Family Finds Missing Dog After A Year, Follows Her To A Drain Pipe, And Discovers Her Sweet Surprise

Emma Ackerman
Nov 21, 2023
Nov 21, 2023

Last summer, Kota Bean, a spirited yellow Lab, escaped from the family's backyard after a storm damaged the electric fence that was about to keep her safe. At first, it's not an issue at all since she has escaped so many times before and always promised to go back in time.

Source: Kellie Deck Tuten

Kota's mom, Kellie Deck Tuten, shared on Facebook, “Kota has always been an escape artist. We have been through countless crates, kennels, cages, and all sorts of ways to contain her during the very few hours we needed her contained.”

She’s smart, so when she escaped, she’d stay close to home and return on her own if her parents couldn't find her. The family never had to worry about this adorable canine; however, this time was different—night fell, and Kota was nowhere to be seen.

Source: Kellie Deck Tuten

So worried about the furry friend’s condition, the Tutens quickly launched an extensive search, distributing flyers and contacting nearby shelters. Unluckily, despite their continuous efforts, a year passed without any trace of Kota.

Right when the family almost gave up all their hope, they came upon a familiar face on the Bibb County Animal Shelter's website. “They shared it with a general location in the description, and that’s when I saw her,” Tuten wrote. “I KNEW it was her.”

Source: Kellie Deck Tuten

Excited and hopeful, she contacted a friend living nearby, who confirmed sightings, but Kota always got away. But then came another helper named Lisa Wood, who had been caring for Kota and her two litters of puppies for quite a period. According to Wood, she was pregnant up to three times during her time on the street.

“[L]isa Wood … had been feeding my dog twice a day, took in her (not 1 but 2 litters of) puppies and found them all loving homes,” Tuten wrote.

Source: Kellie Deck Tuten

Unfortunately, though Wood had taken care of Kota all this time, she had no idea where her latest litter (the third one) of puppies was. So later, Wood collaborated with the Tutens to locate these little babies. They fitted Kota with a GPS collar and followed her until they saw a drain pipe.

“[K]ota ran up to [a] drain pipe and sniffed and then ran back several feet and laid down,” Tuten wrote. “[W]e were pretty certain the puppies were in there ... but we couldn't hear or see them.”

Source: Kellie Deck Tuten

With the help of friends Amy Beth Wall and Sean Wall, the team eventually cut into the tunnel in an attempt to better reach the little family. And after hours of effort, four chunky puppies were safely returned to the family.

While the puppies adapted quickly to their new surroundings, Kota still needed time to let everyone come close to her. Eventually, she decided to give her trust, hopped into the car with her puppies, and returned home, though she remains wary.

Source: Kellie Deck Tuten

“She is still warming back up to us,” Tuten shared. “It's been hard for us because it just makes it seem like she's unhappy here, but I think it's more so that she's still traumatized from having to fight to be safe.”

It’s wonderful that Kota is back home, and for now, time doesn’t matter because the family will always be there, patiently supporting her healing journey, hoping that one day she will be just as grateful as their beloved Lab back then.

Here are Kota’s lovely babies. Let’s have a look if you’re interested:

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Family Finds Missing Dog After A Year, Follows Her To A Drain Pipe, And Discovers Her Sweet Surprise

Here are Kota’s lovely babies. Let’s have a look if you’re interested:

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