Border Patrol Search Dog Lost, Found

[Captain Crunch]

I think this falls under the heading of a "human interest topic", if not, moderators feel free to move it. This has been in the news locally for a couple of days.



Eddie’s OK: Search dog found safe
Posted: Friday, Oct 20, 2006 - 1205 am MDT




By CHERY SABOL

The Daily Inter Lake

Eddie was back on duty Thursday.

The U.S. Border Patrol dog — that gave in to his instincts Monday and chased an animal in the Trail Creek area of the North Fork — was the subject of a search and lots of concern by people nationwide after Eddie failed to return to his agent handler.


On Wednesday evening, the dog was found just three-quarters of a mile from where he gave his handler the slip. His leash was tangled in brush, trapping him in the woods.

His handler and three other agents were searching, 10 yards apart from one another, in dense brush on a steep slope when they heard a “woof,” said James Bunner, a supervisor at the Border Patrol station in Whitefish.

“It was quite a tearful reunion,” Bunner said. “I didn’t know German shepherds could cry.”

Support for the agency and Eddie has been “absolutely overwhelming,” Bunner said.

Messages came from as far away as Great Falls, where one resident was positive he had seen the dog. Someone from Lakeside sorrowfully reported seeing an animal hit by the road that might be Eddie.

Bunner was able to tell her by then the dog had been found. A psychic also weighed in with an opinion on where Eddie might be.

Eddie’s tale was reported as far away as the Boston Globe newspaper, Bunner said.

Trained in narcotics detection and human tracking, Eddie is an investment in breeding and training for the Border Patrol, but he was clearly more than that to the people who were worried about him.

He went to a veterinarian after he was found and got a clean bill of health Wednesday night.

“The vet said that other than the fact that he was a little hungry, he was OK,” Bunner said.

Eddie was back on light duty Thursday with his very grateful handler, whom Bunner described as “the happiest agent” working for the patrol this week.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[P95Carry]

A true happy ending there.

Those dogs are so smart it is hard to believe and they are a huge asset - not something to be willingly lost.

[havegunjoe]

I love a happy ending, especially if it concerns a dog.

[Captain Crunch]

Yeah, definitely a happy ending, and lucky, too. Lots of predators like grizzly bears, mountain lions and wolves in this area. With his lead tangled in brush, Eddy was basically defenseless.

It's too bad the on-line version of this story didn't include the photo of Eddy that was in the print version. He has the most beautiful black and tan markings I've ever seen on a German Shepherd dog.

[retsupt99]

I'm a dog lover too!

ret

[osanmike]

Glad he was found OK