‘Crying for his owner’: California woman searches for a foster home after dog leads her to owner’s body

Click here for updates on this story

    BANNON CREEK, California (KCRA) — A group of women are searching for a rescue facility to foster a dog that helped lead them to his owner’s body.

Catherine Defazio says she saw posts online about a German shepherd running around her neighborhood and spotted him from her front porch. She says she followed the dog, and he led her to the body of a homeless man near Bannon Creek. Defazio says she immediately called the police.

Defazio, along with several others, spent the next two weeks working to catch the man’s German shepherd.

“I propped up with dark clothes on in the bushes and literally with the flashlights. I’m like, ‘I can do this. If anyone can do it, I could do it,” said Defazio.

Defazio says she was able to catch the dog. Two other women who helped in the rescue are now working to find him a rescue foster home.

“He’s healthy. He’s in good shape. He’s sweet as can be, but he’s crying for his owner. He wants his owner. And that sadly can’t happen right now,” said Nicole Hartman.

Hartman works with several dog rescues and says the German Shepherd is not ready for private adoption due to his trauma, and he’s not currently neutered. That’s why they’re seeking the help of a rescue foster home. As of Monday, Jan. 1, they are still looking.

“Give me 30 days. He’s going to be a whole different dog. Right now, he’s sad. He’s depressed, he’s crying. He’s not eating. He’s not drinking. But it’s going to take him a good week to decompress,” said Hartman.

As for Defazio, she said she’s just happy to have found the dog and got him to a safe place all in honor of his owner.

“It felt like he was grateful he was found, and I felt like the dog did take me to him. And all I could do is be respectful and preserve his honor. Whether he was homeless, chose to be or not,” said Defazio.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.