I actually started with the original Plugs in 2019 (my first Wyze products; I didn’t get my first Wyze camera until 2023), and several months ago I went through the ordeal of setting one of them up again after it went offline. I think you’re doing the right things. One other thing I’d suggest is moving the Plug closer to the source of your LAN’s Wi-Fi signal, if that’s possible. When I set mine up, I took it to the same room as the Internet gateway so it was only a few feet away.
Your post raises an interesting point, though: If you had to sacrifice a small woodland creature, then which would it be?