By james art 
The Forteau family is happy to be safe and sound in their Mini Daschund home, able to survive just two nights in the freezing Southern Labrador desert.
Nine-month-old Gilbert has always had a thing for chasing rabbits, according to his owner Cara Sully, and she thinks the sight of one Tuesday night was enough to send him into a sprint.
After darkness fell on the initial search, Sully said he feared the worst.
“I was sure we weren’t going to find him. He’s too small and it was so cold,” Sully told CBC Radio Friday. “We have a lot of coyotes and wolves around where we are. So I really didn’t think we were going to find him.”
To add to things stacked against Gilbert, there were wind chills of -39 C on Tuesday night, Sully said, along with other wind chills in the -30s on Wednesday and Thursday.
When the sun came out, Surley said community members were ready to help. She estimated that more than 30 people were involved in the search at one point, including the use of several drones and thermal imaging cameras by police.
Gilbert’s stunner with a live trap steak proved successful and the family was reunited on Thursday.
An emotional Kara Sully reunites with Gilbert. (Submitted by Cara Sully)
“We followed his tracks to where he was standing behind our property. And after a while we heard him whimpering,” she said. “Because we got a little closer to the live traps, and then everyone just ran.”
Now back home and getting extra rushes, Sully said Gilbert is acting like nothing happened with no injuries or signs of frostbite.
She theorized Gilbert was able to stay warm in heavy bush because searchers were able to find areas of melted snow where he likely rested on his travels.
And what could he eat? Sully offered one of his favorites – rabbit food.
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