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Zack Keithy, our author, is a certified veterinarian technician (UC Blue Ash) for over 6 years (contact him here). The articles written here are based on his expertise and experience, combined with a review by our expert vet reviewers including Dr M. Tarantino. Learn more about us here.
A young stray dog named Diya has spent three weeks living near a remote Wyoming rest area, eating out of rescuers’ hands while cleverly dodging every attempt to secure her on a leash.
The ongoing rescue efforts are taking place at the Split Rock Rest Area along US-287, approximately 18 miles east of Jeffrey City, Fremont County, Wyoming 82313, United States. Leigh Cook reported on the rescue mission for Cowboy State Daily and Yahoo News on October 25, 2026.
According to Amanda Wood, shelter manager at Furever Found rescue, Diya originally slipped out of her collar at the rest area while being driven home by a family who had recently purchased her from a breeder.
Despite the family returning multiple times to search for her, the dog remained out of reach. Furever Found staff began driving 90 minutes to the location after local fire departments alerted them to the situation on September 19, 2026.
Furever Found board president Mark Lewis has made near-daily evening trips to feed Diya and build trust.
While Diya willingly approaches Lewis’s vehicle, eats food directly from his hand, and rests nearby, she remains hyper-vigilant and dodges leashes, live traps, and medicated treats.
Rescue workers express serious concern that Diya could be mistaken for a coyote or wild predator and shot by passersby.
To capture her safely, rescuers have locked open a live trap at the rest area and placed all her daily meals inside so she grows accustomed to entering it.
Shelter staff are appealing to the public to stop leaving outside food at the rest area, as excess food prevents Diya from relying on the baited trap.
Volunteers are organizing overnight shifts to monitor the trap continuously, ensuring Diya can be immediately transported to a prepared shelter space once safely caught.
My thoughts:
- Building incremental trust through consistent daily contact is crucial when attempting to rescue wary, highly intelligent dogs.
- Well-meaning public feeding can inadvertently sabotage capture operations by removing the incentive for animals to enter traps.
- High-speed traffic and proximity to rural hunting zones create urgent safety hazards for free-roaming domestic dogs.
- Collar-slipping during travel highlights the importance of using secure Martingale collars or harnesses for newly adopted pets.
- Overnight volunteer shifts ensure captured animals undergo minimal stress and receive immediate transport to shelter facilities.
- Dedicated shelter space and anti-anxiety provisions provide essential comfort for traumatized rescue dogs post-capture.
Source: Cowboy State Daily, Yahoo News (Leigh Cook), and Furever Found Animal Rescue
