When 7-year-old Ted, an energetic and smart German Shepherd, was brought to Happy Dogs Boarding & Training in October, no one knew of the adventure he was about to embark upon. It would take the efforts of some South Jersey neighbors and an animal lover to eventually reunite him with his family.

Ted makes a daring escape

Ted had been brought to the training facility for obedience lessons, but he had different ideas. Climbing a wall, the clever German shepherd was able to squeeze through a narrow opening in the roof. He then scaled a six-foot wooden fence to make his way to northern New Jersey and freedom beyond.

“This dog was a super escaper,” Lilia Soares, who owns the kennel along with her husband, John, told The Philadelphia Enquirer. “He did not want to be caught.”

The search is on

It was the first-ever escape from the facility in its 30 years of existence. Soon, a search was launched. This included in the wooded area near the facility. Soares even enlisted the help of the local police and nearby animal shelters to help in the search.

Neighbors got involved by leaving tips on social media and drones were even used to search for the lost dog by air. All of these efforts were for naught as the elusive dog remained in the woods for several days without anyone having any success in catching him.

Some of the methods used to catch Ted included a trap given to the searchers by a dogcatcher, cameras, and a feeding station. Ted showed how smarty he was by never eating in the same spot more than once and smartly avoiding the trap.

Ted eventually made his way10 miles to the southeast to Sewell, New Jersey. To get there, he had to navigate along busy highways in unfamiliar territory. It was a week after he had made his way to the area that Kathleen Tortu-Bowles got involved in the search for the elusive dog.

Catching the elusive dog

Tortu-Bowles was a former pharmacist who had lost her job due to the pandemic. Since becoming unemployed, Tortu-Bowles had been donating her time to reuniting lost pets with their owners. So far, she had helped in the rescue of seven animals. Ted would be her eight.

Going out daily, Tortu-Bowles searched the area where he had been spotted, leaving behind fliers and leaving messages on social media.

“I slept, ate, and breathed that dog like he was my dog,” Tortu-Bowles said. “It was crazy. He is one smart dog. He was out on Ted’s adventure.”

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The biggest problem was that Ted would flee whenever he was approached or someone called his name. Using his survival skills, Ted traveled from town to town in the South New Jersey area. Finally, in early December, there was a breakthrough. Tortu-Bowles was notified by a mail carrier that Ted had been spotted.

Buying some chicken nuggets, Tortu-Bowles rushed to the area. Lying on the ground, Tortu-Bowles was able to convince Ted to eat from her hand. And, after two hours, she was able to convince Ted to allow her to put a leash on him. Standing there together, Ted got up on his hind legs and licked Tortu-Bowles’ face.

“It was unbelievable,” Tortu-Bowles said. “It was a really good save.”

Later, Ted was reunited with his owner, Joan Kellett of nearby Harding Township. Other than some ticks, stomach problems, and an ear infection, Ted was relatively okay. A part of her family for the past seven years, it was the first time Ted had run away.

“It is absolutely wonderful to get him back,” Kellett said of Ted’s 40-day adventure.

H/T: The Philadelphia Inquirer