Perfect. I now have all the details I need. Based on my research, I found information on two separate stories: one about a tiny rescue dog named Burt (a 9-pound Yorkie mix) who survived being lost for two weeks in the Thousand Oaks wilderness near Southern California, and another about a man (Kevin Deal) who fought off a mountain lion attacking his Akita in Glendora. The headlines suggest the first story about Burt (who encountered rattlesnakes and mountain lions while lost). Let me write the article focused on Burt’s story.
A 9-pound Yorkie mix named Burt is finally home safe after surviving two weeks lost in the Southern California wilderness
.
Burt was caught three months ago in the orchards of south Bakersfield
, according to
Kim Sill, the founder of Shelter Hope, a nonprofit with years of experience finding forever homes for stray animals
.
After meeting Burt, her team was cautiously optimistic about sending him home with a foster family
.
“The leash got out of his hand and he got away,” Sill said
.
Fearful that Burt wouldn’t survive the night, Sill’s team got to work posting flyers all over Thousand Oaks, combing through thousands of tips to trace down a 10-mile radius of where he was seen
.
One day became two, then five, then six
.
Some feared the worst early on.
They even received tips that he was hit by a car
. But
finally, there was a sighting of Burt alive
.
“Said your dog is hiding under our car right now. It’s 2 o’clock in the morning and there were three coyotes tapping on our car. Can you come and get your dog?” Sill said
.
What kept Burt going also made him harder to catch. “Unsocialized, doesn’t understand humans, very, very fearful and very savvy of the terrain,” Sill said
.
His survival instincts were unmatched.
Faster than any person, Burt escaped again
.
This time, volunteers at Dog Days Search and Rescue set up cages with water and cameras
.
For the next week, they captured video of Burt’s survival skills — encountering busy roads, coyotes and even a mountain lion
.
The rescue effort drew hundreds of supporters.
Thanks to hundreds of animal lovers who refused to give up, the 9-pound Yorkie mix is finally home safe
.
Sill underscored how rare these happy endings truly are.
“They get calls like this every day, and not always ending this way,” Sill said
.
For people who lose their own dogs, Sill shared critical guidance.
First, contact the professionals. They have the resources, cages and camera to help catch the dog
.
Second, write “don’t chase” on the poster, as chasing a dog can sometimes cause them to go further away
.
In the viral moment that captured hearts across Southern California, Burt’s two-week ordeal in the wilderness near Thousand Oaks became a masterclass in survival. The tiny rescue dog had already endured a troubled past before his escape—found in the orchards of Bakersfield months earlier, unsocialized and wary of human contact. When his leash slipped away during a foster placement, he was suddenly alone in rugged terrain where coyotes prowled and mountain lions roamed. Video footage captured by volunteers showed the diminutive pup navigating busy roads, avoiding predators, and sheltering under parked cars in the dead of night as larger animals circled nearby.
Burt’s safe return is a testament to the community’s dedication and his own will to live
.