A recently adopted, one-eyed dog who escaped from his new San Francisco home managed to evade Animal Control Officers for weeks, roaming several neighborhoods before a lost-pet recovery specialist finally managed to catch him.
Anchovy Jack, a small tan dog who had been living on the streets before being adopted through an East Bay organization, escaped from his new San Francisco home just days after undergoing surgery to have his right eye removed and being neutered.
San Francisco Animal Care and Control (SFACC) wrote in a social media post, which caught the attention of the Los Angeles Times, that Jack’s disappearance kicked off a weeks-long chase that took him through several SF neighborhoods, repeatedly evading attempts to catch him.
The skittish dog was spotted in the Sunset, Richmond, Golden Gate Park, the Marina, and the Presidio, at one point making it all the way to Marina Green. Despite repeated efforts by SFACC officers and concerned residents, Anchovy Jack proved exceptionally difficult to catch. He could run fast, jump fences, and was too frightened to let anyone get close.
SFACC asked residents on social media not to chase the dog or attempt to catch him themselves, warning that he could run into traffic or injure himself while fleeing. The agency was receiving numerous reports of sightings and asked people to call its emergency dispatch line only if Anchovy Jack was confined or in immediate danger. Otherwise, residents were asked to report sightings through designated channels.
After repeated attempts to capture him failed, SFACC contacted Susan Packer, a Bay Area lost-pet recovery specialist who runs K9Reunite, according to a recent update. Packer reportedly has experience tracking and recovering particularly elusive dogs, and enlisted a group of volunteers, many recruited through social media, to help locate Anchovy Jack.
Rather than pursuing him, the volunteers documented sightings and kept their distance, helping Packer establish where he was spending time without frightening him into running off again. Animal Control Officers also passed along reports received through the shelter's emergency dispatch line, allowing Packer to track his movements as new sightings came in.
Once Anchovy Jack began staying within a smaller area, Packer developed a plan to contain him. She remained in SF day and night so she could respond quickly to sightings, spending several days waiting for the right opportunity.
The strategy finally worked when Anchovy Jack wandered into a humane trap after the streets had quieted down for the night. Packer notified the on-duty Animal Control Officers and brought him to SFACC, where staff were waiting with a bed and toys.
He was examined by the shelter's veterinary team and is now eating, drinking, and resting comfortably. He reportedly won't be returning to the SF home he escaped from. SFACC said in a Facebook comment that he needs a “new home that will work with his need for lots of activity,” per the LA Times.
Anchovy Jack won't immediately be made available for adoption. Instead, he needs a foster placement through a specialized rescue group where he can decompress before moving on to his next home.
Related: Lost Dog Rescued In Vallejo After Ending Up In Well, Treading Water For Hours
