A dog sighted as far back as last summer was finally rescued last Saturday and taken to safety at Clark County Humane Society.
The dog was living under an unoccupied trailer in the Township of Sherman in Clark County. Rescuer Robin West first learned about the dog from a friend in mid-February and went out that night to look for her, finding signs of habitation but no dog.
“I came back to work, borrowed a shovel, picked up some cheeseburgers, and went back to the trailer. I shoveled out a trail and around the porch area,” said West. “I stayed for a bit and left her the cheeseburgers.”
West returned the next day and was happy to see the cheeseburgers had been eaten and continued to leave dog food every day for two weeks, driving up from Stevens Point on her days off. Unable to catch the dog, she reached out to Megan Jasurda, Volunteer Lost & Found Coordinator at Marshfield Area Pet Shelter (MAPS), on Feb. 26.
“I felt hope once I was introduced to Megan. I knew we would be able to finally rescue this wonderful dog,” said West. “The day Megan contacted me with the news she was caught – it really was the best news!”
A “sighted” post on the MAPS Facebook page revealed in the comments that the dog had been spotted a mile or two away from the trailer. It’s unknown when the dog started calling the trailer her home.
Jasurda contacted Clark County Humane Society to ask if there were any missing pets matching the dog’s description and made plans to bring the dog there after setting a humane live trap baited with rotisserie chicken & hot dogs.
“My husband and I had planned on hanging out there to watch the trap so she wouldn’t be stuck in it waiting for us for very long,” Jasurda said. “She surprisingly went in within 10-15 minutes after setting.”
The trapped dog resembled a small, sandy teddy bear with lots of mats and burrs. Though scared, the dog’s growls were not vicious and within half an hour she started cautiously eating chicken out of Jasurda’s hand. The only hiccup in the operation was that the vehicle became stuck in the snow and they had to be pulled out by her uncle.
“About an hour later she was set up in her new kennel [at CCHS]. She settled in there quickly, ate a bit a kibble, gave a little wag of her tail and laid down for some much-needed rest,” Jasurda said.
“I am so thankful to Megan and her husband for everything they’ve done. I know she’s going to be well cared for at Clark County,” West said. “Whoever adopts her will be blessed with an incredible dog.”
If a lost pet is spotted, it’s important to find out their routine and remember the animal is looking consistent food, water, and shelter. There are resources to help these animals if a person is unable to do so – for instance, private messaging the MAPS Facebook page with details.
“Do not give up on your missing animal. Dogs and cats have incredible survival skills,” said Jasurda. “If your pet goes missing, please reach out to us. We will post as missing and give many tips to help get your pet back home. Please remember to spay, neuter and microchip your pets!”
Dog rescues like this are all in a day’s work for MAPS staff and volunteers. Donations to help with day-to-day operations can be made by visiting www.marshfieldpetshelter.org/donate. Volunteers are always welcome.
Author: News Desk
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