Leia was saved from a puppy mill during a rescue operation. Once a family discovered her at a Maryland shelter, they didn’t waste any time adopting her.
Since that day, Leia has filled the lives of her family members with joy every single day.
She had a special bond with her dad, Mark, who cherished her as well. Mark took her with him wherever he went.
After 7 wonderful years of companionship, everything changed one fateful day.
The Day That Altered Their Lives Forever
Mark and Leia went to visit a neighbor. Everything was proceeding normally—Mark was engaged in conversation with neighbors and guests while Leia played in the hallway.
Suddenly, one of the guests decided to leave early and failed to close the door properly. Mark and the others didn’t even notice; Leia had vanished.
“I believe she caught a whiff of some deer nearby and ran after them,” recounted Patty, Mark’s wife, during an interview with GeoBeats.
They all immediately sprang into action to find her, but there was not a single clue or sound from Leia. A week passed since that devastating day, yet there was still no sign of her.
Despite their desperation, tears alone wouldn’t yield results. Therefore, her family swiftly decided to take measures and reached out to the Lost and Found Pets of Anne Arundel County for assistance.
Their long and arduous search was about to begin.
The Lengthy and Exhausting Search
One of the top volunteers from the rescue group, Donna, advised Mark and Patty to post flyers immediately.
She assisted them in placing those signs throughout the vicinity. After nearly three weeks, they finally received a lead on Leia’s whereabouts.
A kind couple, driving down the road, caught sight of her standing in the woods.
“We ventured into the woods and, sure enough, she was standing back there, probably about 50 feet away from me,” said Patty.
Sadly, due to the crowd, Leia panicked and dashed deeper into the woods. Later, they learned that the poor dog was in a state of survival mode, making it difficult for her to act normally even in her owners’ presence.
For the following three months, they employed every tactic to find her, yet she eluded capture, skillfully moving from place to place.
However, just two days before New Year’s Eve, a woman observed a dog resembling Leia at the forest’s edge, four miles from where she was last seen.
Convinced it was Leia, they sprang into action. Donna, who had been a constant help, hired an engineer to design a large dog trap equipped with a laser sensor.
“The trap was designed in such a way that when the dog triggered the laser, the door would close and lock,” explained Patty.
This trap proved effective. After nearly two weeks of strategy and patience, the food left for her nightly finally enticed Leia into the trap.
On her official Instagram account, Patty jubilantly shared: “We found her!”
A Joyful Conclusion at Last
“Walking into those woods, seeing her recognize me, was incredibly emotional,” Patty expressed, tears in her eyes.
Leia was home at last. Though she had changed, the family’s hearts brimmed with joy over the return of their beloved girl.
Although exhausted, shivering, and initially frightened by any approach from her family, Leia gradually began to recover.
In time, her vibrant and cheerful personality returned, bringing joy to everyone in the household.
Leia allowed herself to be cuddled again, seeking comfort at her mother’s side. This signified significant progress in her recovery from the trauma she experienced.
The reunion reached its peak when her dad returned from a long trip.
