BRATTLEBORO — Three days after he jumped from a car during transport, a dog who has captured the attention of a huge swath of the community is still spending his days and nights on the loose while professionals try to bring him in to warmth and safety.
Rudy, a 12-pound, black-with-tan-markings terrier/dachshund mix, escaped on Jan. 15 after a miscommunication between the transporter who had brought him from San Antonio, Texas, and volunteers resulted in his being put in the wrong vehicle.
When someone opened the door to get him out, he sped past the person in the Market 32 parking lot on Canal Street.
On Sunday at 9 a.m., he was spotted around the Oak Grove and Wilson's Woods neighborhoods, but well-intentioned searchers drove him farther afield.
“We're asking people to report sitings to me or Jane [Fitzwilliam] and to figure out where he may be sticking around, sleeping on a porch or under a deck or something,” said Teal Church, who founded Good Karma Rescue in 2007, on Monday.
“We set up a feeding station where he had been seen before,” she said, noting that Rudy has roamed around three neighborhoods in back of Walgreens at the junction of Canal Street and Fairground Road.
On Sunday, “people were going after him and calling him and that pushed him to across Canal Street near the hospital,” she said.
“We have a game cam and feeding station and we can see if it would be him eating,” Church said. “If he's not going to hang out where we have it, we'll find a new place.”
Church had a plea for those worried about Rudy's well-being.
“Don't chase him - even if you're good with dogs,” she urged. “He's terrified and in flight response right now, so we need to get him to a calmer head space.”
After being spooked by those trying to help on the night of Jan. 16, Rudy slept on a totally different street, almost a mile away from where he had been on Jan. 15. He was frightened from that spot when someone started clearing snow.
No sightings were reported on Jan. 17 but, on Jan. 18, he was seen back in the Oak Grove/Wilson's Woods area numerous times.
“He seems more comfortable in that neighborhood,” said Church, adding that the food station and camera have been moved to that area and put in a shed, out of the weather. “He's sitting on decks and on the sidewalks.”
“We're gonna get him,” Church said. “He's sticking close. We just need him to settle at one house.”
The Windham County Humane Society and Brattleboro Police are aware of Rudy's predicament. He is wearing a collar and is microchipped.
“Everybody's upset about it,” Church said. “This is the first time we've ever lost a dog off of transport, so it's a pretty big deal.”
“But we're going to catch him,” she said. “It's a marathon, not a speed race, with that type of dog.”