The Peru Gazette

Xena: The Warrier Princess (Brandy McDonald Photo)

L-R Brandy McDonald, T’chaka Sikelianos, Dennis Cook, Xena: The Warrier Princess, Victoria Cook, Natasha Hogh, Julie Simpson

By John T Ryan

Peru – Brand Hollow Road residents Dennis and Victoria Cook had only owned their terrier puppy for a few hours when Dennis decided to see how the terrier liked the dog pen. When he stepped outside, the puppy quickly wiggled free of his grasp, and off she went down Brand Hollow Road. A fantastic 12-day chase began. Today, the five-month-old, five-pound puppy named Xena: The Warrior Princess is safe at home with the Cooks thanks to the persistence and teamwork of four people and others who took the time to report seeing a missing dog. The persistent people are Peru Dog Control Officer T’chaka Sikelianos, Julie Simpson, Natasha Hogh, and Peru Town Supervisor Brandy McDonald.

When Xena escaped on January 21, Dennis Cook followed his first instinct and asked for help on Facebook. Several people soon reported seeing Xena at different locations, but she was gone when Cook arrived. After two days, T’chaka Sikelianos received a phone call from a man named Justin, who reported seeing a small dog near the Route 22 Disabled American Veterans building. Justin remained there long enough to show T’chaka the dog’s tracks. T’chaka followed them but couldn’t locate the dog.  He recalls, “I drove to the DAV several times a day for about three days. I didn’t spot the dog; the case went cold. I easily had driven one-hundred miles. I was about to throw in the towel, but two ladies, Julie Simpson and Natasha Hogh, provided a fresh spark, so I decided to join them and resume searching.”

Julie Simpson explained, “My niece had the dog but couldn’t keep it, so I decided to do whatever it took to get her in a safe place. She’s so tiny, and she wasn’t familiar with this area. T’chaka and I were virtually inseparable for a week or two, hiking through a foot of snow at times.”

Plattsburgh resident Natasha Hogh, also related to the original owner, joined the search. When T’chaka’s trap didn’t work, Hogh bought two new ones. She even went to the extent of consulting a medium who insisted the dog was alive and hiding in a dark place. T’chaka recalled, “At one point, the ladies discerned the dog was hiding in an old barn behind a Route 22 home, but every time we showed up, we could hear her for a second, but then she’d go silent.”

About a week into the search Peru Town Supervisor Brandy McDonald helped spread the news by posting a photo of Xena on his popular Facebook page. One morning a snowplow driver reported seeing a small dog near Glenwood Plaza. After a two-hour search, T’chaka and Julie saw the dog running through a nearby neighborhood. T’chaka followed the dog through the woods as far as the Northway when he received a call reporting that the dog had crossed the Northway to the northbound truck inspection station. T’chaka immediately drove to the inspection station, but, as usual, Xena was long gone.

Finally, on February 1, a Northwood Road resident named Mitch reported seeing a small dog on his security camera and said the dog had run toward the Adirondack Golf Course. T’chaka and Julie followed the small tracks about a half-mile in deep snow through the golf course to the Northway with no success. At the same time, Brandy McDonald drove north and south on the Northway, trying to spot her. Julie suggested doubling back to the Northwood Road home. At that point, Brandy McDonald joined them, and they spotted the dog. T’chaka blocked her escape route, and Brandy tackled Xena when a retaining wall blocked her escape path. T’chaka recalled, “She bit Brandy’s gloves quite a bit, but he didn’t let go. We put her into the trap, and once she was in the warm car with food, she settled down and was as friendly as can be. Elmore SPCA examined her; amazingly, she had no frostbite or issues.”

The next day Xena returned home and is doing well today. T’chaka believes she survived the snow and brutal cold by sheltering in the Route 22 barn and eating bread the Route 22 homeowner had placed outside for birds.

Dog Control Officer T’chaka Sikelianos, Supervisor Brandy McDonald, Julie Simpson, and Natasha Hogh went above and beyond the call of duty. Their teamwork and persistence resulted in a happy ending for Xena and the Cook family.