Missing dog known as Duke to another family

By Rachel Tuinstra
Times Snohomish County bureau

JIM BATES / THE SEATTLE TIMES Alex Sawyer and Griffey get reacquainted after the dog's six-year absence. A microchip under Griffey's skin helped the Everett Animal Shelter find his owners.

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Griffey has spent the past five years living a pleasant life with Massarelli and his family. Only they called him Duke.

Massarelli read news accounts yesterday of how Griffey was found wandering last weekend in the Machias area of Snohomish County and taken to the Everett Animal Shelter. Shelter workers discovered the dog had a microchip embedded under his skin, which led them to Griffey's original owners, the Sawyer family.

The dog was reunited with the Sawyers on Monday.

Massarelli called the Sawyers yesterday to help fill in the blanks in the dog's life over most of the past six years.

Massarelli's family took in the dog about five years ago. They had seen him hanging around the neighborhood, and tracked the pooch to a neighbor's house. The neighbor said the dog, who at that time was being called Moe, had been abandoned by a previous resident. Massarelli offered to adopt him, and the neighbor agreed.

Duke was a beloved member of Massarelli family, living a typical dog's life.

Then last week Duke started acting odd, said Massarelli, who lives in Machias, southeast of Lake Stevens. The dog began whining and standing on his hind legs, like he was catching the scent of something, Massarelli said.

On Friday, Duke wandered out of the family's yard, and Massarelli searched unsuccessfully for him. Over the weekend, Duke was picked up and taken to the animal shelter.

Massarelli said it never occurred to him that his dog's identity was stored in a microchip inserted between the pooch's shoulder blades.

"I called up [the Sawyers] and told them I was sorry that the dog that was taken from you, ended up with me," Massarelli said. "We're glad he has found his original owners."
 
The chocolate and black pit-bull mix was apparently taken from the Sawyers' front yard about six years ago, and the family had long given up on finding him. The dog also had been taken from the family earlier, which prompted them to have the microchip implanted.

Terry Sawyer said she was told by shelter workers that Griffey was found wandering in the Newberg Road area of Machias, near where her husband, Chris, had been working on a site as a contractor.

Every day last week, Chris Sawyer would drive near the Massarellis' house on his way to work.

"Last week, [Duke] started acting spooky. ... I think he was picking up on a scent (of Chris Sawyer)," Massarelli said. "That's something Duke would do; he's an intelligent dog.

"I've never had a smarter dog. He was very people-oriented," Massarelli said. "Duke was really a neighborhood pet. He belonged to me, but everyone knew him."

Neighbor Dan Denton recalls Duke becoming a fixture in the rural neighborhood.

"Duke and my dog, Tuck, were buddies," said Denton. "I would take the two out for cheeseburgers sometimes."

Rachel Tuinstra: 425-783-0674 or rtuinstra@seattletimes.com