It really was an incredible journey.

After more than 10 days covering 100 kilometres of outsmarting traps, breaking leashes and sa国际传媒渋llegallysa国际传媒� crossing the U.S. border into Canada, Barleysa国际传媒檚 one-dog adventure came to a close in Penticton.

The Pyrenean mountain dog cross was finally convinced to take a rest on May 28 in the West Bench area, after a collaborative effort to track him down. Barley had escaped from his foster home in Tonasket, Washington, about 10 days earlier before he managed to make his way across the border.

Jacenda Byer, who runs Petrasa国际传媒檚 Pawdicures, has spent 20 years in animal rescue and was one of the local leaders in the effort to draw Barley in.

sa国际传媒淟ike everyone else, I had seen his story (on social media) and the posts when he crossed into Osoyoos and was following it,sa国际传媒� said Byer. sa国际传媒淢y friend Darren has a drone and was willing to put in some effort. We noticed that he (Barley) was staying around West Bench, so I drove from Kelowna and said, sa国际传媒楲etsa国际传媒檚 do this, letsa国际传媒檚 try to get himsa国际传媒�.sa国际传媒�

Tracking Barley based on sightings shared to social media, Byersa国际传媒檚 friend Darren Sweet spent hours setting up and using his drone for a birdsa国际传媒檚 eye view of the West Bench area.

In the end, it wasnsa国际传媒檛 the drone that spotted Barley, but a local couple who had managed to get the dog to stay in one place with a bit of food.

sa国际传媒淚 went to ask if they had seen this lost dog and can I launch my drone from here, and they said sa国际传媒極h, hesa国际传媒檚 around the cornersa国际传媒�,sa国际传媒� said Sweet.

However, finding Barley was only another part of the challenge. The dog was frightened and despite having been on the run for days, he still had plenty of energy in him.

Byer and her dog, Petra, spent the next several hours making Barley more comfortable with her presence until she could approach him.

sa国际传媒淏arley would not let me close enough to grab his collar. There wasnsa国际传媒檛 a lot of space that he wanted to have humans in,sa国际传媒� said Byer. sa国际传媒淲e used my dog, shesa国际传媒檚 very well trained, and just had her go on the outside of me, away from Barley, back and forth between us and he started to relax.sa国际传媒�

Eventually, Byer was able to snap on a lead to Barleysa国际传媒檚 collar. From there, she continued to calm him down, pulling ticks and burrs from his fur. Despite all this effort, the pup was able to give Byer the slip and run off again. But, the good boy came back.

sa国际传媒淗e really is a remarkably freedom-wanting boy,sa国际传媒� said Byer.

If it werensa国际传媒檛 for a family in West Bench that was able to convince Barley to eat, Byer was certain he would have been much harder to catch.

sa国际传媒淲ithout Cherylsa国际传媒檚 family helping him feel safe in their yard, he wouldnsa国际传媒檛 have stopped, he would have kept going,sa国际传媒� said Byer.

Byer said that she was blown away by how gentle Barley was, even when she was removing the ticks and burrs from around his lips near his teeth, he was calm.

sa国际传媒淗e honestly gave me such relief in my heart when he just laid down for me, it was just like saying thank you,sa国际传媒� said Byer.

Transporting the large working dog would be another task for Byer, who would turn to the Penticton Animal Control team for help.

sa国际传媒淭here was no way with his lack of training and lack of socialization that I was gonna get him in a car, so I called Elizabeth (with animal control) and she didnsa国际传媒檛 hesitate,sa国际传媒� said Byer. sa国际传媒淓lizabeth called in her employee, who was on her day off grocery shopping, and she stopped and came up and helped and between us all, after three hours, we had him in the back of the truck with the tailgate closed on his way home.sa国际传媒�

Barley is now on his way back home where he will have a large acreage to run on and several other dogs as companions, something that Byer is confident he can be happy with.

sa国际传媒淥nce he learns how to trust and that person is his person, hesa国际传媒檚 going to have exactly what he needs.sa国际传媒�