Samantha Paulino of Arlington, Virginia, adopted a rescue dog named Autumn from South Korea. Autumn arrived in the United States in September 2023 and showed signs of anxiety and independence. On December 28, 2023, Autumn got spooked during a walk in Virginia Square neighborhood and ran away, despite efforts to catch her due to her speed.
Paulino immediately took action by printing flyers, alerting authorities, and posting on social media. There were sightings of Autumn near Arlington National Cemetery, but she remained elusive. In early February, a military band member named Katie spotted Autumn at Fort Myer, an Army post, and helped post flyers.
The Animal Welfare League of Arlington (AWLA) got involved and tracked Autumn’s patterns to set up traps. After six months of observation, Autumn was finally captured on June 11 using a “trap inside a trap” method. She spent the night at AWLA to decompress before reuniting with Paulino on June 12.
Despite being on the run for months, Autumn was checked by a vet and found to be in good health. Paulino is working with AWLA to help Autumn transition back to a domestic life. Autumn now wears a GPS tracker and will be double-leashed on walks to prevent another escape.
The process of capturing Autumn was challenging, but the efforts of Paulino, AWLA, and the military community at Fort Myer paid off. Autumn’s story is a testament to resilience and the power of community in reuniting lost pets with their owners.