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It takes patience and dedication to successfully rescue an animal - especially when the animal consistently avoids capture. Lucky for Maddy, Randy Ganz, President and CEO of DeWitt & Associates, took the challenge and never quit trying.

One morning, as Randy sat in his office doing his work, he glanced out his window and noticed a large black dog wandering across the property. He immediately recognized the dog as a Bernese Mountain Dog. Randy watched her move very slowly across the lot, limping at times. She seemed skinny and scared.

Being a dog lover, Randy went to Brenda, an employee, to ask her to keep an eye out for the dog and to put some food out for her as well. Some time had passed and Randy was surprised that the dog was still around. They noticed she did have on a collar with tags, but she was too skittish for anyone to get close enough to read them. He and Brenda made arrangements to come to the office to feed and care for her over their Thanksgiving break.

Randy soon realized that this helpless creature had nowhere else to go, so he made it his mission to capture her and so the adventure began...

ATTEMPT #1: A TRAIL OF TREATS

With a trail of sausage, Randy attempted to lure Maddy into the conference room. She was too smart to fall for that trick, but managed to eat all of the treats while avoiding capture!

ATTEMPT #2: TRAPPING TRIAL

Randy contacted a local trainer for advice, who referred him to a rescue group with a live (humane) trap. They set it up and put prime rib in it. Maddy came close but would never go in because she was just too big. That idea was abandoned.

ATTEMPT #3: BOSS vs. DOG

Next, Randy brought a larger, more spacious wire kennel. The idea was to lure her in then by using a string shut the door behind her. Randy hid in his vehicle with the rope through the window. (At this point the entire office was watching to see who would win. Their boss or the dog...) Maddy prevailed again! No matter how many double cheeseburgers, hot dogs, or brats that they left inside, she wouldn't go in.

ATTEMPT #4: THE FINAL GO

Using materials laying around, Randy and employees built a large 50x40 dog pin within the area Maddy was accustomed to roaming. The only area left open was a hole in the fence where she passed through. Above the hole, was a piece of plywood tied to a string and at the other end was Randy's son, hiding out of site. It worked!

The entire adventure took over a month, but Maddy's story began much earlier. Through her rabies tag, her vet was able to determine that her original home was in Craine, Missouri. It turns out that Maddy had been missing since she bolted from fireworks on the Fourth of July. Her owners searched for several weeks but eventually had to make their move to Ireland (a move the dog was supposed to make with them). Poor Maddy had been surviving on her own for over four months. Through a network of people, the family was contacted and they immediately called Randy from Ireland.

They were ecstatic to find out that Maddy was alive and revealed more of her previous story to Randy. They had rescued her from a puppy mill when she was two years old. Although they were returning to the states, they made the decision that Maddy should stay with Randy, who had by now fallen in love with her. Maddy too had become attached to the entire family, including her big brother Rowdy, a Great Pyrenees.

Today, still leery of strangers, Maddy is safe and happy. She gets plenty of tasty treats, a comfy leather sofa, toys, and lots of love.