HAGERMAN, Idaho β A family vacation in Gooding County took a dramatic turn when their pet dog, Scout, went missing on July 23. The missing boxer sparked a month-long community-wide search effort that ended with a heartwarming reunion.
It all started when Britney Stidman and her family made a quick stop in Hagerman to see family when Scout disappeared.
See the moment Scout was reunited with her human:
"We were here maybe 30 minutes, and I was gonna run to the store to get some stuff for dinner, and she got out through the garage door and took off after me," Stidman said.
For four weeks, Scout became the subject of a massive search effort that captured the attention of practically the entire town.
"Somebody spotted her the first day, and then after that, we didn't see her for eight days," Stidman said.
Stidman combed the area, knocking on doors, passing out flyers, and posting on social media.
The community response was overwhelming.
"I was getting calls every day, so probably over half the town [called]," she said.
People would spot the dog, but Scout was skittish, and nobody could get close enough to catch her.
RELATED | Guardian Paws service dogs transform veterans' lives, nonprofit expands mission
Laurel Muir was one of many residents who became invested in the search. With past experience in search and rescue, Muir brought unique expertise to the effort.
"You'd see cars full of people saying they were looking for her," Muir said.
Even Muir's search-dog-in-training, Wally, joined the hunt.
"He was able to track Scout from the point of the cemetery entrance all the way back," Muir said.
The searchers started dropping pins at each sighting location, and over the weeks, a pattern emerged. Finally, nearly a month after Scout took off, Stidman placed a dog trap.
"I went and checked it a few hours later, and she was in it," Stidman said.
When asked what that moment was like, Stidman's emotions were clear.
"Oh, I cried like a baby," she said.
At the veterinary checkup, Scout had five porcupine quills in her lip, a foxtail in her paw, and one tick from her month-long adventure in the wild.
"She's skinny, but other than that, she's OK," Stidman said.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
