Cuyahoga Falls — They called him Jack Frost because Maryanna and Jack Bell found him nearly frozen to death in a barn. They nursed him back to health, and for two years he was a deeply loved member of the family.
Jack was always timid and especially afraid of men. The Bells assumed he must have been abused before they found him, but he was lovable to them and his fellow pack mate, Oliver.
Jim and Maryanna went on vacation in November of last year and Jack managed to escape from the house sitter. The couple was devastated when they heard the news and upon returning began a huge search effort.
They hung up posters around Cuyahoga Falls, the post office and had everyone looking from Summit County Lost dogs to neighbors. There were sightings, but no one could catch him. There were dogs found that looked like him, but they weren’t Jack.
Weeks passed, and if you’ll remember, last November was brutally cold. Months passed and Jim started to wonder if the dog could survive not only the winter, but the wilderness full of predators. His hope started to wane, but he says Maryanna never gave up.
A week before Jack took off, they received a post card in the mail from the chip company. Jack had an implanted chip to help identify him. Jim remembered updating the info.
Two months ago, Geauga County Dog Warden Matt Granito says his office got a call about a stray dog in Middlefield. People were feeding it, but they couldn’t catch him. The dog warden set out a trap, but it didn’t work. A few weeks later they tried again, and this time, they caught him.
Jack was so dirty and matted his fur looked like dread locks so the staff named him “Bob Marley.” It took more than two weeks before they could get close enough to him to clean him up. They tried to scan for a chip, but the mats were so thick, the scanner couldn’t get to the skin. Another week passed and Jack let them trim his fur. When they scanned again, they found a chip, but even then they weren’t optimistic.
Nearly 70 percent of the chipped dogs that come in to the shelter don’t have updated information. A chip with no contact information (or old information) is useless. But remember, Jim updated Jack’s.
When the shelter called the Bells, they were stunned. They grabbed Oliver and jumped in the car and made the 50 mile drive to the Geauga Dog Warden Shelter. They couldn’t believe that’s how far Jack ran.
Jim was worried Jack would be feral after 10 months on his own, but he was ready to go home.
He’s still skittish of strangers, but it’s clear he’s grateful to be home with his family. Tomorrow is Maryanna’s birthday, and she thinks this is the best gift she could have ever received.
Jim’s advice? “If you love your dog enough to give it a chip, make sure you keep the contact information updated.”
If you’d like to support the work of the Geauga County Animal Shelter, they’re having a Giant Garage sale this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 12513 Merritt Road in Chardon.