Zina walked the streets of Bergen County for nine long months.

A nearly 2-year-old rottweiler mix, Zina the dog escaped from her River Vale home in February. As the winter gave way to spring and then sizzled into summer before mellowing to fall, Zina remained missing.

Through the majority of the year, a group of dedicated volunteers never gave up hope on her, though. The search group, including Lisa Rose Rublack and Lauren Larco of Bloomingdale, at last found Zina in Hackensack on Saturday.

“For sure, I think everybody who helped in this case felt at one point or another defeated,” Larco said, “but Lisa kept the whole thing together.”

"We were determined," Rublack, an active volunteer with the West Milford Animal Shelter, said. "We were pretty dedicated to her."

Zina traveled roughly 19 miles from River Vale to her final destination in Hackensack. She had also been spotted in Paramus, Hillsdale and Washington Township.

The dog’s former owners only had her for five days before Zina got away. At some point during the last nine months, Zina’s former owners decided they “aren’t equipped” to take her back,” Rublack said.

If you like what you're reading, subscribe now for just $5 for the first 3 months

During the first several months of her voyage, Zina was seen in three different towns and didn’t stay in one spot long. For the next three months, she was not seen until someone in Hackensack caught her on video.

The crew set up bait and a cage to try to trap Zina. Once they knew where in Hackensack to look, they had her within two weeks.

Larco said Zina must have been smart to make it on her own.

“She was resourceful and when we got her she looked pretty good,” she said. “I was surprised she wasn’t thinner. She looked relatively healthy.”

One person said they spotted Zina running down the road in Hackensack carrying a dog bed. Rublack said they nicknamed her Zina the Bionic Princess.

"She is jacked," Rublack said. "She is made of a lot of muscle."

Zina visited the vet Tuesday and got the all-clear. She is staying with Rublack for now, but her next stop remains unclear. Rublack said she loves having her around but has a full pack as it is.

The spirited dog could end up in a rescue but if someone has the chance to adopt her down the line, Larco said they'll be getting a great addition to the family.

"She is a sweetheart," Larco said. "We were not sure what to expect when she was finally captured. We approached and she seemed a little bit nervous but very, very sweet."

Email: jongsma@northjersey.com

More local news

Animals:4 other strange animals besides the Mandarin duck that have roamed New Jersey

Bergen:Army veteran from Emerson who fought in Battle of Normandy turns 100

More:10 Bergen restaurants, bars and taverns that offer the best in craft beers