Kelly the Survivor Dog's Seven Week Adventure Ends in Reunion

The adventures of a little brown dog, which have captivated the Gore community for seven weeks, have had a happy ending.

After going missing from Invercargill in mid-January, 8-year-old mixed breed Kelly travelled around 100km before ending up on the outskirts of Gore, where she evaded all efforts to catch her for over a month.

Her owners, Sally and Roger Anderson, of Hawkes Bay, had been enjoying a campervan holiday and had stopped in Invercargill, where they left Sally in the camper when they ventured out for some sushi. Leaving a window open for ventilation and Kelly’s leash over a pole inside, they were dismayed to return to find no trace of their little dog.

Kelly was seen near Invercargill Airport that evening, and over the next fortnight was spotted in Hedgehope and then eventually Gore, where she came to the attention of Gore District Council Animal Control Officers in mid-February.

The Council Animal Services Officer Nadia Carelsen said the team were out during the day and at late at night looking for her. The team had tried “about ten times” to catch her but Kelly proved too fast for even the experts, she says.

"She just bolts, she's fast."

Meanwhile, owner Sally had to go back to Hawkes Bay for a medical procedure and the Andersons were forced to leave the search for Kelly in the hands of the community.

The Gore community, hearing of Kelly’s plight, became invested in the little dog and were posting sightings of her on social media in the hopes of helping return her to her family.

Gore Resident, Melanie Ferguson became invested in returning Kelly to her owners and took it upon herself to reach out to the Andersons to work with them on a plan to get Kelly home.

Melanie said she looked at all the sightings of Kelly in Gore and found the most common place she had been seen was on Terry Rd, by the Gore Golf Course.

Melanie got the Andersons to send the dog’s bed down, along with some of their clothes, and set it up with water and food underneath a tree on Terry Rd, hoping Kelly would pick up her owners’ scent.

“It was really well hidden, so people couldn't see her, as if she was approached she would just run away,” Melanie says.

Over the next week it appeared Kelly had been visiting the spot, with Melanie checking on the bed and replenishing the food and water.

Melanie then rang the Andersons, with Sally flying down and visiting the secret spot this week.

Kelly sat up and looked straight at Sally, Sally said.

"I reckon she recognised me."

"We're just so lucky to have found her because she was good at hiding."

Animal Services Officer Nadia said the little dog was “definitely a survivor".

Kelly is now on her way back to the Hawkes Bay.