Against All Odds: Rescue Dog Survives 54 Days in Wilderness and Finds Her Way Home

When Bami, a four-year-old rescue dog from Korea, slipped from her leash near North Vancouver's Lynn Valley Mall in late November, her owners Yeni Ji and Yohan Kim faced every pet owner's nightmare. What followed was a 54-day ordeal that would test their faith, mobilize an entire community, and ultimately showcase the incredible resilience of one determined dog. Through bitter winter conditions, Bami roamed the North Shore wilderness, appearing on trail cameras but always staying just out of reach. As weeks turned into months, searchers from Petsearchers noticed her growing thinner, estimating she had only a week or two left before exhaustion would claim her. The entire North Shore community rallied together, sharing sightings through a massive WhatsApp group and refusing to give up hope. Then came the breakthrough: a thermal drone detected a tiny heat signature — Bami, sleeping in a bush near an elementary school. When Ji called her name, something magical happened. Despite 54 days of survival instinct keeping her on the run, Bami immediately recognized her beloved owner's voice and ran straight into her arms. "She's more than family to me," Ji said through tears of joy. "When she was missing, I felt that a part of me was missing." It took an entire community to bring one scared dog home — and not a single person gave up.