When Cookie the bearded dragon went missing from his Creston backyard, his humans feared the worst: hawks, cats, skunks, poisonous plants, or a tragic encounter with the roadway.
What they didn’t expect is that their "geriatric" lizard would spark a week-long search effort complete with posters, pamphlets, a Facebook campaign, door-knocking, and the help of countless curious strangers.
After 188 hours on the run, Cookie is finally home — sunning himself in his vivarium, munching on worms, and (presumably) bragging to the turtle.
At age 12, he is no ordinary reptile. Adopted through a “friend of a friend who didn’t read her lease properly,” he joined Ilea and Aryn Davidson’s bustling reptilian household — which included Gladys the turtle and another beardie named Lightning.
Cookie's mischievous personality stood out.
“He’s the master champion of reptile hide-and-seek,” Ilea said. “He is always the one that's getting into things. It’s always Cookie.”
So when Cookie disappeared during a supervised sunbathing session in the backyard on May 31 — after barely moving for an hour — the Davidsons knew it was serious.
"We tore up the garden," said Ilea. "I harvested all of the rhubarb because I thought he might be under the leaves. I was pretty sure that he was within 20 feet of us, just really, really well hidden."
After thoroughly scouring the area for hours, the Davidsons still couldn't find him.
The next morning, Ilea was up at dawn, watching for her cold-blooded companion to emerge for warmth. Still no Cookie. That’s when their search and rescue campaign began. They printed posters, posted online to every Creston-area Facebook group, and even handed out pamphlets to dog-walkers and school kids.
“He’s totally unmistakable. He’s orange. He’s my sweet little pumpkin pie,” Ilea said.
There was one vague report of a lizard crossing Vancouver Street , but no inkling of which way he might have gone. Posters were placed everywhere in the area, and Ilea went door to door, begging neighbours to keep an eye out.
While many rallied behind the missing lizard, not everyone was thrilled about a potential encounter. One woman promised to scream if she saw Cookie. Another threatened to grab a shovel.
"He looks like a scary dude, but they're like the golden retrievers of the lizard world. They're just super docile, friendly, and personable," Ilea said.
Fortunately, most people responded with kindness. Some strangers even went looking for Cookie just because they saw one of the Facebook posts. One woman even asked if her dog might be able to sniff him out.
"So many people took time out of their day to go and walk around and look for him," Ilea said.
Still, as the week dragged on, hope began to fade. Then on June 8 — approximately 188 hours since Cookie’s escape — a call came.
Their neighbour spotted the 17.5-inch lizard hanging out in the alley. Thanks to his social media following, she recognized him immediately and ran over to Summit Medical Clinic for help. Staff there had also seen his poster and were quick to grab a box and scoop him up.
Aryn, who was gardening just metres away the entire time, walked over and reunited with the prodigal dragon.
After a warm bath, a hydration check, and some celebratory worms, Cookie settled back into his vivarium and promptly curled up on his favourite tree.
"He closed his eyes and looked so peaceful and relaxed. I think he had a good adventure, and he's happy to be home," Ilea said.
She hopes people understand that reptiles are pets too — and not disposable ones.
"Some people don't get it. They are loving. Like Cookie will snuggle you. He's probably just looking for warmth but still – it's a snuggle," said Ilea.
Even so, bearded dragons and other reptiles are vastly misunderstood and often abandoned or neglected by uninformed owners. They're meant for hobbyists, not children, as they require special care.
As for Cookie? While he's being pampered by the Davidsons, he's also officially grounded.
