She’s the resident “escape artist”
Judy the “Jailbreak Queen” Climbs Her Way to Freedom—and Finds a Forever Home
The other day, staff at Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter in Texas experienced something truly unexpected. When a team member entered the kennel room, she was surprised to find Judy, one of the shelter dogs, casually wandering around — completely free, with no open kennel doors in sight. Each kennel was secured by tall metal doors, standing about six feet high, and surrounded by solid walls. Surely, Judy hadn’t managed to climb over the tall barriers?
But the footage told the incredible truth: Judy had pulled off an impressive jailbreak.
Surveillance cameras showed Judy expertly scaling the six-foot metal door, using the crossbars as footholds. For a brief moment, she balanced on the narrow doorframe like a tightrope walker before hopping gracefully down to the floor.
“There’s crossbars,” April Peiffer, the shelter’s Community Engagement Coordinator, explained to The Dodo, still shaking her head in disbelief. “She could get footing in order to be able to climb.”
This wasn’t Judy’s first attempt at adventure. The spirited and clever dog, who arrived at Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter earlier in May, had already made attempts to roam free. On another occasion, Judy slipped out into the play yard during cleaning, wandering about and clearly trying her best to make an escape.
“She did her very best to get out of there, too,” Peiffer said with a chuckle. “So we know that she’s all about going on her own walkabouts.”
The shelter staff quickly nicknamed her the “jailbreak queen.” Judy, about two years old and weighing 57 pounds, is also hard to forget due to her striking look—she has two different colored eyes, a rare and captivating trait.
When Judy arrived as a lost dog (shelter speak for a stray), she was in generally good condition but tested positive for heartworm disease. Despite that, her spirit was undeterred—and she made it clear she was “not happy about having been contained.”
After her daring escape, staff moved Judy to a different kennel with a secure cover to keep her from making another bold bid for freedom. But, as everyone who met her could guess, Judy wasn’t the kind to stay still for long.
Finally, on June 3, Judy’s great escape took a turn for the better: she was adopted!
“We’re very happy that her jailbreak has been made into a permanent one,” said Peiffer, beaming with joy.
Now, Judy enjoys life with her forever family—who promise to give her plenty of space to roam, explore, and live out her adventurous spirit.
From a clever escape artist to a beloved pet, Judy’s story is a testament to her determination—and the power of second chances.