Kinnick, the 3-legged dog on his own for 246 days, reunites with UI student
After 246 days expertly navigating the sprawling landscape of Iowa City on his own, shedding live traps and surviving a treacherous Iowa winter, Kinnick, the three-legged dog, has reunited with his owner, Annabelle Lewis
Paws of Hope Animal Rescue, a nonprofit, announced the heart-warming news on Facebook Wednesday.
Kinnick's intelligence, elusiveness and survival instincts were evident throughout the entire search, as he'd often pick precise moments to appear - typically to steal a few bites of food. Kinnick was often deceptive during the rescue teams' pursuit and they had a bit of trouble pinning him to a single location.
The animal was in his element as he worked his way across the city, surviving purely off instinct.
"He knew his routes, he knew where the food bowls for other critters were, and he knew not to stay in one location too long," the Paws of Hope Animal Rescue said in a Facebook post. "But (he) would venture back, almost seemingly on purpose as if he was trying to throw us off."
Lewis, a University of Iowa student, named the adopted dog Kinnick in honor of her love for Hawkeye football, dad Chris Lewis told the Iowa City Press-Citizen.
Paws of Hope Animal Rescue speculates Kinnick was used as a bait dog prior to his adoption, leading to serve injuries and loss of his leg. The abuse likely contributes to Kinnick's lack of trust for other animals as well as his fear of humans, though he is comfortable with his current family.
WHAT CAUSED KINNICK TO RUN?
Annabelle Lewis was on a walk with Kinnick last year when something spooked him. The dog yanked the leash out of her hand and ran off, initiating a determined, tireless search spanning nearly an entire year.
Initially, Kinnick disappeared for several weeks without a trace.
Paws of Hope Animal Rescue relentlessly searched for Kinnick, Chris Lewis said, asking permission to walk through neighboring yards while they even slept in fields during the cold, winter months, acting on a hunch Kinnick was close to one of their traps.
More: 7 things to do this weekend in Johnson County, including Maifest at the Amana Colonies
The rescue organization wanted to quickly attend to Kinnick if he did wander upon a trap, hoping to wait the animal out.
“The amount of time and money they spent and volunteered to help us, total strangers, get this dog back, it's just so overwhelming and I can't say enough good stuff about them and how amazing they are,” Chris Lewis said.
Kinnick was a slippery one to track down, ignoring steak, chicken and other food in repeated attempts to lure him in. He'd skip right past the traps, instead chowing down on food bowls left out for other animals. He was rather covert, rarely staying in a single location for long, Paws of Hope Animal Rescue said in their social media post.
The search and rescue team was hopeful as winter hit, combing through the fresh snowfall for the distinctive trio of paw prints. They pushed hard to get Kinnick home by Christmas, even staking out a particular location where they knew the dog had been, but with little luck.
As Iowa's cold, harsh winter bled into the warmer, more reasonable conditions of spring, Annabelle Lewis received a heart-warming phone call.
The rescue team informed her Kinnick had been found shortly before 3 a.m. Wednesday, May 3.
Chris Lewis stayed on the phone with his daughter as she went to pick up her beloved dog, describing the moment as “just tears of joy.”
THE PATH TO FINDING KINNICK
The generosity of Iowa City residents lent a significant helping hand as the Lewis family navigated the agonizing search, Chris Lewis said.
Supporters would call out Kinnick’s name while patrolling various parks, with an extra leash and treats in hand.
The process was tedious and confusing, but a strong core refused to give up.
“We found out that we were looking for a needle in a haystack and then we met (Kim Warren of Paws of Hope Animal Rescue and other rescue members) and they were expert needle finders,” Chris Lewis said.
Dayna Stieger of Paws of Hope Animal Rescue, which has team members in Mechanicsville and Davenport, said they “caught the uncatchable.”
Paws of Hope Animal Rescue, in their social media post, thanked all the people who allowed them to place traps on their property as well as the many phone tips that came in following each Kinnick sighting.
The search was eye-opening, a peak into an animal's mission to survive.
“Kinnick, on behalf of the Paws of Hope team, we are hoping you've had your fair share of exploring the Iowa City area,” Paws of Hope Animal Rescue said. “You've shown us parts of Iowa City as lifelong Iowans that we've never seen. Thank you for the tour. We love you buddy."
Those interested in donating to Paws of Hope Animal Rescue can send a Venmo payment to @pawsofhope or checks can be mailed to PO Box 236 Mechanicsville, Iowa, 52306.
Paris Barraza covers entertainment, lifestyle and arts at the Iowa City Press-Citizen. Reach her at PBarraza@press-citizen.com or 319-519-9731. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Lost three-legged dog reunited with Iowa City owner after 246 days
