Life

Matti, the runaway bloodhound, is found

By Bill Moss, Published: June 6, 2019

Matti, the two-year-old bloodhound show dog who ran away from her owner on May 26, has been found safe.

 A homeowner spotted the black-and-tan dog on Thursday morning, said Cheria Duncan, who lives on Sugarloaf Road, near the Best Western where Matti got away from her owner, Cindy Ozoee. Using "a command post" at the senior development she runs, searchers had been combing the woods for Matti for 11 days.

"The property (where she turned up) was heavy with no-trepassing signs," Duncan said. The owner had reached Don Ozoee, Cindy's husband, Thursday morning. "I think your dog might be on my property," the homeowner told him. "I opened my door and this dog walked across my deck."

Ozoee raced to the house and found Matti, about 10 pounds lighter and dehydrated but otherwise OK.

On Thursday afternoon, she was recovering at WNC Animal Hospital in Flat Rock.

"We got her on an IV and antibiotics because she was a little bit dehydrated," Ozoee said. He was relieved to be reunited with the dog and grateful for the people who hunted for her. "We couldn't do it without all the people that gave tips and helped search for her," he said.

Despite the days of anxiety when Matti was lost, the couple told Duncan they're going home with a good feeling about the community and plan to return next year to compete again in the Blue Ridge Classic of the Carolinas Dog Show at the WNC Ag Center.

"They left here with nothing but accolades about everybody in the whole area," Duncan said.