Diesel, Siberian Husky

Missing dog reunited with Liberty family
10/9/09
By Walter Griffin, BDN Staff

BELFAST, Maine — A Siberian husky that bolted from its owner’s car on Tuesday, and at one point was mistaken for a coyote, was found Thursday morning hungry and exhausted beside a convenience store trash container.

The dog had been sighted at various locations the past few days but police had been unable to coax the pet to come to them.

The dog, named Diesel, was rescued after a tourist from Illinois called police from the Dead River store at 7 a.m. Thursday and told them the animal was hanging around the trash container and appeared to be stressed.

“He was sitting by the Dumpster exhausted,” Patrolman Howard Dakin said. “I got him in the cruiser and called the owner.”

The dog was one of two retired sled dogs that were adopted from Alaska by Liberty residents Brett and Meaghan Oathout. Diesel bolted from their car Tuesday evening while it was parked at Rite Aid. Police received several reports the next morning about the dog being spotted in the area of Starrett Drive. One caller from nearby Alto Street reported that a “coyote” was eating from a dish of cat food.

Dakin said police informed the owners about the sighting, and that Brett Oathout spent much of Wednesday searching those areas but could not find Diesel. When Dakin called the next day to alert the owners that the dog had been found, the phone was answered by a recording.

Acting on a hunch, Dakin swung his cruiser by the carwash on Starrett Drive and came upon Brett Oathout, who was out looking for Diesel.

“When I rolled down the window and told him I had Diesel he was quite happy,” Dakin said, “so happy that he asked, ‘I don’t know if it’s against the rules but can I give you a hug?’”


Source: http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/124533.html