After Nearly Three Years On The Loose—

Wayward Sheltie Returns Out Of The ‘Blue’

By Kendra Bobowick

A homeless Sheltie named Blue that has become a familiar but fleeting sight lately is finally in the care of loving hands.

“I found her at 6 am [Wednesday],” said rescuer and animal activist Karlyn Sturmer. “It’s amazing.”

She is not alone in her surprise and relief at finally catching the small, 16-pound dog in order to help her.

Animal Center of Newtown President Monica Roberto said, “It’s unbelievable.” Ms Sturmer, a volunteer with the center, has engaged in a long crusade to save the dog, said Ms Roberto. Also providing help and support was Animal Control Officer Carolee Mason, who later transported the dog and trap together to the veterinary hospital. Assistance from the public was also critical in Blue’s rescue.

“So many people responded in a positive and concerned way,” Ms Sturmer said. Regarding phone calls to report sightings of Blue, she said, “Those calls were so critical.”

Ms Sturmer is appreciative for all the help she and the center received in their attempt to capture the dog. “I am so happy about all the calls; this is such a humane community and it is so touching,” she said.

The search finally concluded at the Newtown Country Club golf course, the central location for most of the sightings between calls received from many residents including those at the country club, the VFW post, and The Taunton Press.

“At the golf course there is a section of woods where [Ms Sturmer] set the trap,” said Ms Roberto. “They caught a raccoon here and there, but [Tuesday] night they caught Blue.”

Ms Sturmer said, “I had been seeing her there near the trap for a couple of days and when I saw her [Tuesday] by the trap she was trying to dig under it to get at the bait and that’s when I thought she was desperate and hungry.”

Ms Mason said, “Karlyn did a terrific job,” and pursued the dog constantly until she was caught.

When Ms Sturmer first arrived at the trap containing Blue, Ms Sturmer had placed a sheet over the cage to reduce the dog’s stress of seeing people around her.

“I placed a knuckle against the cage and she sniffed while I talked to her,” she said.

Ms Roberto said, “She didn’t show her teeth and just looked timid. We were able to harness her without a problem and Blue responded well.”

“Blue is a terrific dog,” Ms Mason said. “I think she has been running for three years and she just got tired. I think dogs get to that point.”

With the trap secured and the dog calmed, Ms Sturmer, Ms Roberto, and Ms Mason focused immediately on Blue’s well-being.

“Getting her to the vet was a top priority,” said Ms Roberto.

Although Blue was healthy enough in appearance, and shy rather than aggressive toward the women, she had complications explained Ms Roberto.

“She is riddled with ticks, but healthy if you can believe it,” she said.

Later in the morning following the veterinary visit, Ms Sturmer spent time scouring the dog for ticks, noting that she was “covered with them, and fleas.” She was headed back home to care for Blue who also carried a faint scent from a skunk. She hoped that a little care and flea and tick treatment would be a good start for Blue, she said.

Awaiting results from the vet visit, Ms Sturmer said, “Hopefully we’ll find out that she’s healthy.”

Blue’s temperament is good, and she is not aggressive or overly afraid, both Ms Roberto and Ms Sturmer agreed.

“She is letting me handle her and pick her up,” said Ms Sturmer.

In the summer of 2003 Blue, who had been adopted by a Newtown family from her Pennsylvania home when she was a little more than a year old, ran away within three days of being in town. Since then she has been eluding rescuers.

The family that had initially adopted Blue in 2003 “was heartbroken” when she first got loose. The family searched for months unsuccessfully, said Ms Sturmer.

Blue’s perseverance and survival without a home is an “amazing, amazing story. She was presumed dead,” Ms Roberto said, until [Ms Sturmer] saw the prints.”

Blue will most likely not return to that family, but will eventually need caring home, she said.

Blue’s Travels

Blue’s story appeared in The Bee in mid-April. Since then the volume of calls and tips to the Sheltie’s whereabouts increased.

Blue’s story starts nearly five years ago in Pennsylvania.

According to the dog’s bio, “Blue’s life has been a tragic one. She was born in Pennsylvania in a puppy mill, known for overbreeding animals to maximize profits. She was kept confined in a cage for the first year and a half of her life to produce litter after litter of ‘product’ for her owner. When the breeder abandoned her, a Sheltie rescue group in western Pennsylvania took her in.

“Because Blue (known then as Blueberry) had very little human contact, she went into foster care with a family experienced in undersocialized dogs. After countless hours of training and several months later, Blue’s foster mom thought she was ready for adoption and an opportunity came in the form of a Newtown woman who already owned a Sheltie and wanted a companion for her pet. She found Blue on a breed rescue website, applied to adopt her, and drove six hours to pick her up.

“Blue was in Newtown for only a couple of days when she accidentally got loose. A search party was set up, and for the next few months many people searched without success for Blue. Readers of The Bee may remember an article about Blue in June 2003 describing the efforts to locate her.

Fast forward to March 2, 2005. Karlyn Sturmer, an animal rescuer and volunteer for The Animal Center, was filling food and water dishes at an established feral cat feeding station in Newtown when she noticed canine tracks in the snow…”

Since the story of Blue came out in The Bee last month, The Animal Center has received dozens of calls from Newtown residents about sightings of Blue and offering help in the search. Many residents provided financial assistance for the equipment needed to help catch her. The center’s volunteers, including Ms Sturmer, stress that the generosity of animal lovers in the community made it possible to purchase the trap and ultimately rescue Blue. Ms Sturmer said that perhaps, “Blue is tired of running and relieved to be captured.”

The Animal Center has supported Ms Sturmer’s efforts to catch Blue, and has funded her efforts including buying the trap and the visit to the veterinarian’s office.

Ms Roberto would like to recognize the donors who contributed funds to purchase the trap and thank the many people who called with sightings of Blue as well as the staff at the Newtown Country Club where the trap was set. The donors for the trap are Marilyn and Gene Rosen and Jean O’Keefe of Newtown, and Stamford residents Michael and Claudia Wolff.

She thanks the people who responded to her appeal for the trap, to the people who called in sightings of Blue, and others for their help, she said.

In past weeks the Animal Center of Newtown members had nominated Ms Sturmer for the Animal Rescue award distributed by the Red Cross because of her dedication to the center, her local efforts to help animals — feral cats particularly — and her multiple trips south to participate in Hurricane Katrina animal victim rescues. She received recognition several weeks ago during a Red Cross awards breakfast.