EDEN, N.Y. — Losing a dog or cat can be a truly traumatic experience. Often it seems that you look away for just a moment and they're gone. It's a heartbreaking feeling. But at a time like that, it's good to know you're not alone.
Odin's Angels, an animal rescue group named after Odin, a deaf Mastiff they helped search for in 2019. Sadly he did not return. Though Odin has passed, Odin's co-founder Michele Vanetten says that his life has been an inspiration. "And that's where we started the whole thing, that's why we do a search, rescue, and recovery. It's all in Odin's honor."
Tracking a dog is more complex than it may seem. Knowledge of their behavior patterns is important, alongside cooperation from the families.
"It was a lot of training for us to get to where we are." Vanetten says." We're always constantly trying to learn more and more."
The search process is equal parts, detective and psychologist. An animal scared and nervous in an unfamiliar place can be very unpredictable. Hopefully, the end result will be a happy reunion. Jessica Glasner's pal Jake went missing about a year ago. Odin's Angels got him home.
"He was trapped in a field about 6 miles from our house. They had the camera on him and in the morning the girls came in, they were like "Well we don't have to look for Jake anymore", and I was all upset, what do you mean we don't have to look for him? They had him in the trap in the back of the truck. It had been six nights."
Others are anxiously awaiting the return of their family member. The Larsen family adopted Bibi, a French Bulldog, from a rescue in their home in Iowa. Bibi went missing here on a trip to visit family near Eden.
"So Bibi's been missing, unfortunately, a month, five weeks tomorrow." Describes Bibi's mom, Melanie Larsen. "I don't feel hopeless, Shelly has been amazing, somebody saw Bib's unfortunately now, three weeks ago, maybe."
Despite her worry, she remains optimistic for her girl's return and grateful for the care and help offered by Odin's Angels. "We're not going to give up on Bibi, we're not. And I know Michele's not. (sigh)...yeah."
Odin's Angels are determined to bring Bibi home.
"Every sighting you see is a good sighting. You may even think, I'm pretty positive it wasn't that dog or that cat, but still reach out and let us know because that one sighting could be the one we're waiting for to get them home."
If you've seen Bibi, or need help finding a missing pet, you can connect with Odin's Angels here.
