 11:44 AM
May 2020

So sorry, Boxerfan.

Just because ppl have children doesn't make them good human beings. Believe me, I KNOW.

3catwoman3

(23,812 posts)
15. He was not a father. He was merely a...
Sat May 30, 2020, 04:30 PM
May 2020

...sperm donor.

I so hope you have managed to have a decent life once you were able to getaway from his influence.

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