The large and very rare purebred Otterhound bolted just minutes after arriving at his new home in St. Louis, his owner said.
Dozens of searchers are combing the greater St. Louis area, looking for a very big and very rare dog that has been on the run since Friday, according to its owner.
The dog is named Tito and is an Otterhound that had been bred and shown by AKC Breeders of the Year Andrea “Andy” and Jack McIlwaine of Ohio.
After being flown to St. Louis, he arrived at his new home and managed to break out less than 15 minutes after he got there, said his new owner Mason Miller.
The giant dogs, weighing more than 100 pounds and standing more than 30 inches tall, were bred for the now-illegal hunting of otters. There are currently only an estimated 600 Otterhounds left on the planet, according to the American Kennel Club.
They have an extremely strong sense of smell and can track animals through water for more than three days. They have webbed feet and two coats, allowing them to quickly move through cold water.
It's those skills that are worrying Miller, who said the dog may be travelling more than 10 miles a day as he runs loose.
Hundreds of fliers have been posted for the missing Tito, and he has been sighted several times, but has eluded searchers. If you spot him, please text Miller at 859-475-8418 with his exact location.
Miller advises people to not to try to capture Tito, but to instead follow the dog calmly and keep Miller advised.
