A black goldendoodle that became lost in Yellowstone National Park on June 22 was captured Thursday morning and reunited with her owners.
“We are excited to announce that Delta has safely been reunited with our family,” Mike Matsis, whose family owns the female dog, announced late Thursday on Facebook. “We cannot express our gratitude to the Park Rangers and are happy to report that Delta who was loose in the park for 16 days was recovered this morning by my wife and I at Artists Paintpots parking lot at 7 a.m.”
Matsis has not responded to inquiries by For The Win Outdoors regarding Delta’s escape, how she was captured, or her health.
An Idaho-based volunteer animal rescue group, Ladies and The Trap, advised the Matsis family throughout the past week.
“Delta was found because her owners were very tenacious and took every bit of guidance and information and immediately implemented it,” a group spokeswoman told For The Win Outdoors. “The park rangers were nothing but supportive and helpful and we are so thankful Delta is back home with her family.”
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A spokesman for Yellowstone National Park earlier confirmed that Delta “was recovered by her owners at the parking lot where she took off 16 days ago.”
Artists Paintpots is a thermal area south of the Norris Geyser Basin.
Delta’s popularity soared on Yellowstone-themed social media pages while she was loose in a park famous for its wild and sometimes ferocious critters, such as wolves, coyotes, and bears.
She had been skittish since escaping her owners and would not respond to their calls or efforts by rangers to lure her to within capture range. But she was sighted almost daily in a distant meadow.
People directed anger toward Delta’s owners for allowing her to get loose in a park that requires visitors with pets to be in physical control of their animals at all times.
At the same time, people rooted for Delta and became worried over the July 4 holiday weekend to learn that three days had passed without a Delta sighting.
The park spokesman, who did not offer many details, hoped the following guidelines would help tourists avoid becoming involved in similar predicaments:
Pets may only accompany people in developed areas and must remain within 100 feet of roads, parking areas and campgrounds.
Pets must be physically controlled at all times: they must be in a car, in a crate, or on a leash no more than six feet long.
Pets are not allowed on boardwalks, hiking trails, in the backcountry or in thermal areas.
Pets may not be left unattended or tied to an object.
Pets may not be left in a situation where food, water, shade, ventilation, and other basic needs are inadequate. Pets may remain in vehicles for short periods of time, but we recommend that someone stay behind to personally ensure their well-being.
Owners must bag and dispose of pet waste.
