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HOVLAND, Minn. - When a pet goes missing, it can be a stressful, frightening experience for animals and the humans who love them.
Losing one in a remote area you’re visiting makes matters even worse., a reality a North Shore woman recently experienced.
Linda Newman operates a business called “Points Unknown” near Hovland on the North Shore, offering dog sledding and wilderness adventures.
However, on a one-day trip to the vet in Ely in mid-April, she lost one member of her pack.
“I had six dogs in my truck and we headed to Ely for the day,” Newman said.
After the dogs had their visit, one of her prized Hedlund Huskies named Zhing got away.
“He slipped his collar and instantly took off,” Newman said.
Newman first ran after him, then tried following in her truck, but couldn’t catch up as he dashed off into the northern Minnesota wilderness.
“I was horrified, absolutely horrified,” Newman said.
By car, Ely is several hours away from Points Unknown, which sits up the North Shore a few miles from the Canadian border.
Newman wouldn’t let the distance get in her way of finding her beloved Zhing.
“Within the hour, we were at the Ely Echo getting flyers printed so that we could plaster them all over town,” Newman said.
However, a post in the “What’s Up, Ely” Facebook group soon made the missing pup a viral sensation.
“Almost 2,000 reactions, and I believe hundreds of shares, which was so helpful because so many people knew about it,” Newman said.
The sightings and information poured in.
Holly Waugh offered help and understanding.
“I just said, ‘hey, I have cameras if you want them, you’re welcome to them,’” Waugh said. “It’s a human thing to do, just to help people in their moment of need.”
However, finding a lost dog needs to be done just right.
Jennifer Cadigan works with an organization called Retrievers, which helps locate lost pets.
“Lost dogs are looking for food, water, and shelter. If you provide food and water, they will find their own shelter and most of the time come back to the food,” said Jennifer Cadigan, President of The Retrievers.
Cadigan said search tactics like calling a dog’s name or running after them can be dangerous and drive them away.
“Dogs get very scared very quickly and they snap into what’s called survival mode. And so they feel like prey and they think everything is hunting them,” Cadigan said.
The sightings and tips continued for four days.
Then on day five, just as Newman was ready to head back home and let one of her helpers search, a call came in from Ely resident Denise Balbach.
“I said, ‘how fast can you get here? Your dog is at the end of my driveway right now,’” Balbach said.
Denise Balbach had seen Zhing in the Ely Facebook Group and followed instructions to keep him nearby.
“I was walking around the neighborhood with a can of Dinty Moore stew,” Balbach said.
Balbach wasn’t the only one using food to keep Zhing from moving too far away.
Ely residents Eric and Ria Jokela opened up some salmon to leave outside as well.
Within hours, after days of searching, Zhing was finally within reach of his caretaker.
However, a barrier remained. Although Newman recognized the pup, Zhing’s time lost in the wilderness meant he didn’t remember her.
“They become feral and they don’t recognize their name,” Newman said.
So she brought another dog with her, to help remind Zhing of his time at home his own mother, a dog named Siri.
“I was thinking we’d have a better chance of getting him if we were able to get her out there and throw her scent around,” Newman said.
Zhing at last made the connection that he was no wild animal, but back with the leader of his pack.
The pup is now back at Point’s Unknown safe and sound.
