Published: April 28, 2006 11:16 pm      

Reward fund set up for missing dogs case

CLINTON — People’s hearts are in the right place.

On April 21, Ted White had two Labrador retrievers taken from his residence in rural Elvira.

Several other residents of that area also had Labs that went missing at approximately the same time.

In an interview with the Clinton Herald White indicated that he planned on posting a reward for the return of the animals or for information leading to the arrest of the people responsible for taking the family’s pets.

As a result of the article, White received numerous calls from area residents wanting to contribute to the reward.

According to White’s aunt, Cathy Bergmann, an account has been opened at Gateway State Bank for that purpose.

The name of the account is “Labs Gone Missing.”

“People called and wanted to know how to help,” Bergmann said. “He didn’t know what to do because he didn’t want to take cash himself.”

White and his wife have a new baby and are short on time so Bergmann decided to spearhead the effort.

Bergmann did say something strange took place at the White’s residence Friday.

“A young yellow Lab showed up at his farm this morning,” Bergmann related. “With a collar on — just showed up.”

White called a vet technician who lives down the road who took the dog.

If nothing comes of finding the dogs or an arrest is not made Bergmann said the money collected will go to the Clinton Humane Society or a Labrador association.

County residents are being warned not to leave their dogs and cats outside unattended.

Several other dogs have been reported missing over the past several weeks.

Clinton Humane Society Director Jean Regenwether recently told a group of Clinton County law enforcement officials that dog fighting is taking place in the area and family pets are being stolen and used for bait.

Bergmann can’t imagine someone doing such a thing.

“Pets are like your children. You sit there and think — are they being fed, are they being torn up.”

Gateway State Bank is located at 1427 N. Second St., Clinton.