Kelly Ripa missing dog Lena caused an emotional stir for the TV couple during a recent getaway, leaving them temporarily heartbroken. On the April 30 episode of Live with Kelly and Mark, the duo shared their frantic experience, sparked by the real-life story of Valerie, a dachshund who astonishingly survived alone on an island for over 500 days.
“I can’t imagine losing Lena even for a moment,” Ripa, 54, told Consuelos, 54, as they recounted the incident.
“We actually did, just a few days ago,” Consuelos replied, launching into the dramatic tale.
Kelly Ripa Missing Dog Lena: The Frightening Mix-Up
During a stay in Palm Springs, Consuelos had taken Lena outside for a bathroom break. Believing she had followed him back inside, he didn’t notice anything was wrong until moments later when Lena was nowhere to be found. Panic set in quickly—especially when they saw the front gate was ajar.
The couple immediately checked the GPS tracker on Lena’s collar, which oddly indicated she was next door. But when they searched the neighboring property, there was still no sign of her. As wind gusts picked up, Consuelos began shouting her name into the air, hoping for a response.
Kelly Ripa Missing Dog Lena: Panic Turns to Relief
Ripa, without her glasses, spotted what looked like a palm frond in the middle of the road and feared the worst—that Lena had been hit by a car. Tears streamed down her face as she rushed toward what she believed was her beloved dog.
Thankfully, it turned out to be just debris. Still shaken and worried Lena had run off or been taken by one of the area’s many coyotes, the couple kept searching. Eventually, they found her curled up safely inside her travel crate—completely unaware of the panic she’d caused.
“That was 10 minutes of absolute terror,” Ripa said, relieved the scare was short-lived. She admitted Lena wouldn’t last a day in the wild: “She has zero survival instincts. She’d probably go up to a lion and think it was a big dog.”
The incident came just months after the couple lost their cherished senior dog, Chewie, in February. Consuelos reflected, “Only pet owners really understand that kind of grief. It’s truly a form of mourning.”
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Source: www.people.com
