Bianca’s Story.

From Dumped to: Trapped. Safe. Warm.

Out of snow squalls, single-digit temperatures, and sub-zero wind chills.

We’re calling her Bianca for now—Italian for “white”—a nod to her coloring and the snowstorm she survived.

We got the call Friday night. This sweet girl was severely malnourished and staring down two brutal nights of single-digit temps with sub-zero wind chills. There was nowhere for her to go, so a plea went out to SCARS—and without hesitation, they agreed: this girl needed out of the weather.

Friday night, we learned quickly she was too tall for our large box trap (6’ long by 28” tall). That meant one thing—we needed a bigger solution. A call went out to our partners at Topeka/Lawrence Dog Trappers, and Amy immediately stepped up. Thank you, Amy.

Early Saturday morning, we set up the Missy Trap in sub-zero wind chills—the kind of cold where your fingers burn and go numb even through gloves. You tell yourself to stop complaining, because if your hands hurt that badly with protection, Bianca’s paws are feeling it far worse. Huge kudos to Bri, who not only advocated relentlessly for this girl, but was right there in the freezing cold helping set the trap.

The forecast was even colder for the next night, so getting her safe that day was critical.

Then things got complicated.

Spooked by a neighbor, Bianca bolted—through barbed wire and into a large pasture to the south. I tracked her on roughly a two-mile loop, at one point along the side of I-70. After guiding her where I needed her to go, she settled back into the south pasture… until something startled her again and she disappeared.

After a brief search, I located her and monitored her movements with binoculars. A dog in full flight mode is hyper-aware; the smallest sound can send them running. I guessed she’d wait until dark to return to the spot where we’d fed her before.

So we waited.

At 8:43 PM, she appeared on camera. Game on.

She spent several minutes trying to figure out how to steal the food without committing. At 8:47, she began cautiously stepping inside. And at 8:48, we had her.

Just over 24 hours—

Safe.

Calming a dog in this level of flight mode takes time. Thankfully, rotisserie chicken exists—every dog’s kryptonite. Once she settled enough, we safely transferred her to a box trap for transport. For a dog this traumatized, a slip lead simply isn’t an option—we cannot risk escape.

After 10 PM, we headed to SCARS. Not many places will accept a dog that late at night, but the alternative—another night in dangerous weather—was unacceptable to all of us.

When we arrived, it was a “balmy” 7 degrees outside (not including wind chill). Maureen had a warm suite prepared—fit for a queen. With radiant heat, Bianca went from arctic survival mode to something resembling a sunny beach… at least figuratively.

We carefully lined the trap with the doorway—zero room for error. Once secure, we began her assessment.

No microchip.

Prominent spine and hips.

Severely malnourished and dehydrated.

This didn’t happen in two days. This was long-term neglect.

And yet—she is incredibly sweet.

Tail tucked. Terrified. Constantly scanning for escape routes. But beneath it all, she’s a good girl to her core. A lover. Broken, but not shattered. Her trust in people isn’t gone—it just needs time.

She ate.

She slept.

She rested—warm and safe.

Sunday was an all-hands-on-deck day for Bianca at SCARS. She did wonderfully and will continue improving each day. She’s a beautiful girl, and while her recovery will take time, she is absolutely worth it.

Endless thanks to:

• Bri, Brooke, and their neighbors for advocating fiercely and working tirelessly for this sweet girl

• Amy Kenney Coon of Topeka Lawrence Dog Trappers for the custom Missy Trap

• SCARS for opening their doors late at night and providing the care Bianca so desperately needed

From dumped…

to safe.

to warm.

To a future she deserves. 🐾