ERIE COUNTY BLOTTER | COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT & SPECIAL RECOGNITION

❤️ Some heroes wear badges. Some wear turnout gear. And some spend countless hours searching for frightened animals who cannot find their way home.

Today, Erie County Blotter would like to recognize and sincerely thank DOG GONE Trapping & Pet Recovery, a Western New York animal recovery service whose dedication, patience, and compassion deserve recognition.

When a family dog goes missing, the feeling is heartbreaking. The uncertainty, sleepless nights, searching, and worrying can become overwhelming.

But there are people who understand that a missing pet isn’t simply a lost animal. It’s a missing member of someone’s family.

And that’s where DOG GONE comes in.

❤️ A Mission Born From Personal Experience

Behind DOG GONE is Kelly Shearing, whose passion for recovering missing dogs grew from an experience no pet owner ever wants to face.

On April 20, 2024, Kelly’s own six-month-old puppy went missing.

That experience helped inspire what would eventually become DOG GONE Trapping & Pet Recovery.

Today, Kelly’s recovery efforts are complemented by Joe Cummins, who provides thermal-drone capabilities to assist with particularly challenging searches.

Their mission involves much more than simply putting out a trap and hoping for the best.

Recovering a frightened dog can require understanding its behavior, documenting sightings, establishing feeding locations, monitoring cameras, and patiently developing a safe recovery strategy.

Sometimes, the hardest part of rescuing an animal is knowing when NOT to approach it.

🐕 Real Dogs. Real Families. Real Happy Endings.

Their work has produced some remarkable stories.

In Batavia, a missing dog named Max was successfully trapped and returned to his family. Another dog, Jack, disappeared on August 16, 2026. His recovery involved coordinated searching and the use of thermal-drone technology before his adventures around Batavia finally came to an end.

In Cowlesville, a frightened dog named Roo, who had reportedly been scared by fireworks, was found safe and headed home on July 13.

Then there was Sally, a Cavapoo missing from the Pike area. Her search lasted approximately 29 days before the happy news finally came: she had been safely trapped and was heading home.

More recently, Tazie, a tiny Yorkiepoo missing from Dansville, was safely recovered and reunited with his mother.

And in October, Indy was secured after eight days on the run.

Behind every one of these names is a family that was worried, frightened, and hoping for good news.

Those happy endings are why this work matters.

🚔 Part of Our Law Enforcement Family

One aspect of DOG GONE’s work that deserves particular recognition is its connection with the people who serve and protect our communities.

The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office Dog Control has publicly thanked DOG GONE for safely trapping a stray dog and getting him into the care of animal control.

That kind of cooperation is important.

Police officers, sheriff’s deputies, animal control officers, emergency responders, and animal rescuers sometimes find themselves working toward the same goal: protecting a life and bringing a difficult situation to a safe conclusion.

Here at Erie County Blotter, we consider DOG GONE Trapping & Pet Recovery part of our extended law enforcement and emergency-services family.

They may have a different mission, but the compassion, teamwork, and willingness to help are values we share.

⭐ My Personal Recommendation

I want to make something very clear.

For residents of Erie, Niagara, Genesee, and Wyoming Counties, DOG GONE Trapping & Pet Recovery is the ONLY legitimate, dedicated dog-trapping service I personally know and feel confident recommending.

That is my personal endorsement based on the work I have seen documented and the trust I place in their efforts.

I know how challenging animal rescue can be. I also know that recovering a frightened dog takes patience, specialized knowledge, and the discipline to put the animal’s safety ahead of everything else.

Good intentions alone do not always make someone qualified to recover a terrified animal.

These situations deserve experienced people who understand what they are doing.

⚠️ A Reminder to the Public

If you encounter a missing dog that appears frightened or is actively avoiding people, PLEASE do not chase it, surround it, whistle, or repeatedly call out to it.

Even well-meaning attempts to help can frighten an animal into running farther away, potentially into traffic or other dangerous situations.

Instead, report accurate sightings, including the location, time, and direction the animal was traveling. Follow the instructions of the people coordinating the recovery.

Sometimes the greatest help you can provide is simply being another set of eyes.

💜 Please Support Their Mission

DOG GONE describes its tracking and trapping work as donation-based. Donations help make continued recovery work possible. Specialized thermal-drone services may involve separate fees.

Their work deserves the encouragement and support of our Western New York community.

DOG GONE Trapping & Pet Recovery

📞 585-322-2339

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61571210166317/

❤️ From Erie County Blotter, THANK YOU!

Kelly, Joe, and everyone who contributes to these recovery efforts, thank you.

Thank you for the patience, compassion, persistence, and dedication you bring to animals and families who desperately need help.

Thank you for the recoveries that end with a frightened dog finally returning to familiar arms.

And thank you for being part of a larger community of people who believe that every life matters.

Your work is noticed. Your dedication is appreciated. And your efforts make a difference.

With sincere appreciation,

Shawn
Erie County Blotter

🐾 Because every missing dog deserves the chance to come home.

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