How a determined group of women reunited a dog, lost in the woods for 7 days, with his owner

When Kelly Sabescay's husky went missing in Bird's Hill Park, he thought he had lost her for good. 

But thanks to a team of intrepid women who did everything from put up signs to set up cameras in the forest, Banshee the dog is back home safe and sound. 

Banshee went missing on May 11, after she got startled on her walk and bolted, Sabescay said. 

"The leash was literally just yanked out of my hands. Before I knew it, she was gone," he said. 

Banshee had been badly abused by her previous owners, so she was extremely skittish, Sabescay said. 

Sabescay spent days looking for her, walking up and down trails and putting out a pair of his gloves, hoping Banshee would recognize his scent. He also brought his other dog, Rusty, a cocker spaniel, in case that would convince Banshee to come back.

LISTEN | How LEASH, or Locating Elusive and Skittish Hounds, rescued Banshee the husky 

"I was just terrified she was going to get trapped in the trees, not be able to move and, you know, it's like, something crazy, a wolf, a bear, coyotes [would get her]," he said.

"It was just, it was not good thoughts."

Alas, nothing worked, so Sabescay posted on Facebook, asking for help. That directed him to LEASH (which stands for Locating Elusive And Skittish Hounds), a group of women who specialize in finding dogs on the run. 

Last year, the group successfully caught a frightened dog that spent 126 days on the loose in Assiniboine Forest.

Once Sabescay contacted them about Banshee, the group quickly went to work, putting out more than 60 neon posters asking people to report sightings but not to approach the dog. They also set up cameras in the area to figure out exactly where Banshee was hanging out. 

If a dog keeps returning to an area, they carefully put out a live trap baited with smelly food and monitor it, said Kristy Greening, creator and volunteer with LEASH.

Banshee was caught shortly after the group set up a live trap — much to the relief of her owner.

Banshee was returned to Sabescay Wednesday, about a week after she went missing. 

"She's had such a bad life, and it was finally turning around and things were getting really good and through just an unfortunate accident, she was gone and I never would have got her," Sabescay said. 

"So I just owe them everything."

Greening said her group gets very invested in the dogs they're trying to find, so it was amazing to be able to bring Banshee home safe and sound.

"We can't imagine being in the position that Kelly was in, and you know, I would imagine he felt completely lost for the first little while there," she said. 

"We just want to help. We want to bring these dogs home. We know what they experience when they're out there and we just want to bring them to safety."