Four legged escapee found

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Seems like a four-legged escapee had quite the Albuquerque adventure.

"He had escaped from our foster family and was on the run for about 60 days," said Sam Blankenship of Animal Humane New Mexico.

Dakota, a four-year-old American Fox Hound bolted from his foster family in late October.

Animal Humane said the little escape artist was surrendered to them about four months ago.

He came in very skittish and behavioral staff worked with him closely to socialize him.

"We as staff had such a personal attachment to him, we had been working with him for so long we were just devastated that he was out and about," Blankenship said.

According to Blankenship, Dakota gave his foster family the slip in the North Valley, near the area of Osuna and 2nd.

They think he hid out in arroyos and ditches around Albuquerque and that people were looking out for him.

"There must have been good Samaritans out there taking care of him leaving him dishes of food," he said.

He was spotted by a woman at the La Vida Llena Retirement Community in the Heights near Montgomery and Morris, about eight miles from where he pulled off his escape.

"One of the workers there had been seeing him for about three weeks and just kind of giving him space, gaining his trust," Blankenship said.

Her patience paid off on Christmas Eve when the woman was able to lure Dakota into her car and bring him back to the shelter.

"It's Animal Humane's little Christmas miracle this year," said Blankenship.

Amazingly Dakota was in pretty good shape when he was caught he had lost six pounds and had two minor abrasions.

Animal Humane staff told News 13 he should be available for adoption in a week or two.