Scrim is a wire-haired Westie terriermutt who was rescued from a New Orleans animal shelter in November 2023. He escaped from two homes and remained at large for nearly a year, surviving bullets, a snowstorm, a heat wave, and a hurricane. A "living, panting embodiment of the spirit of New Orleans," his resilience and ability to elude capture became an international news story. [1][2]
Scrim was found in a trailer park. Classified as a stray, he was slated for euthanasia when he was rescued from the Terrabonne Parish Animal Shelter by Michelle Cheramie, the founding director of Zeus' Rescue. In an Instagram post she wrote: "In my 20+ years of rescue, I rarely met a dog so shut down as Scrim. When he was transferred back to us in November, he was like a hairless stuffed animal and so scared that he would just sit terrified in his kennel. I have no idea what happened to him before he got to us, but it could not have been good."[3]
First and second escape, rise to fame, capture and adoption
Dog food and water bowls set out "For Scrim", December 2024.
In April 2024, on his first night at a potential adopter's home in Mid-City New Orleans, Scrim escaped. He became a local celebrity as a result of the missing dog posters plastered throughout the neighborhood, and a social media star as people posted cell phone videos of him running through the city.[4] Scrim spottings were tracked on a google map, and food for him was left on porches. On October 23, 2024 -- after 177 days on the run -- he was apprehended in a parking lot. Although shot by a tranquilizer gun, he continued to run for nine minutes.[1][5]
Following his capture, he was treated for injuries including abrasions, embedded projectiles, and missing teeth. He was placed in Cheramie's custody. Three weeks later, he chewed through the screen on a second floor bedroom window,[6] jumped 13 feet, crawled under an iron fence and bolted.[7][5] Video of Scrim "plunging to the ground, sprinting through a wrought-iron fence and vanishing from view" was widely distributed online. In February 2025, he was captured by volunteers from Trap Dat Cat, a trap, rescue and return non-profit. [8] It was estimated that he traveled 57 square miles (148 square kilometers) while on the lam. [9]
Cheramie decided to adopt Scrim, setting off a custody battle with adopters who were previously selected. It was settled after Cheramie agreed to allow them visitation. [2]
Recognition
Scrim was honored by the New Orleans City Council; a bobblehead was introduced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum;[10] the New Orleans Krewe of Muses had a Scrim-themed float in the Mardi Gras parade, and he was the mascot for a city revitalization project.[11][12][13] A "patron saint of the city," he inspired memes, cosplay,[14] tattoos, murals,[1] children's books,[15] and a public art exhibit. [16] "Scrim" became slang for "hastily leaving somewhere without looking back”. [6]
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