Teddys story is a miraculous tale of survival!
This past week I was contacted by a woman named Lucy Evans who spotted a dog running from the median on interstate 84, crossing over to the Eastbound side in Middletown, NY. My friend Becky, the director of Pets Alive also contacted me regarding the same dog, asking if I could help.
After doing a bit of research we found out this dog had been running route 84 for at least two weeks. The state police said there were sightings between mile markers 22-26. He was skin and bones with a severe limp, possible broken leg. Even on three legs he was fast and eluded any capture attempts.
Wednesday there was another sighting. He was now running on the west bound side of interstate 84, four miles from the last sighting. The woman and a state trooper gave chase but he once again disappeared under a chain link fence.
When I got to the area of the last sighting this morning, I spotted fresh tracks, these were not from two days ago, these were new and definitely dog prints. I followed the tracks for over a mile in the snow leading me to a farm where low and behold he was hiding a big open barn. The owner of the farm said he had been on their farm for two days but they couldn’t get close. I quickly set a trap and within minutes he smelled the yummy rotisserie chicken and made his way out of the barn and into the safety of my trap.
We rushed him to Catskill Animal Hospital where he was scanned for a chip and to our amazement we heard that beep… HE HAD A MICROCHIP!!!!!! After a little research and digging, the contact info for the owners were found. The family was screaming and crying with joy, they never thought he could have survived
His name was Teddy, his story began when his new adopters saw him on Instagram. He was at a kill shelter in California, scheduled to be euthanized. They adopted him without ever meeting him. The husband flew there to get him and then drove across country from CA to D.C. He was with his new family for less than a month before he ran away in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania on June 19, 2021. They tried for months to find him to no avail.
Teddy travelled approximately EIGHTY MILES to NY in the course of seven months before his capture today.
I hope that Teddy’s story will be in the hearts and minds of all who still have lost dogs out there to NEVER GIVE UP!!! They can and will survive.
His story is a true testament to the importance of microchipping your pets and keeping the information up to date. Without a microchip this reunion may not have been possible.
Teddy’s family will be driving from DC to pick him up tomorrow.
Thank you to Lucy, Kerry and Becky Tegze at Pets Alive for calling and Melanie my friend and Wallkill ACO who met me today to help bring him to safety and the NY State Troopers.
We are waiting for an update from the vet on his condition and we will keep everyone posted on our miracle boy.
