Where’s Loki?
- allpawsreunited
- Mar 8
- 5 min read
The 19-Day Search and Rescue of a Missing Dog in Rural Kansas
On Monday, February 23rd, I received a voicemail about a missing dog named Loki. He had slipped away while his pawrents were on vacation—unfortunately a situation we hear about far too often.
This particular story began on Valentine’s Day (February 14th). Not exactly the kind of surprise anyone hopes for.
When I connected with Loki’s family later that day, they explained they had already spent hours searching but quickly realized they weren’t going to be able to catch him themselves. We talked through the situation and they immediately began gathering reported sightings so we could start developing a plan.
And with lost dogs, a plan matters.
The Terrain: Perfect Hiding Country
The area Loki disappeared from is extremely rural Kansas—rolling hills, deep creeks, pastures, and wooded draws. Beautiful countryside, but also full of places for a frightened dog to hide.
The following day we set up feeding stations and trail cameras in two strategic locations:
Where Loki had previously been seen
The location where he originally went missing
Dogs frequently double back to the place they escaped from, especially when they’re frightened and in survival mode.
Each evening we filled the feeding bowls, and again in the morning after the nighttime wildlife that emptied them had gone back to bed.
Then we waited.
Rescuing a missing dog means operating on the dog’s schedule, not ours—and patience is often the hardest part for worried families waiting for news.
The First Visitor: Not Loki
After several days, a dog finally appeared on camera.
But it wasn’t Loki.
Instead, we met Sadie, a very sweet livestock guardian dog from a nearby farm. Sadie absolutely loved the attractant spray we use—an extra smoky scent mix designed to travel on the wind—and she was an even bigger fan of the “stinky food” blend we prepare for lost dogs.
She became such a regular visitor that we eventually added a feeding station right by her farm just for her.
Happy girl.
Meanwhile, despite an entire community keeping watch, Loki still had not been physically spotted.
A neighbor even flew a drone south of the search area, while we flew ours across the entire region looking for signs of him.
Had he moved?
It’s always possible. A loud noise, a predator, or even a curious human can spook a lost dog and push them into a new territory.
Loki Finally Appears
Then late Friday night, at 11:23 PM, Loki finally appeared on one of the cameras.
Unfortunately, the feeding bowl was already empty thanks to wildlife. Still, the sighting gave us hope that he might return.
But Loki didn’t come back the following night.
So we shifted strategies.
Cameras were moved to different locations as we tried to pinpoint where Loki was hiding during the day.
Then on Tuesday we received a message from a hunter. Loki had actually been showing up on one of his trail cameras a week earlier, quite a bit farther west than we expected.
The location was deep inside a rural section where no one would ever see him from the road.
We contacted the landowner, who agreed to meet with us later in the week. In the meantime, we placed a feeding station on the north side of the property, along a road where Loki had been spotted.
It was a step closer.
Creating a Feeding Corridor
After studying aerial maps, GIS imagery, and the weather forecast, we developed a new plan.
The wind was predicted to shift overnight from north to south, which meant scent would travel southward across the woods.
With permission from surrounding landowners, we set up four feeding stations and cameras along the south and west edges of the timber.
Then we went heavy on the attractant spray:
Sprayed high on trees so the wind would carry the scent
Sprayed along trails leading to the feeding bowls
We also overfilled the bowls, trying to stay ahead of scavengers so Loki would actually get the food.
If we can anchor a dog to a consistent food source, we can usually trap them safely.
Success: Loki Returns
That night, it worked.
Loki returned to the feeding stations—and he was very hungry.
He emptied not just one bowl… but two full feeding stations.
We were thrilled.
Loki’s dad rushed out before sunrise to refill the bowls, hoping Loki might return during the day.
But Loki had other plans.
He stayed hidden in the woods all day long.
Racing the Storm
Just as things started to line up, the weather turned.
Storms were moving in.
It’s strange how often that happens with long-term missing dogs. The moment you finally locate them, the weather decides to complicate things.
At 4:30 PM we set the trap near the feeding stations so it would be ready shortly after dark.
Hopefully Loki knew he had a dinner reservation.
Then we waited.
Many times 7 PM becomes the “bewitching hour” when lost dogs emerge to look for food.
But not Loki.
Around 8:30 PM, a severe thunderstorm rolled through and soaked everything.
Now the question became: do you stay or try again another day?
The storm cleared around 10 PM, but one of the cameras had gone offline. We retrieved two cameras from other stations, reset the system, refreshed the food in the trap, and kept watching the radar.
More showers passed, but eventually the sky began to calm.
Meanwhile the forecast for the next day called for even worse storms and possible tornadoes.
So we stayed.
The Moment Everything Changed
At 11:46 PM, Loki appeared on camera.
Within seconds he followed the trail of rotisserie chicken leading into the trap.
Less than a minute later, the door closed.
Watching the live camera feed from just over the hill, we were by Loki’s side within 60 seconds of the trap being triggered.
At first he wasn’t quite sure what to make of us.
And he didn’t immediately recognize his dad.
But then he caught his scent.
His tail started wagging.
And Loki knew he was safe.
A Happy Ending
The reunion at home with Mom and Dad was pure joy.
After 19 days missing, Loki was finally home—and within minutes he was asking to play frisbee, as if nothing had ever happened.
These moments are why we do what we do.
Welcome home, Loki.
And let’s try not to do that again. 🐾
About All Paws Reunited
All Paws Reunited specializes in lost dog recovery, humane trapping, and missing pet assistance across Kansas. Using tracking data, trail cameras, feeding stations, and humane traps, the organization works with families and communities to safely bring lost pets home.
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