Luna, a Jack Russell terrier who eluded capture for over a month as concern for the dog's survival mounted ahead of winter in Yellowstone National Park, was caught in a live trap Wednesday and reunited with her owners.

The 10-year-old dog had been spotted crossing intersections, strolling through employee housing and entering lodges through automatic doors at the sprawling national park that's home to grizzly bears, wolves and other predators.

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Katie Boucher, the volunteer leading the rescue effort and a spokesperson for the dog's California owners, said she found Luna in the trap baited with scraps from a T-shirt and pillowcase belonging to the family. Boucher took Luna to a veterinarian, who was examining her Wednesday afternoon.

 She's underweight, but that's to be expected. She's alert and in good spirits,  Boucher said.  I was crying all the way up here from the park. 


Luna escaped from her family's cabin on Sept. 10. Boucher said the dog spent her first year on the streets before being adopted and showed strong survival instincts during her time in the wilderness.

An escape into the wilderness

The day day Luna disappeared, the family left her in their cabin with a  Do Not Disturb  sign while they ventured out to explore the park. In what they believe was an accident, housekeeping opened the room door and Luna got free.

 The staff then proceeded to chase her around that area of the park for over two hours before the owners came back and discovered all the chaos and their dog missing,  Boucher said.

Yellowstone was the first U.S. national park and covers about 3,500 square miles (some 9,000 square kilometers) including portions of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho.

Luna's family searched for their dog, but were told the white terrier likely died, possibly killed by a coyote, Boucher recounted. Days after leaving Yellowstone, the owners were advised Luna had been spotted, and contacted Boucher, president of the Norris Ark Training and Recovery Center i
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