Dog lost during cross-country move reunited with family over a week later

A dog who became lost in the Chicago area during her family’s cross-country move was reunited with her owners more than 10 days later thanks to local volunteers.

Siena Gailloux said her family was in the process of moving from Nebraska to Massachusetts on the day before Thanksgiving when their dog, Sandy, became startled during a walk in Lansing, Ill., and pulled free from Gailloux’s mother.

Sandy was already a little stressed out because of the move and a lady screamed and Sandy just bolted and pulled the leash right out of my mom’s hand,” Gailloux told WLS-TV.

Gailloux’s mother reported the dog missing to local police and animal shelters while Gailloux posted notices about Sandy’s disappearance to Facebook.

Ellen Hogan Mulvey, a local dog rescuer, saw the posts and contacted Gailloux’s family to offer her assistance.

Mulvey and a group of local animal activists put up flyers bearing Sandy’s photo and set up feeding stations and cameras in the area to attempt to locate the wayward canine.

Mulvey said a report of a Sandy sighting came in several days later and a trap was set up with food and some clothing bearing Gailloux’s scent as bait.

She didn’t come until 7 p.m., but she was comfortable going in because she had been in earlier that morning and the trap went down when she went in,” Mulvey said.

Sandy and Gailloux were reunited more than 10 days after the dog set out on her adventure. Gailloux said Sandy is in good health, but her paw pads were a bit tender from running.

She thanked Mulvey and the other volunteers who helped capture Sandy.

“We’re just really so grateful that they were willing to take the time out of their days and help us,” Gailloux said.