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Do IT this week: Layering
By Kathy Antoniotti
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 10:22 p.m. EST, Nov 18, 2009
Friday the 13th was a lucky day for a local dog who found her way home three months after being lost and alone in the woods four states away.
John and Kathy Dunbar of Firestone Park called their 2-year-old Maltese/poodle mix ''the ghost dog.'' Not only did the 10-pound Mindy have white fur, but she also often slipped in or out of a room unnoticed.
The couple believes that's how her absence went unnoticed on a trip to Maine in August. But they also credit her ability to move quietly with helping her stay alive for more than 90 days in a Massachusetts woods, home to such predators as bears, coyotes and cougars.
''We stopped for a bathroom break on the Mohawk Trail. My husband thought I put her in the car, and I thought he did,'' Kathy Dunbar said Tuesday.
An hour later, they realized she was not in her bed in the back of their Jeep. They retraced their route and spent the next six hours searching for her.
Eventually, the Dunbars had to continue on their way to see John Dunbar's brother, Michael.
''My brother was ill. We really needed to get there,'' he said.
The next day, they called shelters and rescues groups throughout the area asking them to be on the lookout for Mindy.
The Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society in Leverett made a notation of the call along with Mindy's description.
On the return trip, the couple visited police and fire stations in the area and dropped off business cards in their search.
After they got home, they continued their search online.
They turned to an Internet pet search site called http://www.AmberPetAlert.com, taking the name of the national child alerting system for missing children.
''We find dozens of lost pets each week,'' Mark Jakubczak, president of the company said Tuesday from his office in New York.
But as Mindy got farther down on the list, the couple gave up hope of finding her.
''On Friday, we got the call that she might have been found,'' John Dunbar said.
The local Humane Society took a call from a family that had found a dog that matched Mindy's description. But the photos of the dog they e-mailed the couple hardly resembled the dog they lost.
Martha King-Devine, an adoption counselor, looked up Mindy's photo on the Web site and thought the emaciated animal had similar characteristics — nose color, shape of the eyes and one ear that drooped a bit more than the other.
She called Kathy Dunbar.
''I told her not to get her hopes up too high, but someone had called us and said they found a dog matching the description. She burst into tears,'' King-Devine said.
On Friday, 25 miles from where Mindy was lost, Steve Albertson and his 12-year-old son, Tye, were walking along the Connecticut River. The pair usually takes their weekly forays on Saturdays, but because Albertson's wife and Tye's mother, Carol Carlson, had just been released from the hospital, Albertson took the day off to spend time with their son, who is autistic.
The pair was near a boat ramp when Tye found the bedraggled, starving dog.
''There was this little dog running around in circles. She was blind and tripping over things and falling down,'' Albertson said.
The dog couldn't see because its eyes were covered with matted fur.
He scooped up the flea-ridden dog and took her to the nearest animal hospital, where veterinarian Lisa Underwood of Pioneer Valley Veterinary Hospital in Greenfield volunteered to check to see if the dog had a microchip to identify her owners.
Underwood, who lived in Wadsworth as a child and graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine at Ohio State University, said she had no idea the little dog Albertson brought in a pink plastic milk crate was also from Ohio.
''I saw this little white matted ball of a head. I pulled underneath the matts and started cutting them away. I couldn't stop myself,'' she said.
''When I finished, she was 30 percent the size. She was so tiny, I was in awe.''
Underwood figures Mindy stayed alive eating bugs, grubs, plant matter and garbage. She weighed only 4 pounds.
''She worked for three hours on her,'' Albertson said.
Underwood sent Albertson on his way with food and instructions to give her exactly one teaspoonful each hour so Mindy wouldn't get sick.
She didn't charge Albertson a dime for the unscheduled visit.
Tye, who usually exhibits a fear of dogs, seemed to like the little stray. The couple began thinking that they might have acquired a pet.
''He's paranoid if a dog barks and more so if the owner yells for it to be quiet,'' Albertson said.
But first, Carlson said, they had an obligation to look for the dog's rightful owner.
''We can't just claim this dog. We have to try to find her people,'' Carlson said.
She called King-Devine at the Humane Society, who started looking through the lost notices.
''The only dog with her description was lost three months ago. But when they said she liked to watch television, I knew it was her,'' Carlson said.
When the Dunbars retrieved Mindy at the Albertson's home Sunday, they gave Tye money and told him he could visit the shelter and get a dog of his own.
On Tuesday, Carlson and her son took the money and donated it to the shelter.
Maybe someday, Carlson said. But not until they find another dog like Mindy.
Kathy Antoniotti can be reached at 330-996-3565 or kantoniotti@thebeaconjournal.com.
Friday the 13th was a lucky day for a local dog who found her way home three months after being lost and alone in the woods four states away.
John and Kathy Dunbar of Firestone Park called their 2-year-old Maltese/poodle mix ''the ghost dog.'' Not only did the 10-pound Mindy have white fur, but she also often slipped in or out of a room unnoticed.
The couple believes that's how her absence went unnoticed on a trip to Maine in August. But they also credit her ability to move quietly with helping her stay alive for more than 90 days in a Massachusetts woods, home to such predators as bears, coyotes and cougars.
''We stopped for a bathroom break on the Mohawk Trail. My husband thought I put her in the car, and I thought he did,'' Kathy Dunbar said Tuesday.
An hour later, they realized she was not in her bed in the back of their Jeep. They retraced their route and spent the next six hours searching for her.
Eventually, the Dunbars had to continue on their way to see John Dunbar's brother, Michael.
''My brother was ill. We really needed to get there,'' he said.
The next day, they called shelters and rescues groups throughout the area asking them to be on the lookout for Mindy.
The Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society in Leverett made a notation of the call along with Mindy's description.
On the return trip, the couple visited police and fire stations in the area and dropped off business cards in their search.
After they got home, they continued their search online.
They turned to an Internet pet search site called http://www.AmberPetAlert.com, taking the name of the national child alerting system for missing children.
''We find dozens of lost pets each week,'' Mark Jakubczak, president of the company said Tuesday from his office in New York.
But as Mindy got farther down on the list, the couple gave up hope of finding her.
''On Friday, we got the call that she might have been found,'' John Dunbar said.
The local Humane Society took a call from a family that had found a dog that matched Mindy's description. But the photos of the dog they e-mailed the couple hardly resembled the dog they lost.
Martha King-Devine, an adoption counselor, looked up Mindy's photo on the Web site and thought the emaciated animal had similar characteristics — nose color, shape of the eyes and one ear that drooped a bit more than the other.
She called Kathy Dunbar.
''I told her not to get her hopes up too high, but someone had called us and said they found a dog matching the description. She burst into tears,'' King-Devine said.
On Friday, 25 miles from where Mindy was lost, Steve Albertson and his 12-year-old son, Tye, were walking along the Connecticut River. The pair usually takes their weekly forays on Saturdays, but because Albertson's wife and Tye's mother, Carol Carlson, had just been released from the hospital, Albertson took the day off to spend time with their son, who is autistic.
The pair was near a boat ramp when Tye found the bedraggled, starving dog.
''There was this little dog running around in circles. She was blind and tripping over things and falling down,'' Albertson said.
The dog couldn't see because its eyes were covered with matted fur.
He scooped up the flea-ridden dog and took her to the nearest animal hospital, where veterinarian Lisa Underwood of Pioneer Valley Veterinary Hospital in Greenfield volunteered to check to see if the dog had a microchip to identify her owners.
Underwood, who lived in Wadsworth as a child and graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine at Ohio State University, said she had no idea the little dog Albertson brought in a pink plastic milk crate was also from Ohio.
''I saw this little white matted ball of a head. I pulled underneath the matts and started cutting them away. I couldn't stop myself,'' she said.
''When I finished, she was 30 percent the size. She was so tiny, I was in awe.''
Underwood figures Mindy stayed alive eating bugs, grubs, plant matter and garbage. She weighed only 4 pounds.
''She worked for three hours on her,'' Albertson said.
Underwood sent Albertson on his way with food and instructions to give her exactly one teaspoonful each hour so Mindy wouldn't get sick.
She didn't charge Albertson a dime for the unscheduled visit.
Tye, who usually exhibits a fear of dogs, seemed to like the little stray. The couple began thinking that they might have acquired a pet.
''He's paranoid if a dog barks and more so if the owner yells for it to be quiet,'' Albertson said.
But first, Carlson said, they had an obligation to look for the dog's rightful owner.
''We can't just claim this dog. We have to try to find her people,'' Carlson said.
She called King-Devine at the Humane Society, who started looking through the lost notices.
''The only dog with her description was lost three months ago. But when they said she liked to watch television, I knew it was her,'' Carlson said.
When the Dunbars retrieved Mindy at the Albertson's home Sunday, they gave Tye money and told him he could visit the shelter and get a dog of his own.
On Tuesday, Carlson and her son took the money and donated it to the shelter.
Maybe someday, Carlson said. But not until they find another dog like Mindy.
Kathy Antoniotti can be reached at 330-996-3565 or kantoniotti@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
brooklyn, NY
Posted 10:49 PM, 11/18/2009
AmberPetAlert - http://www.AmberPetAlert.com
brooklyn, NY
Posted 10:50 PM, 11/18/2009
Check out AmberPetAlert at http://www.AmberPetAlert.com
brooklyn, NY
Posted 10:51 PM, 11/18/2009
AmberPetAlert.com
kent, oh
Posted 11:13 PM, 11/18/2009
awwwwwe... warm and fuzzy
Stow, OH
Posted 01:52 AM, 11/19/2009
With all of the sad stories you hear about this one was a feel good, tear jerker with a happy ending. I'm so happy for that lil dog and can't imagine how emotional the owners are for getting her back home. Mr. Albertson, the Vet, and all involved in helping this pet return to it's home should be profoundly praised. There are still good, compassionate people left in this world, thank God.
Eastlake, oh
Posted 05:46 AM, 11/19/2009
That's a great uplifting story in a world full of bad news. Now bring on the sarcastic and angry commenters, LOL.
Akron, Oh
Posted 07:29 AM, 11/19/2009
Wow, very nice story...good to see something positive on the front page...
Posted 08:11 AM, 11/19/2009
As happy as I am that this dog was found safe and sound, I'll never get why people think they have to take their pets with them everywhere they go. When I travel, my pets are safe at home and being cared for. I would never take such a risk.
Akron, OH
Posted 08:24 AM, 11/19/2009
Such a wonderful story - great to hear of a happy ending!
Not Akron, OH
Posted 08:34 AM, 11/19/2009
Awwwwwwesome!
Barberton, OH
Posted 08:37 AM, 11/19/2009
Sometimes its nice to take your pets with you when travelling. You just need to be responsible when travelling with them. My dog loves to go camping with us but he is NEVER off a leash or chain when we are at the campgrounds unless he is in the trailer with us. If you keep your pet leashed when its outside you'll always know where the pet is at. I'm glad to hear this turned out well for the pet and family.
Double Post Apology.
Canal Fulton, Oh
Posted 08:44 AM, 11/19/2009
Its amazing how dogs can thrive on their own like that..Great story,even tho I was thinking they were going to let him keep the dog,but still a good story.Glad you got your pet back.
Akron, OH
Posted 08:45 AM, 11/19/2009
Ok, this is a nice feel good story. I like reading these.
But one question...since when do cougars live in the Massachusetts woods? I don't think cougars have lived there since the 1600s or early 1700s. (see third paragraph)
Northeast, oh
Posted 08:51 AM, 11/19/2009
Only thing that would of made this story better is if they would of let the Autistic boy keep the dog.
Canal Fulton, Oh
Posted 08:54 AM, 11/19/2009
@Sunnygirl....I agree,thats what I actually thought was coming up in the story.
@Johnsmith,just talked to my cuz in Mass,and yes believe it or not they are there.
Akron, OH
Posted 09:05 AM, 11/19/2009
Ah, thank you Peebs. I just checked the Waterman and Hill-Traveller's Companion and it indicates cougars are suspected to have roamed back into Mass., although this hasn't yet been confirmed with physical evidence.
I wish cougars would come back to Ohio. Then maybe I'd have a date Friday night.
Oh wait. Wrong type of cougars.
Posted 09:09 AM, 11/19/2009
What a great story!
Canal Fulton, Oh
Posted 09:10 AM, 11/19/2009
lol!!!!
Green, Ohio
Posted 09:29 AM, 11/19/2009
johnsmith2009 - That was funny!
What a great story to read.
Here is the web site telling the story of the Cougar and where they are located. Mass. is one them but not too many to worry about probably.
http://www.easterncougarnet.org/
Green, Ohio
Posted 09:39 AM, 11/19/2009
Hey johnsmith2009 - There are plenty of Cougars in Ohio. Unfortunately, with being 44 yrs old, I don't qualify for their interests.
Posted 09:40 AM, 11/19/2009
Wow! Amazing story of a dog's will to survive and the care, compassion and kindness of strangers. It is truly what Thanksgivng is about.
Green, Ohio
Posted 09:51 AM, 11/19/2009
Hey Tom, Very true statement. Ones Thanksgiving - The dogs owners, the people who helped the dog and the people who helped them all find each other again, is a true Thanksgiving.
On the other hand it spoiled the Thanksgiving of the Cougar, Bear and Coyote. Oh well!
Akron, Oh
Posted 10:01 AM, 11/19/2009
What a wonderfull story, so happy for this couple and Mindy.
Akron, OH
Posted 10:06 AM, 11/19/2009
Amazing story :)
Green, Ohio
Posted 10:37 AM, 11/19/2009
CaptE - Boy are you reaching? They clearly indicated that each one thought the other put the dog in the car. They thought the dog was sleeping in it's bed in the back. I think it is a clear mistake and very understandable. Your not funny!
uniontown, oh
Posted 10:56 AM, 11/19/2009
Very nice story.
somewhere near you, US
Posted 11:04 AM, 11/19/2009
Shouldn't the lovely couple be receiving some kind of penalty for neglect? Where's the SPCA at when you need them?
Akron, OH
Posted 11:13 AM, 11/19/2009
Great story.
I hope this situation will encourage others (unlike the Dunbars) to microchip their pets.
The service is cheap (about $15 during most city sponsored events) and can reunite or give closure to families who lose a pet.
Akron, OH
Posted 11:17 AM, 11/19/2009
Looks like a Havanese.
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 11:52 AM, 11/19/2009
This is my family and we were all devastated when Mindy was lost. I watched my parents grieve for their dog, more like family member. Then just when all hope was lost, we got the great news that she was found. They left for Mass 2hrs after it was confirmed that it was Mindy-hardly a couple wanting to get rid of their dog! Those of you who have nothing but mean things to say must be perfect and have never made mistakes. Shame on you. I'm so happy Mindy is home where she belongs and get the TLC she needs!!!
Akron, OH
Posted 12:15 PM, 11/19/2009
Missy S...
You must be new here if you think that the comments you are reading here even begin to approach "nothing but mean things to say".
In the story, the writer never asks your parents 'if you could have done anything different, what would it be' concerning this situation.
Perhaps you can share some "20/20 hindsight" from your parents.
Hudson, OH
Posted 12:18 PM, 11/19/2009
@petlover11 - I missed it - what was the website again? duh
Canal Fulton, Oh
Posted 12:34 PM, 11/19/2009
LOL
Green, Ohio
Posted 12:40 PM, 11/19/2009
Missy, so glad your families dog was found safely and it is quite incredible that it was found at all. Some people like to make jokes and some people are just idiots. It really was a great story that brought a tear to my eye.
Canal Fulton, Oh
Posted 12:59 PM, 11/19/2009
This story brought tears to your eyes? How bout the story where the Dad shoots and kills his son,with his son yelling,No,Daddy,No and the Mom having to watch it? did ya manage to squeeze out a tear there?
Just wondering,not nailing ya on it .
Green, Ohio
Posted 01:13 PM, 11/19/2009
peebs02 - No that one what did not bring a tear to my eye. It made me cry like a baby.
Green, Ohio
Posted 01:15 PM, 11/19/2009
and not tears, just one little tear. Ya know, close to the surface, but small enough that no one saw it. :o)
Green, Ohio
Posted 01:21 PM, 11/19/2009
And too be honest, I did not want to bring the Father killing his own son up on this one, but I have absolutely no sympathy at all for someone molesting a small 3 yr old child. I kind of thought, wow it is sad, but justice was served that day. Who better than to teach you the absolute price for what he did to that little girl than his own father. See, I didn't want to go there, but did.
Medina, OH
Posted 01:24 PM, 11/19/2009
Throw me into the woods for 3 months with a bunch of cougars...roarr!
Green, Ohio
Posted 01:30 PM, 11/19/2009
I can love something greatly and still make a mistake. I have a German Shepherd I love as my as my children. She is a little hard to misplace, because of her size. I guess if it was a child, I might feel differently. I understand where you are coming from and the doubt in your mind, as I think more about it, does leave question as to how they could make such a mistake. However, I still see it as an understandable mistake.
ProChoice, OH
Posted 01:54 PM, 11/19/2009
Awesome story! Glad it worked for everyone & that the little dog is safe!
Green, Ohio
Posted 01:55 PM, 11/19/2009
And Missy, please understand, when you enter the comments section, you enter a mass of Cougars, Lions, Tigers, Alligators and yes idiots, who want nothing more than to tear anything apart the first opportunity they have. In the land of the free, people will agree and disagree and that is a part of the freedom of speech. Don't take it personally.
Cumming, GA
Posted 02:07 PM, 11/19/2009
So glad the dog is back home with her owner - what a heartwarming story!
Akron, OH
Posted 03:34 PM, 11/19/2009
We alsmost always took our dog with us on vacations. And yes, sometimes she got loose. Other times, the dog-related mishaps were just plain funny.
We were camping in Missouri or Tennessee one summer and left the dog chained up at the camp site one evening for an hour or so when we went to a nature presentation at the ampitheater. We returned to discover that our poor hound had been sprayed by one of the many skunks that also made the woods its home.
Try getting skunk spray off a 40 pound dog in the middle of the mountains while you're camping so it doesn't stink up the whole camper. I was 10 at the time, so as I recall, my mom and dad had quite a challenge on their hands. I think a couple baths using Head and Shoulders did the trick though.
Canton, OH
Posted 04:21 PM, 11/19/2009
that's funny johnsmith. my best dog story is the year our daschund tripped my mom on thanksgiving when she got the Turkey out of the oven - luckily both the dog and mom were OK - not the turkey though - and the dog was covered in turkey grease so we had to grabbed her and throw her into the bathtub
Same dog somehow managed to get into a 5 pound box of chocolate one Xmas (it was on the middle of a big table - but we had moved the table closer to the couch to put the tree up - we didn't think the dog could get on the table) ended up eating the whole box of chocolate - getting sick so we spent Christmas trying to clean up after the dog.
mooresville, nc
Posted 04:36 PM, 11/19/2009
@ Deidre Yup Doc's do that. I have one and she is always managing to get into something I thought I had out of her little reach. They are a funny little dog and they also need a lot of attention...=)
Canal Fulton, Oh
Posted 06:22 PM, 11/19/2009
@portagelakesguy,
How refreshing to hear the truth for once!.Thank you for sharing your thoughts:-)
Canal Fulton, Oh
Posted 06:35 PM, 11/19/2009
p.s. I meant truth as a whole,not just coming from you....
WADSWORTH, OH
Posted 08:30 AM, 11/20/2009
MAKE MISTAKE ONCE SHAME ON YOU MISTAKE TWICE SHAME ON ME I NOW THIS DUNBAR WONT MAKE THE SAME MIS TAKE TWICE
Rotonda, FL
Posted 11:11 AM, 11/20/2009
Tell dad to get Tye a Basenji, the barkless dog. I think that's the solution for this little fellow. What a great story!
N. Canton, Oh
Posted 11:55 AM, 11/20/2009
Glad the little doggie made it back home..
akron, oh
Posted 12:01 PM, 11/20/2009
Best story ever!!!!
