One morning, Richmond Animal Care & Control staff found Maya standing calmly on the wire-covered roof of her kennel. The 5-year-old husky had scaled the walls, squeezed through a gap near the wall and settled above the enclosure that was supposed to hold her. We were dying laughing and then really wondered how she managed it, shelter director Christie Peters recalled.
The surprise carried a heavier history. Animal control officers had rescued Maya from a yard in Richmond, Virginia, only a few months earlier, in May. A chain was wrapped twice around her neck and had become embedded. Peters said it had caused Maya pain and discomfort.
Yet Peters described her as exuberant, affectionate and eager to engage with people a happy-go-lucky dog who seemed to love life. The climb revealed another part of her personality: Maya could study a barrier and find its weakness.
Staff responded by changing the kennel rather than dismissing the escape as a harmless stunt. They clipped the rear of its cover so it sat flush against the wall, closing the space Maya had used. That practical adjustment mattered because a loose dog can encounter traffic, wildlife or other hazards, while climbing itself can lead to injury.
What Maya’s climb means for a future home
It is impossible to know why Maya climbed out. Dogs may try to escape for different reasons, including insufficient physical or mental stimulation, loneliness, fear or access to a weak point in the enclosure. Best Friends Animal Society recommends first determining both how a dog gets out and what may be motivating the behavior, then pairing secure containment with exercise, interaction, training and enrichment.
For an agile dog, containment should be evaluated from the dog’s perspective. A fence or gate that appears adequate may still have climbable corners, nearby objects that provide a boost, loose latches or small openings. The San Diego Humane Society advises checking that outdoor fencing cannot be climbed over, passed through or dug under. Indoors, crates, sturdy gates and exercise pens can provide different levels of management, while an exercise pen can also create a second barrier around an exterior door.
Those tools are not substitutes for understanding the individual dog. Prospective adopters should consider whether they can provide daily activity, mental challenges, supervision and a secure setup that matches Maya’s demonstrated agility. They should also be prepared to adjust that setup if she identifies a weakness.
Maya’s adoption profile calls for a home without other dogs, with children age 10 or older and an adopter who has husky experience. It describes her as outgoing and energetic, making clear that her ideal placement will require structure and a firm commitment to keeping her safe.
Richmond Animal Care & Control also evaluates prospective matches in person. Under the shelter’s adoption process, household members visit and interact with an animal before staff assess whether the placement is appropriate.
After her kennel climb, Maya moved into foster care. She appeared more comfortable there and stopped trying to escape, though foster placement was never meant to be the last chapter. The shelter continued hoping for a permanent adopter who could appreciate the same quick mind that once put her on a kennel roof and give it a safe place to settle.
Have you ever adopted a dog with a story like this? Share it in the comments.
By Jake Patterson — Freelance feature writer and former animal-shelter volunteer focused on rescue, adoption, and second-chance dog stories.
