Dog survives 73 days in Vancouver Island wilderness

A border collie that spent more than two months on the run on Vancouver Island is settling into its new home.

The dog, named Rigby, is safe and sound after adventuring for 73 days near Nanaimo, evading capture from people who were looking for her.

"From Cassidy, he came back to south Nanaimo, and then North Nanaimo, then he was spotted on that doorbell security system," said Gary Shade, co-founder of missing animal search group FLED.

"Then the next thing we heard, he was in Parksville," he said.

FLED received reports of sightings about once every 10 days, meaning searchers were always just on his tail.

"As soon as he would see people, he'd run," said Shade.

Eventually, Rigby returned to Nanaimo and was lured into a live trap with an irresistible treat.

"We had a trail camera on there and he did come around," said Shade.

"So then I went and set the trap with a good old McDonalds cheeseburger and he came there the next night," he said. "Came in and we got him, and that was that."

Rigby, a four-year-old border collie, has been captured after 73 days on the loose on Vancouver Island. (Find Lost and Escaped Dogs Vancouver Island)

ADOPTION RESEARCH

Rigby is a rescue from Colorado who was gifted to a Nanaimo father in search of a smaller dog. However, Rigby was not the right fit and he ran off into the wild at his first opportunity.

"These dogs are absolutely wonderful," said Jill Oakley, owner of FLED. "It's a wonderful breed, but it's not for everybody."

"I think because he had baggage already, that's why it was important for him to get into someplace where he can be rehabilitated," she said.

Since the capture, Rigby has been taken in by FLED and given a new home by the same individuals who rescued him.

It's a dog's dream. He'll live on a farm, go for swims and start agility training.

"I think he will be a nice dog, but right now I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him," said Oakley wit ha laugh.

"His body language tells you that 'give me a chance and I'm out of here.' So that is something that we have to work on," she said.

As Rigby settles into his new home, FLED is urging anyone adopting a dog to carefully research the breed before bringing it home.