Kinnick, named after the University of Iowa’s famed football stadium, was rescued by Paws of Hope Animal Rescue in Iowa City, who searched for the pup for the past eight months

A three-legged dog named Kinnick has been found after he went missing for an astounding 246 days in Iowa City, Iowa.

Paws of Hope Animal Rescue announced the joyful news on their Facebook page on Wednesday, which PEOPLE confirmed with the group.

“The moment you all have been waiting for….. KINNICK HAS BEEN RESCUED!” the nonprofit shared.

The post also detailed Paws of Hope Animal Rescue’s 246-day struggle to recover the pooch after he went missing.

According to the rescue, Kinnick disappeared while out on a walk with his owner of two weeks, Anabelle, who had adopted the three-legged dog from Paws of Hope Animal Rescue.

On the fateful walk, something apparently “spooked” the pup, and he yanked the leash out of Annabelle’s hand and raced away. Efforts to find the dog in those first few days turned up nothing, but Annabelle and Paws of Hope Animal Rescue didn’t give up. Soon, there were sightings of Kinnick, named after the University of Iowa’s football stadium, at food bowls set outside for other animals.

In response, Paws of Hope Animal Rescue set out live traps with tempting piles of dog food and steak in an effort to catch the canine, but Kinnik eluded the traps.

“He knew his routes, he knew where the food bowls for other critters were, and he knew not to stay in one location too long, but would venture back, almost seemingly on purpose as if he was trying to throw us off. He didn’t fall for our live traps. He just headed on to a bowl left out for other animals,” the rescue wrote on Facebook.

Eventually, after eight months of trying to secure Kinnick, the rescue learned the three-legged dog’s routine enough to track him down and bring him home.

Paws of Hope Animal Rescue rescue believes the dog kept hiding from those trying to save him because of his traumatic past. The Iowa City-based rescue thinks Kinnick was used as a bait dog in dog fights before his initial return.

“Kinnick has zero trust in any other animals because he sees them as a threat for what they have done to him. Kinnick is also fearful of other people, because humans purposely put him into harm’s way. So when people ask, ‘Why won’t Kinnick just let someone help? Why does he continue to run?’ That is why. And we don’t blame him,” Paws of Hope Animal Rescue wrote on why Kinnick evaded help for so long.

After the “mentally and physically” exhausting 246-day search for Kinnick, the rescue is overjoyed that the pet is back at his forever home where he “loves his current family, and his family adores him.”

Annabelle Lewis, the dog’s owner spoke with PEOPLE about her monumental appreciation for the “selfless” animal rescue group.

“Paws of Hope is an incredible and selfless organization and I feel so lucky to have met them,” she says of the non-profit service. “They spend their own money on gas for traveling, dog food, toys, traps, and cameras. Their work brought Kinnick and I back together and I could not be more thankful.”

Paws of Hope Animal Rescue concluded its celebratory Facebook post about Kinnick’s return with a message to the dog.

“Kinnick, on behalf of the Paws of Hope team, we are hoping you’ve had your fair share of exploring the Iowa City area. You’ve shown us parts of Iowa City as lifelong Iowans, that we’ve never seen. Thank you for the tour. We love you buddy!”

Source: people.com