06/04/2026
Long post. Sorry lol😬
Bandit is still on the move. He looks good and is still strong. This Friday will mark three weeks since he went missing. Today he was very active and getting a little braver. Tonight it’s quiet. Not even any foxes.
We have tried many different things and we are not giving up. There has not been a single day that we haven't spent hours and hours watching, waiting, and working on a plan to bring him home safely.
We don't discuss all of the methods we are using, but please know that we are definitely not out of options and talk to professional trappers regularly.
Bandit is still staying close to his food source, but sadly he is also finding food elsewhere. That makes things a little more challenging, but not impossible.
How can you help? It's easy. If you see Bandit, please take a picture if you can do so safely. Send us a message with the time and exact location of the sighting. Every piece of information helps us better understand his movements. We want to be sure he stays close to his circle.
We do have another strategy in place and are hoping this will be successful. It has definitely been frustrating at times, but I truly believe we will get him.
As for the funny video we're sharing, please know that we are not making light of the situation. At this point, if we don't laugh a little, we might cry. Sometimes a bit of humour helps get us through the difficult days.
Thank you to everyone who continues to watch for him, share our posts, and support this effort. We aren't giving up on Bandit.
***We will add, so folks can understand our way of thinking…
Sled dogs can be much harder to trap than the average pet dog. Many of them are bred to be independent thinkers and to make decisions on their own while working. They are often less likely to seek comfort from people when they are stressed and can be very cautious of anything unfamiliar.
What we are seeing from Bandit is not unusual for a sled dog. The good news is that he continues to stay within a fairly consistent area, he looks healthy, and he keeps returning to places that are familiar to him. Every sighting helps us learn more about his movements and habits.
We know it can be frustrating to watch and wait. Trust us, we feel that too. But this isn’t a race. It’s about making the right move at the right time. We would rather take longer and bring Bandit home safely than rush the process and lose the progress we have made.
And to answer the question of why we don’t just grab him… there is simply not a chance that he will get close enough right now.
Bandit is still very cautious and has plenty of energy. Unless he unexpectedly walks right up to someone, which is extremely unlikely, trying to approach him would only cause him to run. Once a dog in survival mode is spooked, you can lose days or even weeks of progress.
What we need is for Bandit to make the decision to come to us. That’s why everything we are doing is focused on building his confidence around the traps, keeping the area quiet, and making sure he feels safe enough to let his guard down.
If there ever comes a time when we know we can safely grab him, we absolutely will. Until then, patience gives us the best chance of bringing him home safely.
