Blizzard Helps Bring Long-Missing NYC Dog Home to Owner
It took a major snowfall to finally round up Burt the whippet.
— -- A New York City woman searched for months for her missing dog but it took a snow storm that shut down the city to help find him.
The whippet named Burt went missing in August from his home in Manhattan and as it happens, Fire Department of New York Lt. Dave Kelly first spotted the dog a few weeks ago and had been leaving food out for him, but decided that with the storm coming it was time to trap him so he wouldn't be out in the weather.
Kelly had reportedly seen the dog rummaging for food at night time on the FDNY Bureau of Training grounds for about three weeks, ABC station WABC-TV reported. He began to feed Burt with hopes of getting close enough to grab the dog.
Determined to nab the pooch, late Monday into early Tuesday, Kelly set food inside a dog cage on Randall's Island and managed to capture Burt. He searched online, found a Facebook page entitled Bring Burt Home, and contacted Burt's delighted owner.
WABC-TV reported that following the reunion, owner Lauren Piccolo released the following statement:
"I am tremendously grateful for the efforts of the FDNY to recover Burt. Burt had been running loose in the city for more than five months and managed to evade capture by friends, family and many Good Samaritans. While Burt is a resilient dog, I don't think he would have survived such a fierce storm. The FDNY's efforts were incredible and timely! Burt is resting at home and is expected to make a full recovery."
The latest post on the Facebook page page reads: "After five months, and of course in the middle of a mega snow storm, I get a call from a really nice fireman who has seen a whippet, nightly for 2 - 3 weeks, near the FDNY training facility on Randall's Island. The fireman has been feeding this dog, but only from a distance because if he gets to close the dog runs - really fast. Sound like my guy? Yup. I can't believe you are still out there, Burt!!!!!!!!!! #BringBurtHome."