Welcome Zouave!
This handsome youngster just arrived this morning from Whitehorse, YT and is now officially retired!

I had intended to tag along on his pick up with my camera in hand, but when flights changed and no one else was available, I put my big camera down and headed out solo. 
You'd think it would be a no-brainer as I've done it so many times before. But knowing his pick up, collaring, harnessing, GPS'ing, transportation to his foster home, was up to me and me alone, was a whole new feeling. 

I'm just going to say I'm thankful I wasn't photographing myself!

Zouave was perfect at pick up. Once I got him out of his crate (collard and leashed of course), he velcroed to me. Since he didn't seem to be in flight mode, we moseyed over to a patch of grass and he did some sniffing (a good sign!).

It was then time to get in the car. He gave a hard pass to getting back into the crate so he'd have to ride secured in the backseat as his crate barely made it into the hatch of my car. 
But he didn't want to get in my car either. 
If he wouldn't go in his crate and I couldn't get him into my car... now what. 
"Think Wendy, think!" I told myself.
And then I remembered the advice I'd shared so many times before... get in the car first and then call them in.
It worked!
It took him a bit to push himself up and in - maybe he's sore or stiff - but once he was in I was able to secure his leash. I then had to reach over him and close the door he got in, then slide out through the crack of the other open door.
He took it all in stride.
Yay Zouave!!

It was a beautiful, sunny day so I cranked the AC and other than a few times he stood up to look out the windows with his sniffer going, he just lay down on the backseat for most of the ride to his foster home.

Once there, he trotted out, sniffed at the kids playing across the street and we headed to the backyard. His foster dad took the leash and let him wander around the yard. This is the same family who was fostering Idèfix (who's been adopted - YAY!), so perhaps there's still a bit of his smell back there to help Zouave. I had a couple minutes to get a few photos and then I had to go... thankfully he's being fostered close by so I can hopefully visit him again!

Zouave is only 1.5 years old so once he's had time to settle into his foster home he'll be off to the vet for a wellness exam and neuter. At the time of writing, it's been a few hours since he arrived and his foster family says he's eaten, done some business outside and is watching the world outside their window. Oh, and he's found his voice too!

Speaking of his foster family... Zouave is staying with the lovely family who recently fostered Idèfix because (drum roll)... Idèfix has been adopted! YAY! In fact he and Shining both have been adopted - double YAY!!

If you've continued to read this far, thank you. I try to make each story as unique as the dogs that are a part of it and with fewer than usual photos, I wrote a bit more.

Thanks to Jill for organizing his arrival, Victoria Humane Society for taking yet another sleddie under their wing, Air North for allowing him to fly for free, and his amazing foster family.

Zouave came from a smaller sled dog operation that needed to shut down. After re-homing some dogs themselves and a full shelter who couldn't help them, the operation reached out knowing of our dedicated community here and for that, I'm thankful.

I fall in love with every sleddie I meet and Zouave was no exception -- that soft fluff on his head, his cute little nose and those eyes... 

xo

There's always that excitement at the beginning of a sleddie walk. Anticipation. The hurry-up-and-wait. 
It's pretty much hard wired into them from their days of pulling sleds. 
Some of today's crew know the drill well having been on many walks over the years. Gather, wait, sniff, wait, photo ops, wait... and then let's go!
For others, this was pretty new and maybe a bit scary.
With 14 sleddies in today's group, it was an almost 50/50 split of experienced retirees to newbies.

The weather held, though fall is starting to arrive with leaves falling and a crispness to the air.
I had no idea who was all coming so when I realized that a young pup who'd stolen my heart back in February was prancing my way, my heart skipped a beat. This fella is now known as Yukon. He's 10 months old and has the legs of a giraffe, the silliness of a puppy and the speed of a sleddie. Back in February, he arrived as a wee little one who wasn't doing very well. He arrived late at night and I remember holding him and trying to feed him bits of food. It was a win when he finally took some. When the time came for me to put him back down with his siblings, he just looked at me with big puppy eyes and tried to hold on with his paws. 
I'd heard a few reports that he started thriving (yay!), and I was delighted to finally see it for myself!
I've said it before, but seeing sleddies who have settled into their new homes is just the best. And since it's hard to stop at one sleddie, his family is fostering Yang, who arrived in that same group and the two of them are fantastic playmates. (BTW, Yang is adoptable!)

Black and Robbie arrived together back in June. Robbie (who is now Raspberry) led the way so I didn't get any action photos, but she did give me some good faces once we were done! Black (who's rumour has it is all but adopted), got her  first taste of being off leash and, well, let's just say that she's going to be an on-leash sleddie for a while longer. Though she and her foster brother Twister (of the floppy ears) are close, Black's still learning about this whole retired life thing.
 
Sweet Ying just couldn't mentally get herself out of the truck to join on the walk - even with some friends and her foster sister Benga on hand. It just wasn't to be, today. I'm told she does really well generally, but maybe the pre-walk energy was just been too much for her. Her foster family are patient and let her find her own pace, so they'll try again another time.

Along the paths the younger dogs ran and ran and ran, and the older ones kept a more moderate pace with brief moments of zoomies. Yes, Jasper I'm look at you! 
Portia is back to her pre-lost dog adventure self from earlier this year and is doing so well! She took treats from me which she never did before, and just seemed more relaxed in general. She's still pretty silly though!

Argus is another one whose true self is emerging. He's super chill at home and on today's walk he was much more relaxed than I've seen at previous ones. With age catching up a bit he's losing a bit of vision, but his mom was gushing about him and what a bright spot he is in their family. Also, he LOVES being brushed so he got lots of finger brushing before the walk and even along the way!

Biggie is still the happy-go-lucky guy he's been since I first met him back in April 2021. He motors along, stops for treats and has some of thee best head tilts around!

My old friend Apex donned his best bell. It's now a fixture on him on walks and comes in handy when he trundles behind a bit or heads off the path... or decides to head off on his own like he did today. Mary Kate + Roo got their zoomie time too, but with a big group like today, they stuck close Deb.

Some of the dogs on today's walk were so fearful when they arrived into care it was best not to look in their direction, or they'd want to escape. To see them loose and happy and adventuring, something they may never have had the chance to experience, is something that isn't taken for granted by their families. To have the support of a patient human who will go at their pace to help them build confidence, experience the world safely and spend time with other dogs who are just cool cucumbers. Who will also be there to support them as they age and slow down, is how it should be. 

These walks are important for the dogs as well as the people. While the dogs do their thing, the humans talk about all things sleddie... and no topic is taboo! 

Along the walk, we met an adoptee named Duncan. His mom was expecting to meet another dog group for a walk but couldn't find them, so they ended up joining ours. Yay Duncan!

At the end of the walk a few of us stayed to chat. This is usually the best time for photo ops -- the dogs are tired, the excitement has worn off and everyone just chills out. Shi (formerly Shining) took the opportunity of the smaller group to get treats, LOTS of loves, drink water from my hand (!), pose for me, then nap. She and Idefix arrived into care not even a month ago, but she's settling really well, spending days napping in the front yard of her foster family's home and getting all the love she wants. 

Thank you to today's crew for allowing me the photo ops! You are all ambassadors for change!

​Sleddie roll call:
We had 14 sleddies on today's walk!
Apex, Mary Kate + Roo, Argus, Biggie, Jasper + Portia, Raspberry (formerly Robbie), Shi (adoptable), Twister + Black, (adoptable) Yang + Yukon (foster brother), (adoptable) Ying + Benga (foster brother).

Please click through photos in gallery to view photos full size.
To see all blog posts about a particular sleddie, please click on their name on the right side of the page.

It's been a week and a day since Idéfix + Shining arrived into care and both are doing really well.

Idéfix is in foster home a couple blocks from me and since Shining is hanging there for a few days while her foster family is out camping (an activity that might've been a bit too much, too soon for her), I took the opportunity to visit!

When we picked up the dogs from the airport August 7, it became clear right away that Idéfix was a velcro dog and needed support from humans, and that hasn't changed. 
Although Shining (now called Shi) came to sniff me out and then hang out with me for pets and to lick my arms, it took Idéfix about 20-30 mins to settle enough to smell me, like not just sniff me, but smell me... and I think doing that may have triggered a memory from our time together last week, because once he crossed that threshhold, he wanted all the pets and attention... just like Shi. And he still does the thing when he licks you that he bonks his teeth on you too... full contact style.
​
The visit also provided a chance for me to get a good look at Shi's right eye -- it's like the sky and forest in one -- half white/blue and half dark. Beautiful.
Idéfix's eyes are both beautifully blue. It's likely his vision is limited though -- we noticed a few things upon intake and now that he's in a foster home, they've seen some clues too, including him bumping into things that are obvious.

One thing I've learned about sleddies over the years is that there are a fair number who don't understand personal space. There is no 'asking' to be on your lap, they just slowly make their move and then they're up, blocking your view. When they want your attention, they lean into you in case you didn't know they were there. When you're low to the ground with a camera in your hand (ahem), they don't care that you're trying for a photo op... they want both of your hands giving them scritches on their back end while they bend around to lick your face. And when one moves in for attention, others likely will too! So when these two both requested my attention at once, I did my best to accommodate - one hand on both dogs while camera in the other!

We're having some pretty warm days here in Victoria this last week, so even though our visit was in the morning, it was already getting pretty toasty so we kept it short(ish). Depending on the dog, it can take hours, days or weeks for them to feel comfortable enough for a neighbourhood walk. So while Shi seems game to explore slowly and cautiously, (she's got her leashes on as she was seen trying to stick her nose through a spot in the fence), Idéfix prefers to stay in the yard, and that's ok. In time he'll have the opportunity to venture out and sniff his new surroundings, meet the dogs in the neighbourhood and perhaps some new human friends too.
​
Here are some photos and video from yesterday's visit. We hope to do it again soon!

Welcome ​Idéfix + Shining!

These two super sleddies arrived into care on August 7 and it's taken me a bit to put their story together. I originally tagged along on the pick up with camera in hand, but ended up using my phone for video mostly. So... I've created a 3-minute video from about 3 hours on Monday.

​Idéfix is the beautiful blue-eyed male. No, you're not seeing things... he's got somewhat crossed eyes and/or a lazy eye. Also he's got a spotted coat, a bit heeler-ish, but more than likely German Short-haired pointer as they're often part of the sled dog mixes. He's a young 9.
Shining is the beauty with two different coloured eyes. She's a bit floofier than ​Idéfix and was a bit slower to open up. When she did though, she loved getting some loves. Shining is 8!

Both dogs had travelled on a morning flight from Whitehorse, YT to us in Victoria, BC. I'm really amazed each time new dogs arrive after flights. I can only imagine what they may be wondering. Their started their day as usual, but it took a left turn somewhere and they've landed in a whole new place. The sounds, sights... and SMELLS. It's all new. It's all different.

It's been a few days now since they arrived and their foster homes have noted that they have both finally did their business (outside!) and are eating a bit. This is a big win as it often takes days for new arrivals to feel safe enough to do seemingly normal things like eat and do their business. Mostly they sleep or pace... or sleep and pace. 

I've learned ​Idéfix is being fostered close by so I'm looking forward to popping over for a visit. Upon arrival he was a velcro dog. He gave licks - the kind where you can feel his teeth pressing on your face because he's really getting in there (see video). And though they were mostly stress-related 'kisses', instead of shutting down, he was looking to me... an unknown human, for some sort of comfort. Back at the shelter for intake, he gave kisses to Deb while getting weighed.

Their decompression will take time, but the support is in place for these two to learn about a whole new life and maybe even dip their toes in the ocean.

Welcome to your official retirement Idéfix + Shining!!
xo

p.s. Idéfix and Shining are the 250th and 251st sleddies I've photographed for this project! A milestone for sure.

I'd been trying to meet Sweet Rocket since he was adopted back in 2020, but between covid and the travel time to get to him, I hadn't been able to make the trip. So in mid-July when my family was headed on a road trip to Saskatchewan, we'd be travelling so close to Rocket's house, I had to take advantage of the opportunity and stop in.

As we left the ocean breeze, heading to the interior of BC, we watched the temperature rise. By the time we got to his house, it was 31 degrees and sticky.

Nikki and I met years ago after she adopted her first sleddie, Piper. We've kept in contact since, and in 2017 she even brought Kismet to me so he could participate in Part One of I Was A Sled Dog. Rocket is her third sleddie, but she's also fostered sleddies along the way. Clearly she's hooked on sleddies.

So after the human pleasantries were exchanged, Nikki said "Rocket is hand shy so when you meet him, he'll like it if you let him sniff your face". Sure thing! Offering up my face isn't what I would normally do upon meeting a new dog, sleddie or not, but having met so many unique sleddies over the years, I've learned to just go with it.

And it was magical. To be honest, from what I'd heard about Rocket, I wasn't sure he'd even look at me, but once he had a good sniff, he watched me with Kismet and then even took treats from me! Maybe he could see that his brother and I were old friends. If Kizzy was cool with me, then Rocket could be too. Or maybe it was his Adaptil calming collar that helped.... in any case, Rocket rocked it.
Since we were travelling, we also had my dog Mr Coco with us. My husband had tried to take him for a walk but it was too hot and his was a bit distressed without me, so they ended up joining us in the backyard and both dogs had a bit of a sniff, but since our little guy is pretty blind and deaf, he stayed close to my husband. 
Kismet, true to what I remember of him, was adorably silly. When I crouched down, it was clearly his cue to come to me and get pets. We even tried for a family portrait and given the nature of both dogs, I think we nailed it!

I only had about half an hour to visit, which worked out because it was so dang hot and my glasses were fogging up. So after Kismet and Rocket did a couple laps of chase through the garden, we mostly hung out under the covered patio in the shade. And then the overhead misters were turned on. Game changer! That beautiful, cooling mist allowed us to have a bit more of a visit while providing some cool photo ops.

Nikki was gracious enough to provide some more info on Rocket to share based on the questions I asked for each of the 59 dogs who I photographed for Part One of this project. If you'd like to dive deeper into this part of my work, click here.
​---------------------------------------------------
Name: Rocket Age: 7.5 years old (approx.. birthdate Jan. 2016), male
Weight: 50 pounds
Breed/Mix: Saluki x Husky ?
Kennel name at birth: Rocky 
Age at adoption: 4.5
Adopted from: Commercial Sled Dog Kennel, June 2020
Coat - single/double: Single – very much like a Saluki coat.
Likes: He LOVES his companion dog Kismet more than anyone or anything. He enjoys a gentle alliance with his house kitties. He has recently decided he really loves mealtime and he barks with joy. He loves to snuffle for kibble in the grass. He is also becoming a snack monster. He loves forest hikes with his buddy Kismet but also loves his yard and his “fort” (a large metal crate wrapped in blankets with the doors removed).
Dislikes: He is a very shy guy and it took him a long time to overcome his fear of garbage trucks. He’s working hard to relax during fireworks and thunderstorms. He doesn’t love hands coming at him, he would rather say hello by sniffing your face if offered.
Sleeping locations: he loves his Fort but also loves his other dog beds and loves snoozing in the grass in the shade.
Off-leash time: Lots if we are away from roads. If we are in town he is on a long line.
Escaped or lost?: He was AWOL once for about an hour, which was terrifying and that was the day his name changed from Rocky to Rocket… he “took off like a Rocket”.
Siblings: unknown
Medical conditions: chronic bronchitis
Spayed/Neutered at adoption: Yes.
Known history: He was bred and born to be a working sled dog in a large commercial kennel. Both of his parents were/are working sled dogs. He was surrendered at 4 years due to his chronic cough.
Anything else you'd like to add: Rocket is a gentle spirit with an inner monkey and it brings us joy to see him feeling mischievous.
---------------------------------------------------

I loved seeing my old buddy Kismet and meeting his new brother. I'll say it again and again... I love visiting sleddies in their homes, especially when some time has passed post-adoption and their personality is coming out. With time and patience it's really beautiful to see just what's possible for a group of dogs who have such limited license in their working chapter of life.

So, here's my 30 mins with Rocket + Kismet... complete with lots of photos to show the nuances of expressions and movements as well as my fave kinds of photos: "dogs with their eyes closed". 

Thanks for stopping by!
​xo

Hello! Surprise sleddies arriving on Tuesday!..."
Said the message I received on Friday at 4:43pm.

And then today - Monday - at 11:54am: 
"So I screwed up and the dogs are on their way down now.. not tomorrow..."

Ok... today's plans of practicing making a Japanese bound book will be moved to tomorrow and today will be SLEDDIES! YAY!
I had been eating lunch when I saw the message so I wolfed down my Beyond burger, grabbed my gear and headed to the shelter. 

And there they were...in all their adorableness, Black and Robbie, with licks and hellos as I walked in the door.

Black and Robbie are both females and about 8/9 years old. You can tell who's who because Black is, well, black other than a little bit of grey muzzle (gah!). They were already getting saddled up (collars, harness, leashes, GPS trackers) and Black's foster was already on hand. This lucky lady was going to hang out with Twister and his family so once she was ready, she got loaded into the car and off they went!

It was hot out today and Robbie's foster hadn't got the day change memo yet so Jill - the lovely human who volunteers her time to organize all things sleddie for VHS - and I hung out in the air conditioned shelter for a bit and since Robbie standing next to me, I started to massage Robbie's hips.
Oh my god.
Her eyes started to close and her bum slowly lowered until she was sitting in my lap. 
We stayed like that for 5-10 mins and I tried to get video but as soon as I stopped massaging with both hands, she got up to readjust and massage time was done for now. 

Both took treats easily, gave kisses and had no concept of personal space... like so many other sleddies I know. Black did some good head tilts and Robbie's got the ear signals! 
They will get to learn about life in a home, get a vet checkup and any medical needs taken care of and then will be ready for adoption through the Victoria Humane Society (VHS).

As a side note, VHS is in dire need of foster homes for not just sleddies, but so many other dogs and cats. With summer holidays coming up the usual foster homes are either full or needing to take a break as they've been helping record numbers of animals for the last 3+ years. With multiple requests to take in animals daily... single dogs and cats, litters, pregnant, abandoned, in need of costly medical... and on it goes... the bigger pool of fosters, the more animals they can help! So if you're interested, check out the application on their website. 

Welcome to retired life on Vancouver Island Black + Robbie! 

As always, I share many photos of their arrival to help illustrate the subtle changes that happen when clicking the shutter.

Mr B, aka Bruno, aka Bru came to town and thanks to Shannon, I got to visit with him and meet his new brother, Dawson!

Bruno looks amazing. His coat shimmers and it's sooooo soft. He played shy a bit, but once he knew that the neck massages were on offer, he let me know that was cool by stepping closer for more. Being his foster family, Shannon got loves and shared some treats and Tica gave him a few big sniffs of remembrance. But the best is the connection between Bruno and his mom. Most of the time he just stands next to hear while she runs her hands through his fur - they're a beautiful match.
Bruno's new little brother is Dawson, who came into care from northern Canada back in February. He's one of Willy's three puppies, and he's also doing amazing. He's got those tall sleddie legs, flippers for paws and teeth like icebergs! He and Bru get along well though his humans are careful that Bruno (who's about 14 now!) doesn't get overwhelmed by Dawson's exuberance for life!

I absolutely love meeting up with sleddies after they've been adopted and have settled into their new home. All too often I only get to see them when they arrive - scared, confused and out of sorts - so these meets ups are so special.

Thank you so much to R + S for opening up their home to sleddies and continuing to advocate for them. They told me they get so many compliments on Bruno where they live... why am I not surprised!

​Thanks to Shannon and Tica for letting me tag along!

xo
​wendy

I've also included some photos of Dawson, aka Baby D (and his two siblings) from the night he arrived...

A month or so ago I was contacted by a musher up in northern Canada who needed to rehome some of their dogs and did I know of anyone. With few adoptions and full shelters in their area, they were in need of help.

I contacted my friends at the Victoria Humane Society (VHS) and they said absolutely they would take them in, as long as foster homes could be found. So I messaged Jill who helps co-ordinate all things sleddie for VHS and she thankfully jumped in taking over the arrangements with the sled dog kennel and then found foster homes. 

And today, we welcomed Gino + Olaf to Victoria!

These sweeties are the first 2 of about 8 sleddies who’ll be making the trip to retirement in Victoria with the support of Air North who’s donated the flights and VHS who’s no stranger to helping find homes for former sled dogs.

With new arrivals, I usually meet the dogs once they arrive at the shelter and before they head to their foster homes, but today I got to go on the pick up with Jill!

The flight was to arrive at about 9:20am, so we met at the shelter at 8 to get prepped. A variety of collars and leashes were gathered into a bin, flea/tick and de-worming treatments were retrieved and food and supplies for the fosters were set aside.
After a short debrief, we were ready to head to the airport.

Without having pet escorts, Gino and Olaf flew as cargo, so once we figured out where to pick them up, it took another hour after landing before we got to meet our new friends. We were smitten at first sight.
They were pretty calm when we met them, though Gino had destroyed his bed in transit. We got their kennels loaded into the van and one at a time we removed their sled dog collars and Jill fitted them with their new collars, harnesses and GPS trackers. During the fitting, Olaf nuzzled Jill and gave her some kisses. Gino, wasn't kissy, but seemed to want to be close. We offered water and a couple treats and Olaf took one treat, but neither drank so we decided to get them back to the shelter to finish things up and they could meet their fosters. 

It'd had been a long day for them already but it was important to spend a bit of time at the shelter with the foster homes to chat about what to expect as both were new to fostering sleddies. Though Gino and Olaf had been exposed to home life, kids, other animals and hadn't lived on a chain, this was still going to be a culture shock for them. It’s common for sleddies to find one spot to hunker down in and they may look for escape routes so instructions about keeping things quiet and safe so they can decompress is super important. Basics like leashing (they must be leashed when outside), keeping their GPS trackers on, it's normal for them to not eat, drink, pee or defecate for the first few days, and they may have accidents were reiterated. And then we hung out with the dogs and chatted about previous fostering experiences.

As the humans talked, it was pretty clear that Olaf was a big kisser and Gino was king of the head resters. It's been a long time since I met a new-into-care sleddie that would be so free with kisses and Olaf was that guy. It wasn't just me though - anyone on the floor got it. Gino, not much of a kisser, made sure to be close though. As I sat on the floor Gino stood on me for a bit, sniffing my camera and if I put my hand out, he'd rest his head on it. I only remember Louie doing something similar when he came into care in 2021.

The expression "dog tired" was evident as Olaf lay down and sighed and Gino's eyes were closing as he stood. It was time to get them secured into the cars and then head home with their fosters.

Jill and I emptied out the van, put the unused supplies away in preparation for the next intake, and then a VHS volunteer brought out a 3-week old kitten who's feral mom and 4 siblings were recently rescued. 

From sled dogs to teeny, tiny kittens, VHS is doing an incredible job of helping as many animals as they can. As an organization who relies on foster homes, the sheer volume of animals needing help means it's pretty taxing on the fosters. So while fosters were found for Gino and Olaf, they're in need of loving homes who can commit to helping the sweethearts who find themselves in need of their help. If you think that's you, please contact them through their website.

Sweet Gino (black with spotted chest and front paws) is about 7 and was originally bred for sprint racing. We were told he's very loyal and friendly but can be bossy. He does have an odd-looking nipple which will be looked at by the vet soon.
Darling Olaf (white with blue eyes) is about 8 and we were told he lived in a home over the winter as he may have a straw allergy. Also he's very affectionate and loves the couch! He's missing the tip of his left ear so it doesn't seem to flop like his right.
Both came into care neutered thankfully so that's one less thing to worry about!

It's been a couple days between their arrival and posting this and both dogs are settling into their foster homes. We have a group chat where the fosters are sharing what they're learning and are asking questions as support is important to help set them up for success.
Welcome to the west coast Gino + Olaf!
xo
wendy

p.s. thanks to Jill for the snaps of me getting Olaf kisses too!

Portia is home!

After three weeks and one day on her own she was spotted, and within about 40 minutes she was in the car, and within the hour she was back home.

We haven't seen much of the sun here lately. Sure there are the little teasers that get the birds chirping and me out into the garden, but there's still that chill. But yesterday was different. Saturday, March 18/23 was going to be sunny and maybe even kind of warm.

The weather was a welcome change because Find Portia 2.0 was scheduled. When we'd endeavoured with a search a couple weeks ago it was cold and rainy and windy - not great for postering and meeting people. But the sun can work magic. 

I'd had dreams the previous night of losing things and then figuring out how to find them. I hadn't actually found the things  because I can't often complete tasks in my dreams, but I knew I'd be able to. So at 8:45am I picked up my buddies Shannon and Tica along with Shannon's magical ChiChi memorial glass and we hit the road out to Sooke.
Once at the meeting spot everyone was feeling really positive. 

We all said our hellos -- Sparky, Buddy, Tica, Louise, Jasper and Biggie (who wore his best tie and got a hug from Jillian) -- and then got our assignments. Our area was #4 on the map -- some private property we'd gotten permission to search. Shannon, Tica and I along with Biggie, a sleddie who came in to care the same time as Portia, and his person parked and chatted with a dog walker who kindly shared her insights on the wildlife beyond the gates. "Saw some bear scat so the bears are waking up these days. There are cougars out too so watch them, but the wolves are just curious".
No problem for us city folk (!!) and off we went heading past the gate and private property signs. 

​Even though there hadn't been any confirmed sightings of Portia, the idea of walking trails was more in the hopes of flushing her out of hiding than thinking we'd actually find her.

​We happened upon a couple off-leash dogs and my first thought was 'get a photo in case their lost!', but one had a ball and it became clear, they just wanted to play fetch. Turns out they belonged to another volunteer. Phew!

All the other volunteers had done their walking and talking and it was mid-afternoon when we headed back to Victoria. I dropped off Shannon and Tica and headed home where I showered (we'd heard the ticks were also out in full force) and then hit the sofa for a nap. I guess most of the other volunteers were in the same boat as the group chat went quiet.

Then, at 6:30pm a message popped up in our group chat "Sighting at Amanda Plc. Anyone available? Jill and I are running out of bush"

WHAT?!?

And from that moment those of us who weren't there, just watched things the events unfold in messenger form... "If anyone can run out and buy bacon that would be super helpful!!", then the street names with typos, corrected street names, requests for house numbers, connectivity issues due to the remote location, screen captured maps, the name of the spotter... and more and more messages.... until finally...
"We have her!!!!!!!!!"

And then it was quiet for a bit more until finally we saw the photo evidence we were all waiting for...

​She looked ok, but was she ok?

Yes, she was ok other than being pretty skinny and having a little sore on her paw. 
Phew.

​More photos were shared and when the team had a chance to catch their collective breaths, we got the whole story of how Portia was sighted and subsequently caught on a remote, but thankfully somewhat residential, road:

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Jill + Jasper, along with volunteers Deb and Val were out searching when a message came in to a local fb group that someone named Brett had seen Portia run through her yard...

“As soon as I (Jill) got into cell range, Brett called and said, your dog is 50ft away from me I will not let her out of sight. I drove up Clark road with Deb following and Portia was running down towards me with Brett following slowly behind in her vehicle. I pulled over, let Jasper out immediately and he wagged his little tail and Portia went right up to him. Then Portia did what Portia does best and decided she was done and started back down the road. Deb had blocked off the road so she had to think twice. Jasper went with Portia so I called him back and when I said “let’s go” Portia stopped and turned back towards me. She went past me and up towards where Brett was, then turned back and took off up the road we didn’t have covered. She ran, and stopped, and ran some more. Deb yelled at me to keep yelling “let’s go” and it worked. She would stop and come back down the road, think twice and turn around. Eventually, she came galloping down the road towards me. I sat down on the road and fed Jasper some treats and paid no attention to her until she was right beside me. She took a treat from my hand and I could tell that was it, she was done running and ready for me to get her. Slipped the slip lead over her head and she didn’t even flinch.”
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Jill noted that once they got home, Portia (on leash) went into the house, straight to her bed and lay down.

We'll never know what event led to Portia being found today. Was it last weekend's time change which offered more light for a chance at spotting her at 6:30pm? Was it the abundance of outdoor enthusiasts and ATVs on the remote roads, logging roads and trails on a Saturday afternoon that spooked her out of hiding? Was it the magic of sunshine, dreams, the ChiChi glass, Biggie's tie?
Or was it just time and place?

Whatever it was, it was the best news and Team Portia is incredibly thankful for the Sooke community and the volunteers who helped keep Portia's magic alive for the past three weeks and one day.

Portia's survival while on her own is pretty incredible. Her family had only recently moved to the area, she's a senior, we had some terrible storms and even some snow early on, plus the area is vast and remote and there are lots of places to run and hide... plus, there's a lot of wildlife out there. But she's home and she and her family will now have time to decompress and heal... and (shhh) pop over to the vet for a check up.

Jill has kindly shared the photos below of Portia, home and safe and sound.
​xo