February 04, 2001 By Renee Wheeler
Eagle Correspondent
WASHINGTON -- Mary D. Gerhardt knows firsthand the frustration and fear that accompany the search for a missing pet, as well as the joy and relief of being reunited.
Now she hopes that a new Web site will make the searching and finding process easier for residents of the hilltowns and surrounding communities.
Gerhardt started Berkshire Petwatch about two weeks ago, fulfilling a plan she developed last summer when her black Labrador retriever, Cash, was lost for 13 days.
"We had such a feeling of disbelief and hopelessness and I just don't want anyone else to have to feel that. There is something rewarding about knowing a family and their pet have been reunited," she said.
All-out search
The Gerhardts mounted an all-out search for their pet that included hanging 200 posters as well as distributing handouts with information about Cash to friends and area businesses.
They placed advertisements in local newspapers and asked radio stations to broadcast Cash's description. They also maintained close contact with Washington's dog officer, Victor Breen.
Their campaign to get the word out about Cash was so successful that when Mary Gerhardt spoke with a state police trooper in Windsor during her search, he knew her dog by name and complimented her on the job she had done to make people aware that he was missing.
They found their pet 13 days later, about two miles from the place where he had wandered away. He was thin and a bit hesitant to be approached by people, but he was healthy in spite of his ordeal.
"I stayed in a state of panic the whole time he was gone. He was so sweet and we had visions of something happening to him. I was so frustrated that there wasn't one place where we could reach many people easily with the information about Cash," she said.
'Tips and tools'
Anyone who has lost a pet can give the identifying information to Gerhardt, who will post it on the Web site. Anyone who has found a pet can also post that information. Names and telephone numbers of area dog officers and animal shelters are also noted on the site as well as a "tips and tools" section with suggestions for mounting a successful search for a missing pet.
There is no charge for using any aspect of the Web site, although donations are accepted.
"I think that when you have lost an animal you have enough on your mind. You need someone who will listen to you and help you, and you should not have to pay to communicate with them," she said.
Gerhardt said that it cost her about $500 to launch Berkshire Petwatch. Family friend Diane Gault of New Jersey and Bob Gerhardt provided the seed money. The Gerhardt's neighbor, Marty Packer, set up the Web page.
'Everybody cares'
"I found that when you've lost a pet, everybody cares and wants to help if they possibly can. I really hope that people will check the Web site for lost animals," Gerhardt said.
As of Thursday, one missing dog and two missing cats were listed on the Web site. In bold red letters, the notation "Found!" was printed next to a posting for another lost dog.
Gerhardt asks pet owners to notify her when a missing pet is found so that this information can be added. She does all the postings herself in an attempt to maintain a professional atmosphere. "I want to maintain the integrity of the site and try to weed out any potential pranks," she said.
Anyone wishing to include information must provide Gerhardt with a name and telephone number. Information posted on the site will remain there until the last day of the following month. Information can be resubmitted as often as necessary.
Berkshire Petwatch can be reached at www.berkshire-petwatch.com.
Sunday, September 2, 2001
www.luckydog.com Web site, good Samaritans help family find lost pooch
By Cindy Duby
Eagle Correspondent
HINSDALE -- A journey that could have ended in disaster turned out to be an adventure with a happy ending for Max, a 1-year-old Brittany spaniel, thanks to the Berkshire Petwatch Web site and a few people who cared.
Earlier last month, Max wandered away from his Hinsdale yard in the midst of a terrible thunderstorm, and he was without his identification tags.
Later that day, he was found near the Dalton town line by a passer-by, Darlene Otto of Washington. Otto rescued the dog from the roadside, then contacted Berkshire Petwatch. Lucky for Max, his owners had had him listed as missing on the Web site and a reunion was quickly arranged.
Max's owner, William Pike of Plunkett Reservoir Road, said the episode began Friday, Aug. 3, when his wife, Christine, was out in the yard picking blueberries, along with the two family dogs. Hearing thunder, she called the dogs and headed back to the house. Sebastian, a Lhasa apso, came running out of the woods.
Max did not.
The Pikes put on raincoats and began searching their 56-acre property, calling for Max until it got too dark in the woods to see. They then took their car and searched throughout the area, again with no luck.
"The only thing we could think was that he got frightened by the lightning, hit the road and started running, said Pike. "He had a new, bright-red harness, so he would have been easy to spot. Unfortunately, we didn't have tags on it yet."
On her way home from work, Otto spotted a dog running down Kirchner Road in Dalton and watched as the car behind her nearly hit the animal.
"I didn't know whether I should pick him up or not," said Otto. "But I didn't want him to get hurt. And he looked so forlorn, he was soaking wet, scared to death."
Otto spent about 15 minutes in the pouring rain, trying to coax the dog to come to her.
"I finally said to him, 'Look, you either come over here and I'll help you, or I'm leaving because I'm soaked,' " she said. "He came over to me, I opened the door, and he jumped in the car. I turned the heat on full blast and he curled up in the passenger seat and went to sleep."
Local Web site helps
Although Max had no identification tags, Otto was determined to try to find his owner. She had heard that another Washington resident, Mary Daliet Gerhardt, had established a local Web site for lost pets after losing her own dog, and figured she'd give that a try.
"Since I don't have a computer, I had to call Mary and leave a message, but all in all it only took two days to figure everything out," Otto said. "When I finally got ahold of Mary, she said, 'Wait a minute, I think I have this dog posted.' In an hour, we had Max back with his parents."
The Pikes' daughter Amy had listed Max as a missing pet on the Berkshire Petwatch Web site, along with the description, "liver and white Brittany spaniel with freckles on his muzzle, red harness."
"When I asked the finder if the dog was wearing a red halter, I felt like I had won the lottery," Gerhardt said.
Gerhardt established Berkshire-Petwatch.com in honor of her black Labrador retriever, Cash, who was missing for 13 days last year. Cash was found after a massive poster, phone call and advertising campaign. Ger hardt thought the Web site would make it easier for local pet owners to search for lost pets by providing a central search place.
The Web site was launched on a shoestring, with seed money and expertise donated by friends. Gerhardt updates the site and maintains the service by herself. Included are entries for both lost and found animals, as well as tips on what to do when you lose a pet and links to other local animal resources.
There is no charge for using the service, although donations are accepted.
With contact information from Berkshire Petwatch, Otto was able to make arrangements to meet the Pikes in Hinsdale for a family reunion.
"Max was riding in the front seat with a big smile on his face," said William Pike.
"He was glad to see me, I was glad to see him, and Darlene was thrilled to death that it was a happy ending."
Otto credited Gerhardt's Berkshire Petwatch Web site for the reunion.
"Mary was the person who facilitated the match," she said. "It was Mary's good idea. And, ultimately, her dog Cash was the cause of everything."
Web site was key
Pike agreed that the Web site was key and was grateful that Max had the good fortune to encounter Otto.
"If it wasn't for a real nice person like her stopping and taking the interest and knowing that something was wrong, I probably wouldn't have Max back," he said. "She took the time to contact the Web site, and it all came together. You couldn't ask for anything better -- we got our dog back."
1999-2001 by MediaNews Group, Inc. and New England Newspapers, Inc
