DENVER — What started as a good deed has now turned into a nightmare for a Denver man.
David Powell signed up through a service called pactforanimals.org to foster pets for military personnel on deployment overseas. Within a few days of applying, he became the foster for two miniature schnauzers, but one ran away and hadn’t been seen in nearly 30 days.
"It's just like she's disappeared into thin air," Powell said. The dog is a one-year-old named Lola.
Powell is fostering the dogs for Herman Haynie — who is now on his 5th deployment to Iraq. Powell lives in the Chaffe Park neighborhood in north Denver near Federal Blvd. and I-70.
The other dog, Apollo, also escaped but turned up just a few minutes after the two found a hole in Powell’s fence.
"I feel awful,” Powell said as he is choked up. “Sorry. I mean, here's a gentleman on his 5th tour of Iraq. He puts his life on the line for us, and I'm here trying to help him out, and I've lost his dog."
For the first month, things were great. The two schnauzers were happy, healthy and settled into their new home.
Then came the escape. The two got out through an opening in the fence that was blocked by large stones. The dogs managed to move one of the rocks and crawled underneath.
Powell has conducted an exhaustive search on foot and online - with postings on Facebook, PawBoost and Craigslist to name a few.
He’s been out searching nearly every night since Lola escaped. "I took flyers to every vet clinic within a five-mile radius of the house here,” Powell said. “And all the groomers."
Powell and the owner, who Powell has been in touch with through e-mail, are both offering $500 each – a $1,000 reward total for the safe return of Lola.
"If they're afraid to bring her back, just even drop her in the fence late at night,” Powell said. “Over the fence and no questions asked."
Powell says there was a possible sighting a few days ago on Broadway near I-25 and U.S. 36.
“I’ve been up there two to three times a day for the past three days,” Powell said. “I’m just hoping she’ll come out of hiding.”
If you'd like to help or if you have any information about Lola, you can call Denver Police and Detective Harris in District One at 720-913-0452.
Or, you can contact David directly through Facebook here.
