A woman and her dog in Jasper, Alta., have been reunited thanks to the efforts of a group of residents who spent days tracking the missing pet.
Sandra Birks, 78, and her dog Willow were separated for nine days after the dog got off its leash, was lightly hit by a vehicle and ran off.
Calls to find the dog gained traction on social media but no one was able to catch it.
When Wendy Hall drove by Birks and saw her searching alone for her pet, she pulled together about a half-dozen people to catch the shy dog.
“That was the moment I knew this was now my job and we were going to keep going until we brought Willow home,” Hall said.
Hall was inspired to help both to extend a hand to Birks, who doesn’t have family in town, and because she and many of the other searchers are also dog-owners.
Observing physical distancing protocols during the effort was easy, as the group was small and searched in different areas, Hall said.
A live trap, baited with pet food was set on March 27 in an area where the dog had been seen along the edge of town.
Two days later, those efforts were successful and the dog was caught.
“We raced up the hill and there she was in the cage. It was an amazing experience,” said Hall.
A video taken by Hall shows Willow excitedly vibrating in the cage and licking the hand of Birks as she says “Oh, I’m happy to see you.”
Birks has lived in Jasper for nearly 70 years.
Her daughter Linda Birks told CBC News in Calgary that pandemic isolation rules were behind her decision not to drive to the mountain town to help her mother find the dog that she adopted from a rescue a year ago.
She was hopeful the dog would be found based on the responses she saw on social media and the rescue group organized by Hall.
“We have the best people there (in Jasper),” Linda Birks said. “We just want them all to know how much we appreciate it. My mom appreciates it. We’re just so thankful.”
Willow and Sandra Birks are now isolating at home, together.