Kota Bean, a yellow Labrador Retriever, is a well-known escape artist in her family.
She has managed to break free from various crates, kennels, and even an electric fence damaged after a storm hit Macon, Georgia. Despite all efforts to keep her contained, Kota always found a way out.
However, her most recent escape was different.
The Escape Artist
Kellie Deck Tuten shared on Facebook how, no matter what they tried, they couldn’t keep Kota contained.
“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,” Kellie wrote.
Whenever Kota would escape, she’d usually stick close to home, eventually returning on her own. But this time, as daylight faded, Kota was nowhere to be found.
The Tuten family quickly launched a search, distributing flyers and contacting every animal shelter in Macon, hoping for any news of Kota.
But as the weeks turned into months, hope began to dwindle. After nearly a year without a trace, they feared Kota might be gone for good—until a familiar face appeared.
A Familiar Face
One day, while browsing the Bibb County Animal Shelter’s website, the family spotted a familiar face in a photo. Kellie instantly recognized the dog as Kota and reached out to a friend who lived near the area where Kota was last seen.
Her friend confirmed the dog was indeed Kota, even spotting her several times. But whenever Kellie rushed to the location, Kota would be gone.
Meanwhile, Kellie connected with a rescuer named Lisa Wood, who shared surprising news: she had been feeding Kota twice a day, cared for two of her litters of puppies, and found loving homes for them.
Although Lisa had recently seen Kota, she had no idea where Kota was hiding her latest litter.
Determined to bring Kota and her puppies home, Kellie and Lisa joined forces.
The Rescue Mission
Despite several close encounters, Kota eluded capture. Finally, Lisa managed to slip a GPS collar on Kota, allowing them to track her movements.
The signal led them to a drain pipe where Kota was hiding, but they couldn’t hear or see the puppies inside.
With reinforcements from Amy Beth and Sean Wall, the rescue team dug into the tunnel, spending hours carefully extracting four tiny puppies from the pipe.
Yet their mission wasn’t complete—Kota was still too frightened to join them. It wasn’t until the following night that Kota finally jumped into the car with her puppies, reuniting the family at last.
Adjusting to a New Life
Kota and her puppies settled into their new home, but Kota needed time to readjust. She preferred staying outdoors and was hesitant to come inside, a significant change from her previous behavior.
Although Kota enjoys occasional cuddles, she seems to still be healing from her time in the wild.
Kellie shared, “She doesn’t seem interested in her old toys or anything. It’s hard because it feels like she’s unhappy, but I think she’s still traumatized from her experience.”
The Tuten family is giving Kota all the time she needs to feel comfortable again.
For now, they’re simply grateful to have Kota Bean back home and thrilled to watch her four adorable puppies play in their yard, bringing smiles to everyone who meets them.