Dog Lost For 10 Months Is Home: The Remarkable Rescue Of Chewie

MARLBOROUGH, MA—A small, black cairn terrier mix named went missing from her home more than ten months ago, and with a dedicated team of searchers, a loving family, sighting tips and methods to find an animal, Chewie is home with her family.

The massive recovery effort, which involved some slips, validates the pet owners should never give up looking for their beloved family members. Finding Chewie is testimony that holding on to hope is never unnecessary.
Chewie went missing from her home in Bolton on June 5 of 2017. Her family heartbroken, there were signs throughout the summer and beyond that Chewie was still out there. Since the skittish girl took off, there were several sightings in the Hosmer Street and East Main Street area of Marlborough.

"She escaped with her littermate, Rosie, when a gate was knocked open by another resident dog," said Karen Hovsepian, a volunteer at Missing Dogs Massachusetts. "Rosie returned home, but Chewie did not. Her owners searched the area, but were not able to find her. This little muppet, as Aimee lovingly refer to her, made her way to the 'Boro' and set up shop in the area behind Price Chopper/Job Lot."

Once, they even had the dog back, caught in a kennel type trap in mid-December only to have someone disrupt the victory by opening the cage and letting her out.

Hovsepian and Kirsten Hirschler of Missing Dogs Massachusetts led the search for Chewie since the beginning.

Originally, no one tied the sightings of the dog to Chewie; most thought it was a stray dog running around. The sighting reports began in July, and the "stray dog" was seen frequently spotted in Marlborough. On Oct. 31, the first trap was set up in the area.

Rescuers were pretty sure it was Chewie running around those parts, nine miles from home.
Missing Dogs contacted the owner, who came to the area with dog's sister. Chewie, Hovsepian explained, was in "survival mode," and won't even approach her owner. She said it is common for those who go missing.

"All they are aware of is food, shelter and safety," said Hovsepian. "Many times, they do not even recognize their owner or anything familiar as they are so deep into staying safe that nothing else penetrates. The longer they are out, the worse it can get. But they do shift back once they are safe."

And on Dec. 13, surveillance showed that Chewie was finally caught in the kennel trap. And someone let Chewie promptly out of that trap. They were back at square one.

"She went in for the roast beef, stuffing and gravy that I had made and placed so lovingly in there hours earlier," said Aimee. "I jumped out of bed, threw on my clothes, called another volunteer, and broke all speed limit laws to get to her trap so I could sit and talk to a very frightened trapped dog while we waited. When I got there, only minutes after Karen's call, I peeked over the embankment and saw that the trap was empty. My heart sank. I thought I was going to be sick. She was gone. Someone had let her out before I arrived. Someone took it upon themselves to release her into the cold where she would remain for another four months."

>>>>>See also: Finding Chewie: Dog Finally Trapped But Someone Let Her Out

There was a core team of four of that worked hard on this case, every day. Hovsepian was joined by Missing Dogs volunteer Kirsten Hirschler, and Aimee Federico and Jessica Frank, who live very close to where Chewie was so were the ones that would feed her every day.

"I live in Billerica so am 45 minutes away and Kirsten lives in Littleton so the drive was not easy to do every day," said Hovsepian. "Deb B, who is another MDM volunteer, was also instrumental in helping us set up the latest trap and helping whenever asked, along with the Directors at MDM who offered support and guidance throughout this whole ordeal."

After Chewie was let out of the trap, rescuers were hoping that if a different style kennel were used in a different location, she may reenter. She'd never go back to that same spot, they knew, because she never ran to that side of the woods again.

Homeowners in the area (Cindy and David) contacted animal control to let them know that Chewie had been frequenting their yard multiple times a day.

"We were restricted in where we could set up equipment," said Federico, "as the property manager of the shopping complex where the woods were that she was living in would not grant us access to use that property any longer to try to get her. We completely took over Cindy and David's yard, and pretty much their lives, for the last 4 months!"

Setting up another style kennel trap baited with everything from prime rib to burgers to chicken and chicken feet, they waited, but Chewie would never go all the way in. Modifications to the trap didn't work either. Lengthening it and camouflaging it backfired; she wouldn't go in."

"Every day was crucial as she was very visible and running through the parking lot of the busy shopping complex," Hovsepian. "She was also being chased by people even though signs were up asking people to please do not chase or feed her."

Consulting with the Animal Rescue League of Boston, Missing Dogs volunteers were running out of safe options. They considered tranquilizing Chewie, but that can be dangerous. Using a drop net can create a hazard, too.
"Missing Dogs Massachusetts ordered a drop net from out of state," said Hovsepian, "and Mike McCann, who is a big greyhound person and past president of The Greyhound Project, had the poles and rest of the set up equipment needed for a drop net. Once I contacted him he came out within hours and began to set up the system."

The drop net is 25 feet by 25 feet and is electromagnetic, held in place using a car type battery. Once the dog is in the middle, a remote is pushed to stop the flow and the net drops.

"The net hanging above her did not seem to bother her," said Hovsepian, "and surprisingly she came out and was eating under the net within 2 hours of us having it set up. That is very unusual. So the next morning we all went out there prepared and hoping that once Aimee fed her breakfast under the net she would come and eat and it would give us a chance to get her. Within three minutes of Aimee putting her food out - she was eating casually under the net and the remote was pushed."

Volunteers ran over to subdue Chewie with a blanket for cutting the net from her and safely into a crate. She was brought to Tufts Animal Hospital in Graton, where veterinarians only found one tick and no cuts or abrasions.

"They were shocked that this dog had been out in the woods for almost 11 months and came out in such amazing shape," Hovsepian. "The owners met us at Tufts and were able to take her home that same day.

"We would like to thank Renee Bartlett, who first notified Missing Dogs Massachusetts (MDM) of this dog being in those woods back in October of 2017, and helping to bait traps in the beginning. To Aimee and Jess who gave up their lives for all these months - got up at all hours to release wildlife, fed her twice daily, shoveled paths for her in the snow and were key in keeping her warm and fed throughout this ordeal - there was nothing they would not do for this dog. To homeowners Cindy and David, we cannot express our gratitude for letting us take over their yard, digging holes, pulling out bird feeders, rearranging their lawn furniture and anything else we needed to do. And to Mike McCann for running right out and getting this drop net set up so quickly and efficiently."

Hovsepian added that thousands of dollars was spent in the rescue effort of Chewie (who even chomped through a rescuers phone when they first got her). You can donate here.

"I hate that she spent all that time out there, alone," said Federico. "I hate that she was cold and wet. I hate that she was scared. But I love that she had all of us looking out for her...protecting her from anyone and anything that we could. I love that she trusted us enough to keep her safe and fed. I love that we were the ones whose voices she heard when her adventure was over. I love that there are people out there, willing to go above and beyond to help an animal in need. While this entire ordeal was exhausting, emotionally draining, and frustrating, I also laughed a lot with my Team Chewie and will be forever grateful for their support and friendship. Knowing that people like them exist in this world, brings me great comfort and it should do the same for you."

Photos via Missing Dogs Massachusetts