California family’s missing dog found safe after month alone in Yellowstone wildernessJocelyn Fiset Wed, October 14, 2026 at 9:10 PM UTC
A California family's beloved dog has been found "alive and well" after spending more than a month alone in the wilderness in Yellowstone National Park, according to SFGATE.
Luna, a 10-year-old Jack Russell terrier, disappeared Sept. 10 from a cabin in the park's Canyon Village area during a family vacation.
Her owners had left her in the cabin with a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door while visiting Norris Geyser Basin, where dogs are prohibited.
Despite the sign, housekeepers entered the cabin and Luna escaped, Katie Boucher, president of the Montana-based Norris Ark Training and Recovery Center, told SFGATE.
Luna is pictured in a photo shared by Norris Ark Rescue when announcing her rescue on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (Norris Ark Rescue)
As winter closes in, time is running out for Luna, a Jack Russell terrier that belongs to a California family, who has survived more than a month in the Yellowstone wilderness. (Norris Ark)
As winter closes in, time is running out for Luna, a Jack Russell terrier that belongs to a California family, who has survived more than a month in the Yellowstone wilderness. (Norris Ark)
As winter closes in, time is running out for Luna, a Jack Russell terrier that belongs to a California family, who has survived more than a month in the Yellowstone wilderness. (Norris Ark)
The employees reportedly spent two hours trying to chase down the frightened pup, inadvertently driving her farther into the wilderness.
When the family returned to the cabin, Luna was gone.
Her owners remained at Yellowstone for another week, searching for Luna and following leads on recorded sightings before returning home to California without her. Rangers had told them their pet's survival was unlikely.
Luring Luna proved difficult, as rescuers couldn't use traditional food to draw her in because of the possibility that it could attract the predators they were hoping she would avoid.
Boucher said the roughly 20-pound terrier had been spotted repeatedly around Canyon Village, including inside businesses and on surveillance cameras.
One photograph, taken Oct. 9, reportedly showed Luna still wearing the purple collar she had on when she disappeared.
Boucher and other rescuers were racing around the clock to rescue Luna before the campground and road access closed for the winter. However, hope was fading.
A sign is posted near the North Entrance to Yellowstone National Park on May 19, 2026 in Gardiner, Montana. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Snow rests on trees along the Yellowstone River on May 21, 2026 in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
But the story took a happy turn Wednesday, becoming a tale of survival for the tenacious terrier.
Rescuers caught Luna after she survived the cold, found food and avoided coyotes for more than a month, according to an update from SFGATE.
“The dog that was loose in the Canyon Village area has been captured and is alive and well,” Yellowstone National Park spokesperson Linda Veress confirmed to the outlet.
"We got her!!!" Norris Ark Rescue shared in a Facebook post Wednesday, along with a photo of the terrier.
Boucher told SFGATE she was on her way to the veterinarian with Luna. The publication was awaiting further details about the rescue and Luna's condition.
Luna's history may explain how she managed to survive so long on her own in the dangerous environment.
Boucher told Cowboy State Daily that before Luna was adopted, the pup spent approximately the first year of her life living as a feral dog.
“She has street skills,” Boucher told the outlet. “She knows how to survive.”
KTLA's Josh DuBose contributed to this report.
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Source: Nature
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