Leia’s journey began in sorrow. Born into a puppy mill, she was eventually freed during a raid and brought to a shelter in Maryland. Her life took a turn for the better when a family saw her and adopted her without hesitation.
From the moment she entered their home, Leia brought light and happiness. She formed strong bonds with everyone, but her connection with her dad, Mark, was especially deep. She followed him everywhere, never wanting to be apart.
For seven joyful years, their lives were filled with love and companionship, until one visit to a neighbor’s house changed everything.
A Night That Took A Painful Turn
Mark and Leia visited a neighbor’s home, where Mark chatted with friends while Leia played nearby.
The evening took a heartbreaking turn when a guest left early and didn’t close the door properly. Before anyone noticed, Leia had slipped outside.
“I think she got a scent of maybe some deer in the area and chased them,” Patty, Mark’s wife, explained in an interview with GeoBeats.
As soon as they realized she was gone, everyone began searching. Neighbors joined in, but Leia was nowhere to be found. Days passed, then a week, and still no sign of her.
Though grief weighed heavily on them, Mark and Patty knew they had to act. They contacted Lost and Found Pets of Anne Arundel County, an organization committed to reuniting families with their missing pets. The long search began.
A Rescue Effort Full Of Challenges
Donna, one of the rescue’s most dedicated volunteers, urged the family to post signs immediately. She worked tirelessly with them, placing flyers throughout the area.
Nearly three weeks later, a couple spotted Leia in the woods near a road.
“We walked into the woods and sure enough, she was standing back there, probably about 50 feet away from me,” Pattie recalled.
But the sighting didn’t lead to a reunion. The presence of people nearby frightened Leia, and she ran deeper into the forest. The family learned she had entered survival mode, a state where even familiar voices couldn’t soothe her.
For the next three months, Leia remained elusive, constantly moving. Each time they got close, she slipped away again.
Then, just before New Year’s Eve, a woman saw a dog matching Leia’s description near her office, four miles from the last sighting.
Convinced it was her, Donna and the family came up with a new plan. They enlisted an engineer to build a custom “missy trap” with a laser tripwire.
“When the dog would go past the laser, it would make the door shut and lock,” Pattie explained.
They placed food inside nightly, hoping to lure her in. After nearly two weeks, Leia finally stepped far enough in, and the trap closed behind her.
Patty shared the news on Instagram: “We got her!”
Back In The Arms Of Her Family
“It was such an exciting moment to go out and walk down into those woods and have her see me and know who I was,” Patty said, her voice filled with emotion.
Leia was finally home. She was cold, weak, and visibly shaken, flinching at sudden movements and unsure even around her loved ones.
But with time and gentle care, the old Leia began to return. She accepted cuddles again and curled up beside her mom at night, just like before.
Her healing reached its most beautiful moment when Mark returned from a long trip. Seeing him brought Leia pure joy; the reunion her family had dreamed of.
After months of fear and survival, Leia was finally back where she belonged.
Their home is once again filled with laughter, wagging tails, and the kind of love that never fades.
