Lost Puppy Henry Found After 3 Months in Perth Suburbs

When Henry the dachshund slipped out his front door in January, his owner Steve Velterop thought he'd lost him forever.

The 11-month-old rescue puppy had only been in his Atwell home for three months. His difficult past made him wary of strangers, which meant calling his name would only scare him further away.

Steve and his partner Leanne walked their neighborhood for hours that first day. They posted on social media and called local rangers, but weeks passed with only occasional security camera footage and distant sightings near a local swamp.

"I honestly thought he was gone, that he was finished," Steve said. After the trail went cold, he tried to stay hopeful but feared the worst.

Then in April, nearly three months later, a neighbor spotted a social media post about a thin dachshund near busy roads. Steve immediately shared Henry's story online, and reports started flooding in.

Leanne Stickland, who runs the Cockburn Pets and Wildlife community, organized what became an unprecedented rescue effort. Complete strangers formed a group chat called "Henry's helpers" and set up feeding stations and traps throughout the suburbs.

Henry proved clever, taking food from traps without triggering them on camera. But on April 18, Banjup resident Rikki Howley heard whimpering in her shed.

"I saw a little nose poke around the corner, so I ran because I knew if he got out of the shed I wouldn't have a chance of catching him," Rikki said. She tempted Henry with chicken and wrapped him in a blanket.

His tiny body was emaciated, but when Rikki looked into his eyes, she saw gratitude. "He looked at me almost like 'thank you, you saved me,'" she said.

Rikki rushed Henry to the vet, who scanned his microchip and called Steve with news he never expected to hear. Henry was alive.

Sunny's Take

When Steve arrived at the vet, Henry looked up and wagged the tip of his tail. Then he gave his owner a little kiss.

"I think he was spent," Steve said. "He had nothing left in his tank."

The rescue brought together neighbors who had never met before. They coordinated searches, shared sightings, and refused to give up on a puppy they'd never even seen.

Steve struggles to find words for his gratitude. "Not only the direct helpers, but everyone who looked out for him and reached out with kind words," he said.

Henry is now recovering at home, eating well and gaining weight. Steve has ordered a no-escape harness for his "very cheeky but very sweet" pup.

After 79 days in the wilderness, Henry is finally safe.