Dog News

Dog Lost in Wilderness Walks Home

by Katherine

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Roxie, a 15-pound Havanese dog was spending a few days with Shari Wilson and Jerry Williams while her owner, Noreen Spanski, was out of town, but on June 8, 2014, Roxie got lost in Nevada’s Tahoe Wilderness.

For the past 15 years, Spanski had left her pet with her friends whenever she traveled and on that June day, Wilson and Williams took the dog for a walk never expecting Roxie to leave their side. Roxie had been nicknamed the “velcro dog” and never before had this little lady stray from her human, but somehow on that day, while her care takers admired nature, Roxie walked away and got lost for eight days.

Photo Credit: Toree Warfield
Photo Credit: Toree Warfield

According to the Tahoe Daily Tribune, Wilson and Williams had to make the hardest phone call of their lives that night to inform their friend, her four-legged best friend was gone. Three days later, Spanski was back in Nevada and joined the search for her pet.

Flyers had been posted all around the area and friends and neighbors were out looking for Roxie every day, but not matter how long and hard they looked, the dog was nowhere to be found.

On the eighth day Spanski got the phone call she had been waiting for. “Is your dog lost?” said the caller, “I’ve got her!”

Mari Harris, from the Upper Tyrolia neighborhood, was the caller. Her home is located just a few blocks away from Spanski and Roxie’s home and on the June 16, 2014, Roxie had been barking outside Harris’s home.

As a pet owner herself, Harris was concerned for the dog outside. She let Roxie in, called her owner using the number on the dog’s ID tags, and fed her while Spanski and Wilson made their way to pick Roxie.

The Havanese dog was hungry, tired, dirty, and had lost weight, but was overall healthy. Once she was reunited with her owner, Roxie was taken to a local vet and received a clean bill of health.

Spanski was so grateful for the outpouring support from the community that as a thank you gesture, she organized a party for all those involved in the search.

Roxie is back home but on her next wilderness adventure she will be leashed.