A runaway dog has been living in Green-Wood Cemetery for the past seven months.
And last month, following a 17-day stake-out, which included three sleepovers in the historic graveyard, a heroic team of animal rescuers successfully captured it.
The young dog, thought to be around one year old, first went missing from a Windsor Terrace rescue in March 2023. After circling the area, the dog took refuge at the cemetery.
So, Sloane Quealy-Miner, president of Rockaway-based Zion's Mission Animal Rescue, teamed up with Kim Fraser of Sasha's Mission Animal Rescue to locate and trap the dog.
With permission from the cemetery, the pair set up a trap with food in an area where they believed the dog to be. They were soon able to locate the dog, but capturing her was a challenge.
“We fed her really good food, like London Broil, all sorts of steak and chicken, any kind of meat you can imagine," said Quealy-Miner.
It was a full 17 days before the dog entered the trap and was finally rescued in the early morning of Nov. 5. Fraser and Quealy-Miner even spent three nights sleeping at the cemetery near the trap.
They named the young dog Cypress, after one of the roads inside the cemetery.
After being rescued, Cypress was given a full medical evaluation and was found to be in good health, despite living on her own for months.
Fraser and Quealy-Miner were surprised by Cypress' loving nature upon capture.
“She loves to be touched and she loves to cuddle,” said Quealy-Miner. “I think she was really starved for human touch.”
Cypress will soon have a minor surgery to remove a tuft of hair growing near her eyeball. Quealy-Miner is currently caring for Cypress at her home.
Zion's Mission Animal Rescue and Sasha’s Mission Animal Rescue are “sister rescues,” meaning they conduct the majority of their rescues together and save an estimated 50-100 local dogs a year.
Fraser said Cypress requires a responsible adopter who is mindful of her history of running since if Cypress were to run away again, she would be even more difficult to trap.
“Once the dog gets trapped like that, the chances of the dog ever going into a trap again are slim to none,” said Fraser.
If you encounter a runaway dog, even your own, Fraser and Quealy-Miner say chasing them is the wrong move. The pair recommend lying down to attract the dog.
“It's always everybody's first reaction when they see a loose dog to chase the dog, and that’s actually the worst thing you can do,” said Fraser. “You're just pushing the dog further out of the area."
After Cypress recovers from eye surgery, Zion's Mission will help her find her forever home.
If you're interested in fostering or adopting Cypress, contact Zion's Mission Animal Rescue.
