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Sioux, the 6-year-old Golden Retriever who broke free from her wire lead last week in the Shepherd Hills neighborhood of Lower Macungie Township, has been found.
Her owners, Keith Heller and Sally Giamalis of Alburtis rescued her -- for a second time -- from a wooded area about three miles from where she broke free. The wire lead she was dragging had become snagged in the brush that trapped her as well as fed her for the duration.
"She is safe and sound," Heller said Saturday, "We are so happy to have our special puppy home."
The veterinarian who checked Sioux out immediately after she was found theorized that the dog traveled the three miles probably in the first six hours after she broke free, Heller said.
They believe she was trapped in the brush for the following six days, he said.
Fortunately there was plenty of rain this week for her to drink and plenty of edible vegetation to nibble on, Heller said.
Heller and Giamalis tracked Sioux's whereabouts using Google maps and tips they collected from people who had seen her before she got stuck, he said.
"There was one more place we had not looked," Heller said, and on Friday he and Giamalis made their way to that spot.
"And there she was," he said.
Giamalis was the one who first found Sioux, the couple reports, and she texted Heller to say she found her. But when Heller texted back asking if Sioux was in good shape, the signal was lost. So there were a few anxious moments before he caught up with them. Heller's text inquiries to Giamalis turned up on her phone an hour later, he said.
The couple borrowed thermal imaging equipment to use when they searched for Sioux at night and put out about $1,000 in their search for Sioux, they said.And they were ready to hire a professional dog tracker from Kentucky when Sioux was found.
They rescued Sioux -- with the help of Delaware Valley Golden Retriever Rescue Inc. -- only two months ago from a puppy mill in another state where the dog, then named Crystal, was used over and over again as a breeder.
Heller and Giamalis were advised that Sioux might not remember them, might be afraid of them or might even have turned feral because of the experience.
Sioux's "sister," Cheyenne, also a Golden Retriever, had a rough week of missing Sioux, too, they said.
"This was supposed to be Sioux's 'happily ever after,' " Giamalis said, so they're especially happy to have their family back together.
Jenae Holtzhafer
2:16 pm on Saturday, September 29, 2012
So so so happy to see this news!!! Welcome home, Sioux!
Paula Dooley
2:31 pm on Saturday, September 29, 2012
We are very excited. This was all my kids have been talking about and we have a beloved dog and would have taken the same measures to find her.
Susan
2:41 pm on Saturday, September 29, 2012
Great news! I ran into a searcher in Wescosville last weekend and have been keeping my eyes peeled for her ever since. Bless the owners who continued their search.
Ann Wlazelek
3:23 pm on Saturday, September 29, 2012
delightful!
Cathy Reese
5:25 pm on Saturday, September 29, 2012
Wonderful news! Your joy and relief must have been off the charts when you found her. My heart went out to you every time I saw one of your signs and I held my pup a little closer. So happy for all of you!
Karen Holt
5:32 pm on Saturday, September 29, 2012
Fantastic!
Golden Girl2
6:40 pm on Saturday, September 29, 2012
Hi - This is Sally, Keith, Cheyenne and of course Sioux!! We want to thank everyone who helped us, supported us and prayed for Sioux this very long week! The strength and love of this community in truly AMAZING!!! We really appreciate all the countless hours people spent helping us look for Sioux. Since coming home, Sioux has been enjoying lots of cuddle time and fetching tennis balls - especially the squeeky ones :-D. Blessings to All!!
Linda
8:33 am on Sunday, September 30, 2012
You are so welcome. I know you would do the same for my breeder girl Sunny!
Beverly
10:48 pm on Sunday, September 30, 2012
I am sooooo happy Sioux is home safe and sound....I had 2 doggies one time and one got out of the fence and we could not find her so our other doggie took us right to her and she was back in the woods behind a fence standing there like she was waiting on us....we were the happiest parents in the world when we saw her....I do ask one thing tho.....pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee don't ever put her out in the yard and tie her up, that is not a good thing for a dog that size or any size for that matter.....get a fence so they can run around in it and get excercise.....Tieing them up is no good for a dog...if you love them as much as I love mine you will NEVER do that again....that is probably why she ran off in the first place....she did not like being tied up.....Hold her, love her and take her for walks and show her how much you do love her. Glad your home Sioux!!!!!
Golden Girl2
9:36 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
Beverly - We do have a fence where we live but we were at my fathers. He lives in Shepherd Hills and sadly their deed restrictions don't allow people to put up fences. That said Sioux will never be tied on a lead in his back yard again!!
Keith
9:42 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
Beverly: This is Keith... We do have a fenced yard were she spends most of her time, Sioux was spending 4 hours with her "grandfather" who is not allowed to have a fenced yard per local zoning. Sioux does not "relieve" herself on a leash so he hooked her up to a cable that he uses for his other (and sometimes larger) Grand puppies. When he went to bring her in, something spooked her (door slamming, etc) and she went full gallop and broke the clip.
Julie
8:05 pm on Saturday, September 29, 2012
Fantastic news!! So glad to know Sioux is home!
Kelly Hall Bollinger
8:45 pm on Saturday, September 29, 2012
I am so glad to hear Sioux is home safe and sound. Having had a Golden Retriever it broke my heart to have learned she went missing. I check daily with DVGRR for any updates. I was thinking of her constantly and praying she was safe and would find her way home. WELCOME HOME Sioux <3
Ami Lanning
10:07 pm on Saturday, September 29, 2012
Yay! So happy to hear this news!
Susan Paulsen
9:55 am on Sunday, September 30, 2012
She deserves a happy peaceful life. So happy to hear the great news. She has been in my prayers all week. Hugs to Sioux!
Robert Sentner
10:30 am on Sunday, September 30, 2012
finally some good news that ALL the patch readers can be happy about..... welcome home Sioux !!!
Beverly Dries
10:39 am on Sunday, September 30, 2012
Oh, We're so happy. After seeing the signs all over the area as dog lovers we watched for her and worried about her.
Susan Geist
4:26 pm on Sunday, September 30, 2012
So very very happy for you and Sioux!!! What a great effort you put forth, and it pay off! Did some searching, tons of prayers and countless thoughts for you all. I was lucky to have to goldens in my life, they are pure love. Big hug and kiss to you Sioux!!
Lisa Merk
8:37 pm on Sunday, September 30, 2012
Heartwarming! I am so glad they found her. I know the whole family was involved looking for her. Glad she's home safe and sound. Love Good News!!
lois
11:08 pm on Sunday, September 30, 2012
Grateful to the adoptive parents for the original SAVE for rescuing this Blonde Beauty from breeder maltreatment....but, then, to run the' gamut extraordinaire' to recover a wayward, bolting newly adopted pup from an unintended excursion insures a place for both of you within the St. Francis registry of WONDERFUL HUMAN Hierarchy! You rank TOP NOTCH!
God bless you and may your goodness be returned to you multi-fold
michelle
10:49 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
AMEN!
Kathleen
11:24 pm on Sunday, September 30, 2012
I was never in Macungie before but now I know it like the back of my hand from looking for Sioux. Thankfully she is home safe and sound. Know I know how cute Macungie is too.
Mariel Molitorisz
7:43 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
So glad to hear a happy ending to this story. She's a lucky girl to have a dedicated, loving family.
michelle
10:48 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
I am so happy that she is back home with you! I could not believe the one day when I cam home and I actually had a message on my voicemail about Sioux being missing. Never have I received a call like this before. I was so touched I sent my boys out to look for her!! God Bless your family!
Betty P.
1:03 pm on Monday, October 1, 2012
the people in that area are awesome, they helped me years ago find my dog that had broken loose too. Many called me with info on where they saw her last, & thanks to that info we were able to find her. A week later a very nice man found her collar, tags & leash that was hung up on on a rock. It was nice to get them back but more importantly my dog was safe. Very happy this story had a happy ending too.
Lisa J
2:44 pm on Monday, October 1, 2012
I am so happy Sioux is back home. I worked with her at DVGRR. She is such a sweet dog and I am happynto see she has found such a wonderful new family.