RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – A dog who survived nearly seven weeks lost in the rugged forests of the Black Hills is embarking on the next leg of his fight for survival.
Kirby, who went missing on June 17, 2026, was finally found alive on Monday, August 3, 2026, thanks to a relentless community-wide search effort in Custer. However, the emotional reunion was quickly met with a sobering reality: Kirby was barely alive.
Having endured unimaginable hardships in the forest, Kirby was found severely malnourished, starved, covered in open, infested wounds, and plagued by countless wood ticks. He was immediately rushed to an emergency veterinarian for around-the-clock care…