EAST HADDAM, Conn. — UPDATE: After a day of searching, a puppy that was spooked by Fourth of July fireworks and ran off has been found and reunited with her family in Haddam.
June, the 14-week-old Labrador retriever, went missing Thursday and has since been found, according to CT Dog Gone Recovery.
Our previous report can be found below. The video above originally aired on Friday, July 5.
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An East Haddam family is distraught and pleading for the public’s help after their beloved family dog escaped during Thursday night’s fireworks.
It’s something those at CT Dog Gone Recovery said happens around this time every year, but they’re doing their best to find the dozens of dogs that are running away this week.
“Our main mission is to find lost dogs and help reunite them with their families,” said Carol Ferrucci, president of CT Dog Gone Recovery.
Ferrucci visited the family in Haddam Friday, which is where they said they were visiting a friend for the holiday Thursday night, along Saybrook Road. Leslie Corey said her daughter’s 14-week old black American lab was on a leash with her collar on, when she got spooked by the nearby fireworks, and slipped right out.
“We’ve been looking for her ever since,” Corey said.
Corey said her daughter brought the puppy named June home just over a month ago.
“She is playful, she is kind. She’s just so friendly,” Corey said. “We just want her to be safe, we hope she’s okay, and we’re hoping to see her again soon.”
The Corey family and Ferrucci searched the nearby area all afternoon. By Ferrucci’s recommendation, they used a neighbor’s dog, who knows June well, during the search to try to lure her in. They plastered posters everywhere, listing Corey’s number and offering a reward for anyone who finds her.
“It helps to get the word out for people that are not on social media. And plus, if people are driving in the area, if they see the dog, they can make the connection between the two,” Ferrucci said.
It’s a sad reality for more than two dozen other Connecticut families, who’s pups also went astray this week. Ferrucci said since July 1, her nonprofit organization has gotten 30 referrals with many due to the fireworks.
“It’s very common because it’s a loud noise and it panics the dog,” Ferrucci said. “We’ve had dogs jump out of windows, break through windows, just run off with the leash dragging.”
However, Ferrucci and her team are determined to reunite puppies like June to their rightful owners. They’re asking everyone in Haddam and nearby towns to be on the lookout for her, but to not approach her if you see her so she doesn’t run off. They also say not to call out her name, but instead to call her owners or animal control.
“Call immediately is the best thing anybody can do to help us right now. We do need those calls. We need people looking out,” Ferrucci said.
“If you see June, she is a part of our family. And we love her and we’re hoping that you reach out to us and we’re able to find her,” Corey said.
June is a purebred black American lab. She has brown eyes and a small scar above one of them.
If you see her, call (860) 861-1203 as soon as possible.
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Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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