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A 10-year-old, 18-pound Jack Russell terrier named Luna has been missing in Yellowstone National Park since September 10, 2026, prompting an urgent rescue operation before winter conditions force search efforts to halt. Rescuers face a strict one-week deadline to capture her before snow and severe weather cut off safe access to the area.
Luna escaped her cabin in the Canyon Village area after housekeeping staff inadvertently unlocked the door while her owners were visiting Norris Geyser Basin. Staff pursued the dog for two hours before her owners returned, but the dog fled deeper into the park.
Key details of the ongoing rescue operation include:
- Street-Smart Survival: Rescuers credit Luna’s survival to her early life as a feral street dog before her adoption. She has tapped into those instincts, navigating automatic doors to enter lodges and scavenging food across the park.
- Frequent Sightings: Luna has been spotted regularly since September 20—most recently on October 9 wearing her purple collar. Rescuers urge park visitors not to chase or call out to her, as it frightens her back into hiding, but to take a photo and report sightings immediately.
- Trapping Strategy: Katie Boucher, president of Norris Arc Training and Recovery Center, has pinpointed Luna’s bedding area and is deploying a humane, remotely triggered “Missy trap” to secure her safely without using food lures that might attract park bears.
- Community and Concessionaire Support: While lodging operator Xanterra offered minimal assistance, park concessionaire Delaware North stepped in to provide RV space, meals, and support to keep recovery teams on-site.
“There’s no safe access after that point,” Boucher explained regarding the impending winter deadline. “We are at some really hard deadlines… We feel really good that we’re going to be able to recover her.”
Originally reported by Emma Jane Jackson.
