Search for missing dog underway

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - Bangor’s animal control officer is asking for help in trying to find a lost dog that ran away after a crash last week.

“Driver, the owner of the dog, suffered a medical emergency and crashed the vehicle in the median, and unfortunately, the poodle, a very large royal standard poodle named Rocket, escaped from the cab of the truck. He’s been running ever since,” said Trisha Bruen, Bangor Animal Control Officer.

The crash happened near Hogan Road about a week ago. Rocket’s owner, a truck driver from out of state, is recovering in a Portland hospital. Rocket has been missing ever since. There have been spottings near Mount Hope Avenue recently.

“Unfortunately, the dog is young. He’s less than a year old. He’s very scared. He suffered a traumatic event,” Bruen said.

That trauma has made Rocket skittish. During a recent sighting, his owner’s daughter called for him.

Bruen says he got spooked and ran off. In light of that, she has a plan.

“We can’t have everyone come in the woods for him. We can’t have everyone putting food out on the back step. What we need to do is let Rocket calm down. Let him choose a building, a home that he wants to hang out in here, and at that point, but what we want to do is work with whoever lives there to put out food, set up a feeding station get him comfortable and have them returned that area every day,” Bruen said.

So if you do see Rocket, call Bangor Dispatch immediately. Until then, Bruen asks that you keep an eye out.

“If you’re in that area, you may want to take a peek in your backyard if you have a ring doorbell camera or anything. If you have a motion detector or a light in your backyard, have a peek out the door,” Bruen said. “We need to control the situation as much as possible, and we want to set up a game camera wherever we have the food set up so we can confirm that he is indeed coming back to eat there.”

“So this is going to be a slow process where he’s gonna have to get comfortable with a stranger.” Bruen added.

You can reach Bangor Dispatch at 947-7384.

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