Charlotte, chocolate lab

With Charlotte Safe at Home, Family Thanks Community
By Angela Lemire
August 15, 2011

A 3-year-old chocolate Lab named Charlotte was returned to her family over the weekend, thanks to one woman's persistence and the teamwork of the Willow Avenue neighborhood.

Thanks to an astute Middletown motorist and the teamwork of the Willow Avenue neighborhood, harlotte the missing chocolate Labrador retriever was safely returned to her Newport family over the weekend.

"She is home now, and we couldn't be happier," wrote Charlotte's family of Prudence and Todd Sutton, whose daughter Talia Loyola initially contacted Patch last week for assistance in helping get the word out about the missing dog. "Thanks to...everyone in our community for their help. We are so very grateful."

Last week, the family had sought the community’s assistance in locating Charlotte, a 3 1/2-year old chocolate Labrador retriever who had run away on Wednesday, Aug. 10, from the Broadway area in Newport.

According to one tip, late last week she was sighted in Middletown in Kempenaar Valley behind the Christmas Tree Shop and East Main Road shopping plaza.

Around 10 a.m. Sunday, Willow Avenue resident Susan Adie was on her way home from the grocery store when she noticed another motorist slowly driving after a loose dog in the road.

"I turned onto High Street and saw this loose dog running like a wild banshee, or a race horse, down the middle of the road," recalled Adie. "There was a woman in a car ahead of me trying to call the dog so I thought it was hers. So I slowed down and thought well maybe I can help."

The dog ran into an open garage on High Street, but as the two women approached the dog to corner it, the dog bolted away and ran into the Willow Avenue neighborhood.

A resident of that street, Adie said she knew that all of the homes on that street had fenced yards and that the dog would be cornered, so this would be the best opportunity to catch her.

Sure enough, the scared dog ran into a yard and raced back and forth along a fenceline. Adie said she kept speaking to her softly to relax her.

By now a number of other neighbors had come out to help corner the dog and offer assistance.

When Charlotte ran onto a porch, Adie was able to approach her and grab her as other neighbors helped call local police and Charlotte's family.

The owners came over right away to pick her up and take her home, Adie said.

Charlotte's family offered the team of rescuers reward money and lobsters, but Adie said she asked that they make the donation to the Potter League for Animals instead.

Charlotte’s family had put up more than 200 flyers around Aquidneck Island, alerted area police and the Potter League for Animals, and appealed for help on Facebook, local radio station WADK and Patch last week.

Source: http://newport.patch.com/articles/with-charlotte-safe-at-home-family-thanks-community-2

Original appeal for help at
http://middletown.patch.com/articles/have-you-seen-this-dog-charlotte#c

Have You Seen This Dog, Charlotte?
August 12, 2011
By Angela Lemire

A Newport dog owner is seeking the community’s assistance in locating Charlotte, a 3 1/2-year old chocolate Labrador retriever who ran away on Wednesday, Aug. 10, in the area of Cumberland Farms on Broadway in Newport.

According to one tip, she might be in Middletown in the Kempenaar Valley field behind the Christmas Tree Shop and East Main Road shopping plaza.

Charlotte’s owner had tied her leash to an advertisement stand outside the store while she went in quickly to buy water. As she came back outside, a passing noise spooked Charlotte so badly that she ran into the road across traffic, dragging the stand with her.

As her owner ran after her, Charlotte’s collar came off, along with her leash. Charlotte continued to run.

“We got a call that night from a Newport police woman saying she saw her running and she chased her all the way to that huge field on High Street, the one behind the Christmas Tree Shop (in Middletown),” said owner Talia Loyola. “Unfortunately the cop could not get her and at this point she was in Middletown, so she had to leave the area.” . . .