HAYES TOWNSHIP (WWJ) - Its been over a week and a half since a dog became stranded on an island in Northern Michigan, but officials aren't giving up hope in rescuing the animal.
Bob Dodson with the Clare County Animal Control said efforts to save a brown and white merle Great Dane will continue on Thursday after the dog slipped its collar and swam across a canal in Cranberry Lake.
The dog has been on the island for apporximently 12 days, Dodson said. Earlier attempts to capture her were unsuccessful.
“Myself and another ACO went onto the island and were tracking her by using the drone to follow, but after a while she went missing again,” Dodson wrote in an update to social media. “We did not want to push her too hard. As you can see in the picture we do not want to exhaust her to much. It could kill her.”
Dodson said he set up two live traps on the island on Tuesday and the dog was spotted not far from them.
If the Great Dane doesn't fall for the traps, Dodson said volunteers will head out to the island on Thursday to help build a makeshift bridge for the dog to safely cross.
"I called Harrison Lumber and they are going to donate pallets so we can make a better path to an open area on the island where we will set a trap for a few days, fingers crossed," Dodson said. "... she might cross [the] canal and someone will be there to meet her."
Dodson said it's be hard to sleep at night knowing the dog has been out on Cranberry island for almost two weeks.
Moore's Lost K9 Search and Recovery has been coordinating with animal control officers in rescue efforts -- a K9 specialist has been at the site 24/7, they said.
In an update to social media around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, the recovery team said the dog, called Zaria, had been surrendered to animal control by her new owner.
"We are still actively assisting Clare County Animal Control," the company said. "Please remember that this case is being ran by Clare County Animal Control we are there to assist them for the sake of Zaria!"
The recovery team said the dog was caught on camera investigating the large trap last evening.
"At this time we are asking that no one else tries to go to the island, this will only disrupt the trust building that has been done so far," they said.
If looking to help, the rescue team said people can make financial donations to Pay Pal, Cash App or Venmo.
PayPal email address: bmoore9596@hotmail.com
Venmo: Mooreslostk9searchandrecovery@gmail.com
Last 4 of phone: 3821
Cash App: https://cash.app/$mooreslostk9sar
Locally, the team has asked for "smelly" donations, in the form of canned dog food, restaurant scraps or meat for them to prepare for Zaria.
"You can text 231-384-3821 and we will arrange a place to meet," the team said.
Both Dodson and Moore's Lost K9 Search and Recovery asked for continued prayers in hopes of safely recovering the Great Dane from the island.
Related
