Two Weeks Later, A Tired Wrinkles Is Home

For more than two weeks, the Capeci family hoped their little dog, Wrinkles would return home.  Tanya Capeci of Bear Hills Road said that she and her two children Bradley and Greta walked in the woods often, sure they would find her. 

Jeff Capeci, chairman of Legislative Council, had contacted Patch two weeks ago in hopes that someone would see Wrinkles photos and bring her back home.  

Then, on Thursday afternoon, Animal Control Officer Carolee Mason called Capeci and told him she had their dog. Mason had been called by Debra Trillhaase, who had heard barking the night before and then again in the morning.

“You could tell it was a little dog, she said, “but at first I didn’t pay attention. Then I heard it at 7 and then again at 9.  I took a flashlight and went out, but as soon as I was outside, the barking stopped.”

Trillhaase and her husband went to bed but said they couldn’t sleep knowing a little dog was out there. “We called the police and they came right over.  We went out with flashlights.  There is a swamp area, and some woods but we couldn’t find anything,” she said. 

In the morning, Trillhaase was packing up the car to leave the house for the day, and she said she heard it again.  “I walked down the neighbor’s driveway towards the woods and saw the little dog completely wrapped around a tree.  It probably couldn’t even lie down.”

Trillhaase said the dog was very skittish, and she brought Wrinkles some food but she wouldn’t eat.  “I brought her water, but finally I called the police again, and Carolee came and got the dog.”

Tanya Capeci said that her kids have been so sad since the dog got away from a hired dog walker.  Wrinkles had taken off into the woods with her red leash still attached.  ‘We didn’t know if the leash was going to save her or be her death knell,” Capeci said. 

When Capeci got the call that Wrinkles was safe, he left work early.  “When the kids came home, I told them we were going to pick up Wrinkles.”

Tanya smiled, “They were so happy.  They had gone off to school so sad.  We looked in the woods everyday. We never gave up hope.”

Wrinkles is in perfect shape, except for a furrowed brow.  As young Bradley held her, she could barely keep her eyes open, and she looked around worriedly as if she wasn’t sure her adventure had ended. In all, Wrinkles traveled three and a half miles before she was found. 

Tanya cupped Wrinkles face, so happy the little dog was home. She said, “We will take her to the vet in the morning.  She is a little tired, it was a long two weeks.”

Mason said that it is very rare to find dogs that run off when they are afraid of people. In Mason’s six years with animal control, this is only the second time in six years this has happened.  “The Capecis did everything right, they put up the flyers, and they put it in the news.”

Mason said that when the family came to pick up the dog, there were tears in everyone’s eyes.  She said, “That dog is well loved. The most important thing is a happy ending.”