Quick Take
- A one-eyed former street dog turned San Francisco into his personal obstacle course, all while animal control officers couldn't touch him. See his great escape →
- The city's animal control agency was stumped, so they called in a specialist with an unconventional playbook. Meet the specialist →
- Jack's weeks-long escape ended up changing the rules for how he'll be adopted, and the reason why might surprise you. Learn Jack's new fate →
Some of us just can’t be contained. The sound of freedom, the call of the wild, whatever you want to call it, beckons a select few of us more intensely than the rest. And while humans may be obligated to their moral and social codes, dogs are purer beings. They know what they want, and they have no problem pursuing it.
One wayward pup in San Francisco is now called Anchovy Jack. A former street dog, Jack has one eye, a heart full of fire, and a fierce desire for freedom. His tales of escape are so impressive that they have grown from mere neighborhood gossip into national news.
The Race Begins
A series of compounding stresses can make us want to break free of our confines. It seems that Anchovy Jack’s breakout began under similar circumstances. A former street dog, Jack was adopted from an East Bay animal shelter into a San Francisco home several weeks ago. Shortly after adoption, Jack endured several medical procedures: he was neutered and had his right eye removed. Perhaps these inciting incidents caused him to break free.
And break free he did. Jack escaped his new home to wander the winding, hilly streets of San Francisco. Over the following days, people spotted him in the Sunset District, then the Richmond, Golden Gate Park, the Marina, and even the Presidio. In short order, Jack covered more San Francisco ground than even the most obsessive long-distance runner.
Good Samaritans saw a lonely, one-eyed dog and tried to catch him. The only problem was, Jack is built for speed and mischief. He wouldn’t let anyone get close to him. Those that did were met with incredible jumps over fences and breakneck escape speeds. Slowly but surely, reports of the pup clogged the communication channels of San Francisco Animal Care & Control (SFACC).
Seeking Help
For several weeks, Anchovy Jack made San Francisco his playground.
©ibsky/iStock via Getty Images
A statement made by the SFACC read, “Reports of Anchovy Jack sightings flooded into SFACC and Animal Control Officers responded to the last reported sighting location time after time. Nobody could catch him.”
Desperate to prevent Jack from facing harm, the agency reached out to an expert. Enter Susan Packer, founder of rescue group K9Reunite and a lost-pet recovery specialist. With a proven track record, the agency knew they could count on Packer to bring Jack in from the streets.
Packer quickly recruited a team of citizen lookouts from social media. Together, they tracked Jack sightings and cross-referenced them with animal control officer reports. Then, she went to the sighting area and waited day and night to respond at a moment’s notice. The plan worked. After a few days, Jack rested his weary paws in one area, just long enough to fall into Packer’s humane trap. The SFACC got the call: Anchovy Jack had been captured.
The Fate of Anchovy Jack
Packer transported Jack to the shelter, where personnel waited with a comfy bed and chew toys. After several weeks on the run, Jack was unharmed and took to eating and resting at the shelter.
However, the animal control officers have learned their lesson. Jack’s time on the run made them appreciate that he needs a home equipped for his activity level. Instead of being put up for immediate adoption, the SFACC will take their time. In a statement, the shelter said, “He needs a foster home with a special rescue group that will allow him to rest and relax before moving on to his next chapter.”
So ends the liberating tale of Anchovy Jack, the one-eyed street dog. At least, until he hears the call of the wild once more.
