A scared Collie cross was adopted and then bolted from her new owner’s car and into the woods around Whitefish about two months ago. Now, people across the valley are teaming up to bring the dog to safety. 

There have been about 20 reported sightings of the young dog named Rogue who is still wearing a harness and dragging a leash. In almost all of the sightings, the dog ran away when people called her or walked toward her.  

What makes this missing dog special is that she “went from a horrible situation, to a shelter, to being on her own in the wilderness, for close to 60 days now,” searcher Haylee Johnson said. “It's heartbreaking.” 

Trail camera footage placed her in the Lion Mountain area for weeks, but a recent video sighting came from Tamarack Lane near Meadow Lake Golf Club in Columbia Falls. Just days ago, she was seen at the golf driving range near Grouse Mountain, back in Whitefish. 

“We desperately need residents throughout Columbia Falls, Meadow Lake, Hungry Horse and surrounding areas to check security cameras, doorbell cameras, trail cameras and any other footage they may have,” said Johnson. “Rogue can resemble a coyote at first glance, particularly from a distance. However, she should still be wearing her harness with her leash attached. 

“If anyone sees an animal that could possibly be Rogue, we are asking them to report it even if they aren’t completely certain,” she added. “Please note the exact location and direction of travel and, if it can be done safely, take a photo or video.” 

Casey Corbett, Kalispell resident and animal shelter volunteer, is at the heart of the search. He made a Facebook page called Finding Rogue and checks it constantly, so it is a good place for people to leave messages and report sightings.  

Corbett said it is helpful for people to report sightings quickly, so they can send drones out and try to contain the dog in one area. Until now, in the time between reporting and searching, Rogue has moved on. 

“That's our main issue right now – figuring out where she is, and getting there before she leaves,” Corbett said. 

Leisel Schlueter, owner of Kalispell-based Montana Air Filming, a drone photography company that provides surveying, recon and search and rescue support, is using thermal drones to help with the search.

“We've had a potential sighting of her on the thermal,” Schlueter said. “Mostly what we're trying to do is try to help provide information and maybe be the eyes in the sky.” 

Her team found Cairo, a dog who bolted from a vehicle after a car accident near the House of Mystery last month. That success made Schlueter and her daughter and business partner, Kora, even more determined to find missing pets.

“They've been amazing,” Johnson said of Schlueter’s team. “They have told all of us so many times, ‘If you get a sighting at 2 o'clock in the morning, call us we'll get the drone and come out and help you guys.’” 

IT IS POSSIBLE Rogue is returning to Hungry Horse, a place she may have once called home, although her past is unclear. The adopter was told Rogue and her sister, Anna, were owned by a woman in Hungry Horse who bred the dogs at least once, before giving the pair to some people near Eureka. 

The Flathead Animal Shelter intake form is not clear, either. It says the two dogs were delivered to the Flathead Animal Shelter in January by a couple from Kila who said they had just found the dogs. 

“If they were strays, we’re not sure how they were able to capture them and bring them in, but they were brought in as strays,” Corbett said. 

According to a veterinarian exam, the dogs had had a few litters and had been nursing often and recently. It is believed they had been used for breeding. 

“You could tell they had done a lot of breeding with these two dogs,” Corbett said. “We think that was why they were shut down – that they were just used for breeding, basically, and they weren’t a house dog, or family dog. They don’t have recall. They don’t have training outside of the few months they were at the shelter.”  

Fellow searcher and Corbett’s niece, Johnson, said the dogs were “brought to the Flathead County Animal Shelter extremely fearful and distrusting of humans.”  

She said they hadn’t been in a situation where they could trust humans. 

“I would get there once a week and every time I saw them, they would just be in a corner just completely shut down in the corner so them being out and playing was like a big step,” Corbett said. “[The trainer] started working with them being on a leash and taking them for walks so little steps like that, right at the end, right before they got adopted, were the breakthroughs for them. 

“It definitely took a while for them to warm up and come over and at one point ... Rogue came up and actually sat over by us. It was definitely like a slow burn,” Corbett said. “They take a lot to earn trust.” 

The dogs were slowly making strides toward being more confident and trusting, when the shelter allowed Rogue to be adopted on Aug. 8 by a 77-year-old woman. Rogue never made it indoors, as she bolted in fear as soon as they arrived home. 

Corbett is providing a foster home for Anna and said she will still try to dart away from him if she becomes frightened. 

"She's getting used to people and she's getting used to other dogs and stuff like that but if it was up to her, she would be gone,” he said. "They're very quick. They're very young. They're very strong dogs so when they see something they're scared of [they want to bolt.] 

“They're not aggressive in anyway,” he added. “I don't think there's an ounce of aggression in either of them, but they're just super scared and just run from everything.” 

He has brought Anna on numerous walks to find Rogue. Each time a sighting is reported, Corbett is there, hoping she’ll sense her sister nearby and surrender. 

“This feels like this is very much a community project that everybody's coming together to complete and get done for her and that's kind of cool,” Corbett said. 

“The community has put an incredible amount of effort into finding her,” Johnson said. “People have searched on foot, checked security and trail cameras, shared posts, followed up on sightings, and continued searching week after week. 

“In the meantime, Anna is living with Casey, and she is just absolutely thriving and so we know the type of life Rogue can have and that's just what we want to give her at this point.” 

People can report a sighting by calling 406-871-4737, 406-261-2852 or 406-752-1310, or leaving a message on the Finding Rogue page on Facebook. 

Reporter Julie Engler can be reached at 406-862-3505 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at whitefishpilot.com/support.

    Rogue, a young Collie mix, has been missing since Aug. 8. It seems she has run from Whitefish to Columbia Falls. People are being asked to check game, trail and Ring cameras for motion and report any sightings. (Photo provided)  

    This map shows the area of the most recent sighting of Rogue, the Collie mix missing since Aug. 8. (Image provided)
  

    Rogue is a young dog who has reason to be distrustful of humans. She has been missing for almost 60 days and was last seen in Columbia Falls. (Image provided)
  

    Searchers Haylee Johnson and her mother, Nicole Brown, record each Rogue sighting. (Image provided)