Lexie Deseraie with Apollo. After 19 days within the woods throughout winter, Apollo was introduced again home by way of a “group effort” in Saranac Lake. (Photo offered — Lexi Deseraie)
SARANAC LAKE — A young German shepherd named Apollo spent 19 days within the woods behind Lake Colby after working off throughout a walk.
Apollo’s proprietor Lexi Deseraie spent weeks posting in native social media teams, asking individuals to maintain an eye fixed out for a white German shepherd. Hundreds of individuals informed her they had been protecting their eyes out. More than two weeks after Apollo ran away, he was discovered and introduced again home by way of what Deseraie known as an enormous “community effort,” a “blessing” which restored her religion in humanity.
Apollo’s leash slipped out of her husband Joe’s arms whereas they had been working on the Adirondack Rail Trail behind Lake Colby on Dec. 28 and he bolted together with his leash dragging behind him. Apollo’s a really young, timid and skittish canine, Deseraie mentioned, simply 9 months old and turning into an adolescent as he goes by way of puberty.
In the next weeks it was raining, snowing and freezing. Temperatures ranged between 45 and 0, however had been principally under freezing.
As Deseraie’s household labored by way of the grief and acquired the phrase out, she mentioned messages poured in — individuals had been on the lookout for Apollo, individuals had been comforting her household. Hundreds of individuals helped, in massive methods and small, she mentioned.
Apollo the canine
(Provided picture — Lexi Deseraie)
Her mother gave her path cameras. Amy Gonzalez and Laura Curley, who stay on the Lake Clear finish of the rail path went out wanting, protecting extra floor than Deseraie might. Local scientist Brendan Wiltse flew a thermal drone in his spare time. Maryellen Decker noticed Apollo on one among her journeys particularly on the lookout for him, and left Deseraie a wood arrow pointing to his tracks. Brooke Gallo with the Tri-Lakes Humane Society supplied assist.
“This dog brought a community together,” Deseraie mentioned. “I’m so grateful to be a part of a place that grabs your hand, and pulls you out of the darkest storms.”
“Thank you again to everyone who played a role in saving him, no matter how big or small,” Deseraie wrote on Facebook.
With the entire individuals sharing her publish about Apollo, phrase acquired to Alfie’s Rescue in Glens Falls and Jen Atchinson from the organization for misplaced animals reached out to supply advise and lent Deseraie path cameras.
Apollo was Deseraie’s first canine since childhood. He was given to her and Joe by a breeder Joe labored for. They had been “sick with worry,” she mentioned. Deseraie works nights and spent her days out on the path, getting moist, calling for Apollo, leaving broken-up treats on the path main again towards the lake.
His final identified location was on the Adirondack Rail Trail between Lake Colby and McCully Pond. This space is within the coronary heart of state land with not many homes close by and plenty of water our bodies. He was discovered on Forest Home Road, so he didn’t journey far, it appears.
“I wish he could tell me,” Deseraie mentioned.
On Jan. 17, she acquired a textual content from a former coworker, Jess Tennant, that her father, Eric Ohmann, noticed a hungry-looking Shepard on Forest Home Road. Ohmann tried to get Apollo and one other man tossed Apollo some McDonald’s burgers and tried to lure Apollo into his truck. But Apollo wasn’t prepared to get in. Eventually, Deseraie’s grandfather, who lives close by, confirmed up and threw a coat over Apollo’s head to get him secured in his truck. She met them on the High Peaks Animal Hospital in Ray Brook.
“Oh my God. You should have seen the dog. He instantly knew it was me. He started jumping, yelping with excitement, doing little circles,” Deseraie mentioned. “It was adorable.”
Sara Burke in Sugarbush donated bacon, which Deseraie cooked on Forest Home Road the day earlier than Apollo was discovered. She thinks this might need helped draw him there.
Apollo was in survival mode and Deseraie mentioned he was probably seeing individuals as threats. He was already skiddish earlier than then. But after weeks within the woods, he was approaching individuals.
“Oddly, he loves people now. He’ll go up to everybody. He’s super friendly,” Deseraie mentioned. “He’s a lot more mature from the experience. … He acts like he grew up.”
She had given up hope on Apollo coming again alive quite a few occasions.
“My hope and faith in Apollo returning has dwindled to barely existent,” Deseraie wrote on Jan. 7. “Just realistically he’s probably gone. And it breaks my heart.”
She saved having nightmares of him lifeless and lined in snow. She saved having desires that he was alive and misplaced.
“I’ll never forget how stupid it was to get annoyed at the dog for chewing up shoes and stuff … cuz I’d prefer him home and chewing my shoes than this,” Deseraie wrote on Jan. 14.
She was down on herself, regretting not placing a GPS on him, regretting not staying in sure areas and second-guessing her selections. It was 19 days of misery and heartbreak. There had been days the place Deseraie mentioned she would cry continuous within the rest room to cover from the children.
“I thought he was dead,” she mentioned.
But then somebody would ship her a message — telling her a few potential sighting or a survival story and telling her to not quit hope — and that will decide her again up. She mentioned this saved her pushed.
“If he’s out there we’re going to get him,” Deseraie mentioned.
She mentioned the group was “the only thing” that acquired her by way of.
“It was very heartwarming to know that we belong to such a tight-knit community that will come when you’re down to give you a hand and pull you back up,” Deseraie mentioned.
Apollo misplaced 21 kilos whereas he was out within the woods. Since getting again on Jan. 17 he’s gained 12 kilos again.
Deseraie mentioned she hadn’t spoken along with her grandfather shortly as a result of “life gets busy,” however Apollo going lacking introduced them shut once more.
“We’ve talked every day since this started,” Deseraie mentioned.
And she mentioned she’s made many mates by way of the search.
“I’d be walking on the trail, calling, and telling people, ‘Sorry I’m no crazy, I’m looking for my lost dog.’ And they’d say ‘Oh, is that Apollo? I’m actually out looking, too,’” Deseraie mentioned. “That was every day that that would happen with someone that I didn’t know.”
Now, Apollo’s being handled like a king — consuming rooster and rice by the vet’s orders, getting numerous cuddles and a spotlight and sleeping in a brand new doggy mattress. Deseraie has him on a harness as an alternative of a collar now, which she mentioned has made an enormous enchancment in him staying proper subsequent to her.
She began a GoFundMe for Apollo’s vet payments they usually shortly hit the $600 aim however individuals saved donating. She paid for a part of Apollo’s vet payments — blood work and drugs — and donated the remaining to Tri-Lakes Humane Society and Alfie’s Rescue.
“Both organizations helped so much by sharing knowledge, spreading the word and helping us not give up hope,” Deseraie mentioned. “I figured, y’all donated to lost dogs, so mine as well pay it forward to help other lost dogs.”
Getting misplaced was traumatizing for Apollo, too. Deseraie mentioned he doesn’t like occurring as lengthy walks as he used to, however his love of snow is slowly coming again.
She stepped outdoors with Apollo for a walk on Saturday when the temperature was round 5 levels out.
“He took a pause, looks back at me, rubs his head on my leg and gives me a little lick,” she mentioned. “It was just like this sigh of relief where he was like, ‘I am so glad I’m not out in this.’”
