What started as a quick trip to Petco for a grooming appointment quickly turned into every pet parent’s nightmare. Boomer slipped away from a family member and took off running. People tried to chase him on foot and in cars, but that only scared him more. Boomer ran into a tight-knit Simpsonville neighborhood, and from that moment on, the community became a huge part of his journey home. Simpsonville has a long history of helping lost dogs. When Anakin once ran through this t

When a dog goes missing, the fear can feel overwhelming. Add in the fact that the dog was lost while under professional care, and that fear can quickly turn into anger too. That’s exactly what happened to Mack and his family. Mack escaped from a boarding facility, and his owner, Melinda, reached out to Anakin’s Trails for help. From the very first call, we worked together to create a plan to bring Mack home. Melinda shared photos of Mack on social media and began receiving a

Last weekend’s ice, snow, and sleet created dangerous conditions not only for people, but for countless stray dogs and cats trying to survive outside. Even after the storm passed, many animals were still wandering without food, water, or shelter. One concerned family reached out to Anakin’s Trails asking for help with a stray dog who had been roaming their very active neighborhood. Neighbors had been feeding him and trying to safely capture him, but he wouldn’t allow anyone t

Just hours before a major ice storm was expected to hit our area, Anakin’s Trails was able to bring a stray dog to safety — a beautiful doodle now known as Nala . Nala first appeared about three weeks earlier at a local school in Easley. She was underweight, dirty, and clearly had been living on her own for some time. Parents and children noticed her coming around, and one parent made repeated efforts to earn her trust. Despite many tries, Nala was too fearful to allow any hu

Tofu is home—and his safe return happened because of one simple but powerful tool: FLYERS . Many people believe the best way to find a lost dog is through social media posts, neighborhood apps, or going door to door. While those can help, the most effective way to get real sightings is still printed flyers placed in the right locations. Flyers on stop sign poles (without covering the sign), intersection poles, neighborhood entrances, and major roadways reach people who are al

Boxers have a way of stealing hearts. Their soft faces, squishy noses, and big expressive eyes make them hard to resist. That’s why when a couple named Lupe and Craig saw a boxer listed on Craigslist, they felt compelled to save him. They named him Winston. On Christmas Eve, what should have been a joyful day quickly turned into a nightmare when Winston slipped out of his harness and ran. The couple contacted Anakin’s Trails for help, and an intake was completed right away. A

Some dogs struggle more than others when they find themselves lost and alone. Dogs that are used to living with people often don’t know how to survive on their own, and fear can take over quickly. That was the case for Bernard. Bernard, a doodle-type dog, had been seen running in the backwoods of Laurens County since November. At one point, there were reportedly three dogs dumped in the area. What happened to the other two is unknown, but Bernard was the one who managed to su

Stray dumping has long been a challenge in Laurens County, but thanks to teamwork and persistence, one small corner of that problem just got better. Tori and her puppies were living under a house after being dumped as very young pups. Two of the original puppies had grown up and given birth close together, leaving Tori caring for four babies in unsafe conditions. Once the situation was identified, Anakin’s Trails stepped in to help coordinate care and a plan. With help from c

Anakin’s Trails was contacted about a young pit mix who had been roaming near a busy road in Greenville. A kind couple, Jonathan and Caitlyn—regular volunteers with the Greenville Humane Society—had noticed her and spent weeks trying to help. They fed her consistently and tried to earn her trust, but she was too fearful to allow anyone close enough to help her safely. With traffic speeding past the area she roamed, it was only a matter of time before something tragic could ha

A former Anakin’s Trails team member contacted us after seeing a white dog repeatedly appear on cameras at a vacant property. The dog had been coming and going for several days. If no owner could be found, she was willing to foster the dog once she was safely caught. Soon after, there were reports of the dog traveling along Duncan Chapel Road—a very busy roadway. With heavy traffic in the area, it was critical to get the dog to settle somewhere safer. On Saturday evening, Ana

After five puppies were safely placed into a loving foster home, there was still one very important soul left behind. Their mama. Gracie had been surviving on her own for nearly six years. Long before that, she had once been someone’s pet. A photo later surfaced showing a young Gracie lying on a couch with two children, posted as a “missing dog.” She had been seen dragging a chain with a choke collar, likely tethered and escaping. When her original family tried to catch her,

When four blue tick hound puppies were safely trapped last week, there was still one small soul left behind. A single puppy alone in the woods. Tippy had watched every one of her siblings disappear into the trap. Because of that, she no longer trusted anything near the feeding area. The only person she trusted was the caretaker who had been feeding her, her siblings, and their mother since they were born. For five days, team members Debbie, Beth, and Ashley returned to the ar

On a hot day in July, one man’s life changed in an instant. His dog, Chief—his companion, travel partner, and best friend—jumped out of his transfer truck with his leash still attached and ran. Despite desperate searching and going door to door, no one had seen Chief. His owner eventually had to return to work, heartbroken, with an empty passenger seat beside him. Weeks later, a nearby homeowner reported a brown bully mix coming onto their back patio to eat cat food. It was C

Pickens County Animal Control contacted Anakin’s Trails about a litter of older blue tick hound puppies roaming in the woods behind a woman’s property. Their mother had given birth multiple times before, and this litter had never been safely caught. We were asked to assist, and of course, we said yes. Team members Debbie and Beth met with the caretaker who had been feeding the puppies daily. A plan was created, and a humane trap was set up ahead of time so the puppies could b

When we see a dog in that condition, we know that every day has been a battle for survival.

MIA WAS CHIPPED! Her family had been searching for her for two weeks. 

A huge THANK YOU to Alyssa, Rachel, and the residents of the Gastonia community who never gave up on this incredible dog.

🚫 No more being dumped and forgotten.🚫 No more searching for food.🚫 No more pain.

Now, she’ll get to chase balls with her Aussie foster siblings instead of running for her life.

The reports confirmed our worst fear: this wasn’t an accident. Someone had left him to die—a slow, painful death.