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Elusive dog rescued after stand-off
Published Tuesday, November 27, 2007
A street-wise dog who had eluded capture by kind strangers since spring was rescued at about midnight Friday after a five-hour stand-off.
The dog is alive and healthy at the Otter Tail County Humane Society, according to director Carol Schaaf.
“After her capture, I told her she’d have a blanket on a heated floor,” Schaaf said. “She’s not aggressive and likes other dogs, but what a time we had trying to get her.”
Melody and Tracy Gentle, two of many people who put out food and water for the skittish canine, spent five hours trying to catch the dog after she ran into an enclosed area.
The couple had gone out for supper and were going to rent a movie but decided first to feed the dog — a black and white female described as a border collie or spaniel.
After she ate, the dog was intently watching something, Melody said, and eventually chased either a rabbit or a cat into a fenced area.
After closing the gate, the couple called Schaaf.
Always prepared with a package of wieners in the freezer — dogs really like hot dogs, she said — she thawed them, added some tranquilizers and headed to where the dog was cornered.
“(Melody and Tracy) tried to get close enough to catch the dog, but it ran and ran and ran,” Schaaf said. “They have more patience than anyone with that dog.”
Perhaps because the dog was so scared, the tranquilizers didn’t appear to work, Tracy said.
“I think they took longer to work,” he said. “I don’t know these things, I’m not a vet, but fear may have played a role,” he said about the apparent failure of the pills to work.
At 12:15 p.m., Melody was finally able to get close enough to get her hand on the dog’s choke chain.
“I was very gentle; (the dog) was very scared and timid,” she said. “I put her head on a blanket and just held her to try and calm her.”
Tracy eventually lifted her into a pet taxi for the ride to the Humane Society.
“She didn’t try to get away,” he said. “She was never threatening; she wasn’t viscous or anything; she didn’t growl. She was just a very cautious dog.”
She had a good night’s sleep, Schaaf said, adding she is real shy, sitting in the back of the kennel with her head down.
“She’ll come around, it’s just going to take a while,” Schaaf said.
When ready, the dog will be adopted out to a good home, she said.
The Gentles are considering whether they want to give the dog a home, Melody said. Whatever they decide, they are thankful the dog won’t have to spend the winter on the run, but are insistent they are not heroes.
“We just did what we thought was right. It was the humane thing to do,” she said.
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Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Posted by mabelsdaisy (anonymous) on November 27, 2007 at 3:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Great job, Humane Society!
Posted by eagle_eye (anonymous) on November 27, 2007 at 5:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Don't they know hot dogs are a big NO NO! Many dogs can't tolerate pork, and eating it can cause serious pancreatitis! Other than that, good job in catching this poor girl. I'd love to see an update on how she's doing a few months from now.
Posted by flippenstick (anonymous) on November 27, 2007 at 7:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Give me a break, maybe they were (all beef) hot dogs. Great job
Posted by chipmunk (anonymous) on November 27, 2007 at 7:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If they were Gentiles they could have pork Hot Dogs, What! ….Oh Gentles….never mind.
Posted by hiqtpi (anonymous) on November 28, 2007 at 9:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
what kind of ridiculous comment is that chipmunk? implying that a certain person might have a certain kind of hotdog? i wish people would quit being so stupid! if you cared to read the story close enough; carol from the humane society brought the "tranquil hotdog". and bless her heart for taking action. and the two "gentle" people for caring enough to feed this little sweetheart to keep her from going too far astray and getting into God-knows-what! rat poison maybe?? (by the way- a hot dog is not going to kill a dog! maybe get the scoots! ) thank goodness she is safe and won't have to endure this winter. i pray she'll make it to a good home and become an indoor lapdog!! i wish i had a big enough house i would add her to my critter family.
Posted by Kurtisishere (anonymous) on November 28, 2007 at 9:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is soo heartwarming. We adopted our dog from the humane society. His name was Happy. He had been in there a long time, and the folks at the humane society didn't have much of a back story on him, except that he was six months old, and a younger person had dropped him off and seemed to be very short with him. At six months old he wasn't house broken and had absolutely no obedience training, but I can't imagine life without him now! He's about two years old now.
Sweetheart is probably just as scared now as she was "on the lam", but at least she's warm, and has food and water, now she just needs love and patience. I really hope someone has the ability to adopt her. They won't regret it!
Big ups to the Human Society!!!!!
Posted by bucksteel (anonymous) on November 28, 2007 at 11:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
hiqtpi - chipmunk has a wry sense of humor, something that is needed on this site. If you don't appreciate that, too bad. Life is too short to be offended by everything.
Posted by lmt (anonymous) on November 28, 2007 at 11:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I can appreciate Chipmunk's comment about hot dogs and Gentiles...thanks for the chuckle :)
Posted by sassica (anonymous) on November 28, 2007 at 11:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think the Humane Society is doing a great job in this communtiy! Keep it up!!!
Posted by chipmunk (anonymous) on November 28, 2007 at 11:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
hiqtpi, it was a joke! If you had bothered to read my post carefully you would have noticed the subtle spelling difference between “Gentiles” and “Gentles” and had you not been so uptight you would have seen the humor in it. However, now that you think I’m such a bad person I’m sure you would not want to sell me insurance, so I’m sure you will understand when I come in next week and cancel my policies.
Posted by Paul (anonymous) on November 28, 2007 at 1:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Relax chipmunk, if hiqtpi did not get the joke she aint going to get you explination either. I think its funny as hell.
Posted by KN (anonymous) on November 28, 2007 at 6:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think I've figured out the confusion here .... you're all assuming hiqtpi is read as "Hi, Cutie-pie", when it makes much more sense as "High & Quite Tipsy". Cut the kid some slack.
Posted by TLRC (anonymous) on November 29, 2007 at 2:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Great Job Humane Society - Sweetheart just needs a good home and Job well done - Glad to have you in town!!
Posted by gumball (anonymous) on November 29, 2007 at 8:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Cool. Using a "dog" to catch a dog. Hey Chipmunk: if I put cold medicine in the hotdogs will the kids get over their colds quicker or just sleep better?
Posted by chipmunk (anonymous) on November 29, 2007 at 10:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not being a medical professional I can only speculate that once cold medicine is injected in to a hot dog it ceases to be a hot dog, It may induce sleep however if kept under your child’s pillow.
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