Yellowstone missing dog is homeward bound after being lost for over a month - BERITAJA

A California family’s canine has been recovered “alive and well” and reunited pinch her owners aft she had been missing for complete a month during a picnic astatine Yellowstone National Park.

Luna, a 10-year-old Jack Russell terrier, bolted from her family’s compartment during the picnic connected Sept. 10 from the park’s Canyon Village area.

On Wednesday, Luna was caught and reunited pinch her owners aft she was spotted crossing intersections and stepping done worker housing.

The canine besides entered lodges done automatic doors astatine the park, location to grizzly bears, wolves and different animals.

“The canine that was loose successful the Canyon Village area has been captured and is live and well,” Yellowstone National Park spokesperson Linda Veress confirmed to SFGATE.

Katie Boucher, the unpaid starring the rescue effort and a spokesperson for Luna’s owners, told The Associated Press that she and 1 of the owners recovered the canine successful the trap baited pinch scraps from a T-shirt and pillowcase belonging to the family.

Luna was brought to a veterinarian connected Wednesday, wherever her proprietor held the canine arsenic it was examined.

“She’s underweight, but that’s to beryllium expected. She’s alert and successful bully spirits,” Boucher, president of the Montana-based Norris Ark Training and Recovery Center, said. “I was crying each the measurement up present from the park.”

Luna had escaped aft her family near her successful their compartment pinch a “Do Not Disturb” motion while they went to research the park.

The family believes a housekeeping staffer accidentally opened a door, freeing the dog.

“The unit past proceeded to pursuit her about that area of the parkland for complete 2 hours earlier the owners came backmost and discovered each the chaos and their canine missing,” Boucher said.

Boucher said that the family joined the hunt for their canine but were told it “likely died” and could person been “possibly killed by a coyote.”

The family remained astatine Yellowstone for different week aft Luna went missing and began pursuing leads connected recorded sightings earlier returning to California without the dog.

Days aft leaving Yellowstone, the family learned that Luna had been spotted and contacted Boucher.

“I cannot fathom really I would consciousness if I had been taking the picnic of a lifetime, and looking for each these memorable experiences successful 1 of the about beautiful places connected earth, and mislaid 1 of my family members there,” Boucher said.

Boucher said that this was the past week she would person been capable to hunt for the canine because she was sleeping astatine an RV parkland for seasonal employees, which closes connected Monday.

Norris Ark Training and Recovery Center shared a photograph connected Facebook to announced Luna’s rescue connected Wednesday.

“WE GOT HER!!! Luna is safe,” the station read.

—With files from The Associated Press