‘It took a village’: Missing Ont. pup found safe through harsh winter in five-month search

Recovered video footage shows Daisy the dog during her five‑month search across Stayner, Ont. (Supplied)

There were winter nights when the temperature dipped below -30 Celsius and most of Stayner, Ont., was fast asleep. In a cold barn, a small group of local volunteers sat silently in the dark, watching a live camera feed and waiting for a pup who had been missing for nearly five months.

Oct. 1, 2025 — The day Daisy vanished from home

On Feb. 20, just after midnight, Daisy, a three-year-old boxer–rottweiler mix, stepped under a drop net and lowered her head into a food bowl. A cord was cut. The net fell, and within seconds, the dog, who had sparked hundreds of sightings and social media shares, was safely secured.

Daisy first went missing from her Stayner home on Oct. 1, 2025.

Her owner, Collin, told CTV News he had been working on his motorcycle in the carport when he noticed the gate door open. Workers at a nearby mechanic shop spotted Daisy on the run and tried to wrangle her in, but she bolted out of fear and eventually disappeared.

‘It took a village’: Months of a never-ending search

A small but mighty team never gave up.

Volunteers with Pawsitive Ground Search, joined by members from Collingwood, the Georgian Triangle Humane Society, and local residents rallied together to find the missing pup.

“Sightings poured in daily,” said Collin. Each encounter brought him hope. “I lived vicariously through people posting sightings of her all over social media,” he said in a phone interview with CTV News.

Daisy, who was bonded to her owner Collin behaved like many lost dogs do, skittish, scared and constantly on the move.

Sue, a volunteer with Pawsitive Ground Search, said Daisy traveled around Stayner — often sticking to familiar routes within the neighbourhood. The team knew where she liked to spend majority of her days but couldn’t track her down.

“Changing a trap location could cause her to vanish from an area for weeks,” said Sue. “We worked hard to keep her safe zone hidden and quiet. Day and night we watched and planned, pivoted when she changed her times and her route.”

Daisy did not like change, she liked familiarity

The trips to replenish her feeding station became whole family affairs.

“Sometimes she’d show up soon after we got back to our cars and left, other times hours later,” Sue said.

Twice daily, volunteers delivered food to keep her strength up through the harsh Simcoe County storms. She found shelter in a nearby barn during the toughest nights, and searchers worked carefully to keep the area quiet so she wouldn’t run away.

There was even a time when Collin recalled coming face to face with Daisy on the street. “I looked her in the eyes, and she ran away,” he said.

“It was frustrating… so many calls… so many close encounters,” Collin said. “I had a little bit of doubt.”

But the community of Stayner never let that doubt become a reality.

Sue said property owners opened their land for trails and cameras. Hoffman’s Meat & European Deli provided food and allowed access to its property.

Rayne Nutrition donated canned rabbit and treats. Pet Valu Stayner brought supplies while residents sent snacks through Daisy’s Amazon wish list.

A young boy named Aidan even helped shovel snow and sang to Daisy during feeding trips.

“It took a village,” Collin told CTV News on Tuesday morning.

Sue said the food was becoming quite costly and all of the donations were greatly appreciated through the search effort.

Feb. 20, 2026 — Daisy reunites with her family and supporters

On Feb. 20, everything changed. That moment of confusion and hopelessness finally came to an end.

A small team set up at the frequently-visited location around 9 p.m. with hopes that she’d come for her usual evening meal. “Sometime around midnight the trail cams went off and the team got into position,” said Sue.

“One second after - the cord was cut and Daisy was secured,” she said. ”The team jumped into action, others jumped in their car to help walk her out. She was put into a crate."

Today, Daisy is back to cuddles and belly rubs, said Collin. She acts like she never even left home. A recent vet visit even confirmed she’s doing well.

For Collin, he said the relief outweighs everything else. For those who braved storms, holidays and endless nights, the outcome is simple — never give up.

Pawsitive Ground Search is a volunteer-based group who actively searches for lost dogs in Barrie, Innisfil and some surrounding areas. Sue said the team that helped retrieve Daisy was made up of roughly 12 members.