Nicole is a 17-year-old, two-time cancer survivor. That's the good news.
Now the bad. She's a dog -- yes, a remarkable 119 in dog years -- and she's been missing for three weeks.
Oliver Wolfe, owner of the blond cocker spaniel mix, agreed Monday the odds are against the dog's survival. Still, he and his wife, Judy, haven't given up hope.
"You never know. Maybe someone took her in and she's OK," he said.
Was she dog-napped? Wolfe said he doesn't think so. His guess is the meter reader at the family's Coloma home on Curtis Island in Paw Paw Lake inadvertently left the gate unlatched, allowing a perhaps confused Nicole to simply walk away.
There may be some consolation that the Wolfes still have Nicole's sister, O.J., who's also 17. Also, they have the comfort of mind, although it might not seem like it now, that they've done everything possible to find Nicole.
"We had divers (the Michigan Underwater Divers Club) volunteer to go into the lake and look for her. They put on dry suits and went in. There was no sign of her," he said.
"Prior to that, a woman with a dog trained to do searches looked for her. She warned us, though, that her dog was trained to search for humans, not
animals."
In the immediate aftermath of the dog's disappearance on Dec. 4, the Wolfes embarked on a 12-hour search for their pet. Because Nicole has vertigo and difficulty getting around, the thought was she couldn't have gone far.
When she didn't turn up, the Wolfes printed and distributed fliers and even arranged for an Amber Alert that was dispatched to 600 neighbors, regional animal-control organizations and various humane organizations. The alert was posted on various Facebook pages. A $500 reward was offered and remains available. Volunteers from Save A Stray, Animal Aid and Seven Star Sanctuary lent a hand but Nicole still hasn't been spotted.
She requires daily medication, further diminishing the likelihood that she's alive. Yes, Wolfe agreed, he and his wife would consider it a Christmas miracle should Nicole turn up safe and sound.
Anyone who has seen the dog or has any information can contact Wolfe at 269-876-7400.
Staff writer Lou Mumford:
lmumford@sbtinfo.com
269-687-3551
Now the bad. She's a dog -- yes, a remarkable 119 in dog years -- and she's been missing for three weeks.
Oliver Wolfe, owner of the blond cocker spaniel mix, agreed Monday the odds are against the dog's survival. Still, he and his wife, Judy, haven't given up hope.
"You never know. Maybe someone took her in and she's OK," he said.
Was she dog-napped? Wolfe said he doesn't think so. His guess is the meter reader at the family's Coloma home on Curtis Island in Paw Paw Lake inadvertently left the gate unlatched, allowing a perhaps confused Nicole to simply walk away.
There may be some consolation that the Wolfes still have Nicole's sister, O.J., who's also 17. Also, they have the comfort of mind, although it might not seem like it now, that they've done everything possible to find Nicole.
"We had divers (the Michigan Underwater Divers Club) volunteer to go into the lake and look for her. They put on dry suits and went in. There was no sign of her," he said.
"Prior to that, a woman with a dog trained to do searches looked for her. She warned us, though, that her dog was trained to search for humans, not
animals."
In the immediate aftermath of the dog's disappearance on Dec. 4, the Wolfes embarked on a 12-hour search for their pet. Because Nicole has vertigo and difficulty getting around, the thought was she couldn't have gone far.
When she didn't turn up, the Wolfes printed and distributed fliers and even arranged for an Amber Alert that was dispatched to 600 neighbors, regional animal-control organizations and various humane organizations. The alert was posted on various Facebook pages. A $500 reward was offered and remains available. Volunteers from Save A Stray, Animal Aid and Seven Star Sanctuary lent a hand but Nicole still hasn't been spotted.
She requires daily medication, further diminishing the likelihood that she's alive. Yes, Wolfe agreed, he and his wife would consider it a Christmas miracle should Nicole turn up safe and sound.
Anyone who has seen the dog or has any information can contact Wolfe at 269-876-7400.
Staff writer Lou Mumford:
lmumford@sbtinfo.com
269-687-3551
