Local Couple’s Dedication Saves Stray Dog
Marshfield, WI (OnFocus) After at least 11 weeks of being on the run, one local Labrador mix is now safe and warm, thanks to the efforts of a passionate animal rescuer and the support of the business community on Marshfield’s east side industrial park.
Megan Jasurda first learned of the lab while searching for another missing dog, Canella.
“We kept getting reports that Canella was hanging around near Weiler Convenience Store, Premier Printing, and Nelson Jameson area on East 4th Street, but the description didn’t fit,” said Megan. “We soon realized this was a different dog that apparently had been hanging around for a while.”
After learning that a stray dog was in the neighborhood, employees of the businesses in that area were eager to help.
Steve Manier, who works at Carbo Ceramics, said staff first started seeing the dog a few weeks before Thanksgiving running around the yard. Advanced Disposal staff also reported that the dog appeared to be living in one of their large empty compost containers.
Kelly Weiler, owner of Weiler Convenience Stores, provided assistance by helping Megan to set a large live trap in one of their storage sheds, sharing the message on the Weiler social platforms, and monitoring security camera footage for the dog.
“I’m so glad he is safe and warm now. I named him ‘Sneaky Pete’ because of his quirky personality,” said Weiler. “He was fun to watch on the security cameras – you can tell he is very smart.”
Sneaky Pete was too skittish to catch or even get close to. After a large snowfall in early December, Megan was able to confirm the dog’s living area by tracking his paw prints in the snow.
Pete was too smart for the live trap, so Megan and husband, Tyler, built a custom trap enclosure. She set the large live trap nearby and kept it continually stocked with fresh food, water, blankets, and even toys. She visited at all hours of the day and night to try and entice the dog with fresh-cooked hotdogs and other treats. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s all passed without any luck catching the dog.
Megan invested in a Wi-Fi hotspot and remote camera so that she could monitor Pete’s movements and know if he had been successfully enclosed without having to do in-person checks, which after many exhausting weeks allowed her to get some much-needed rest.
Since Pete the lab was known for stealing hats and other random items from Advanced Disposal property, Megan rigged various toys and items so that when Pete pulled them, the door would close. The problem was, Pete was smart enough to not play with those items and continually evaded capture.
As time went on, drivers reported Pete running into busy traffic and volunteers doubled down on efforts to capture him. Megan ordered a special trap online called a “RayTripper,” which would involve a laser triggering a magnetic door. Basically, if Pete crossed the laser’s beam, the door would close behind him. Birds kept triggering the laser and Megan would have to reset the trap, but early this morning it finally worked.
At 3:30am this morning, Tyler checked the trap and Pete was inside. Having survived subzero temperatures, rain, sleet, and other risks of being outdoors, Pete seemed calm and relieved to finally be somewhere safe. Megan is also ecstatic that the dog is now safe and that she can finally get some rest after 11 long weeks of worry.
“I don’t even know what to say,” said Megan. “I’m just so relieved.”
OnFocus will continue to follow this story and provide updates on Pete’s future.
Author: Breanna Butler
Breanna Butler is an award-winning multimedia producer born and raised in Central Wisconsin. She enjoys exploring and writing about the community. She lives in Marshfield with her husband and furry family.
