A Malvern woman named Karen recently looked across her yard to see a wet, dirty, and freezing cold dog nestled in the flowerbeds, writes Maeve Dunigan for The Dodo. 

She brought the pooch a blanket and a bowl of chicken soup before calling Buddha Dog Rescue & Recovery for help. 

When rescuer Nicole Asher showed up at her home, she was pleased to see that Karen had responded the right way. 

“Not chasing or pursuing the dogs allows them to settle in an area,” said Asher. “Karen calmly and quietly putting out food and leaving her be allowed [the dog] to feel comfortable enough to return.” 

The rescuer brought a kennel trap and soon the sleepy doggie took the bait. Asher and Karen checked the tags on the dog and learned that her name is Ella and that she had been living in a foster home when she escaped. It turned out she had been missing for more than two weeks and traveled 12 miles during that period. 

However, Ella soon made it back to her foster home where everybody was elated that she was safe and back where she belongs. 

Read more about the rescue in The Dodo.