Patrol pooch missing

German shepherd disappeared Monday

The Daily Inter Lake

Eddie, a U.S. Border Patrol dog trained to track people, needs people's help finding him now.

He disappeared Monday afternoon when he was on patrol in the Trail Creek area of the North Fork.

"This is unusual," said Lonnie Moore, public information officer for the Border Patrol.

The patrol dogs, like other dogs, can be tempted to run if they see a rabbit or something else enticing. They usually come back, though, Moore said.

Eddie was still missing Tuesday afternoon, and officials are asking for the public's help to find him. The dogs are not trained to be aggressive, but people should use caution because the dog could be injured or frightened, Moore wrote in a press release.

Eddie began working in this area in April. He is a black-and-tan German shepherd. He weighs 70 pounds and has a tattoo in his right ear with the number 120516. He was last seen wearing a silver chain collar. It has a yellow band with a rabies-vaccine tag and a name tag that says "Eddie."

He is certified for tracking people and finding concealed narcotics, Moore said.

U.S. Border Patrol dogs are bred in Europe and certified in El Paso, Texas.

"It's a huge investment," Moore said.

This sector of the Border Patrol, from the Cascades to the Continental Divide, is unusual because all 15 dogs are certified in tracking and trailing.

Anyone with information about Eddie's location is asked to contact the Border Patrol or local law enforcement.

The phone number for the Border Patrol office near Whitefish is 862-2561.