Dog missing after fatal accident near Whitefish
Baldone and his siblings were groomed regularly. This photo of Baldone before a groom gives a better picture of what he might look like now, after three weeks in the woods. (Photo provided)
A flyer currently being distributed to help finding the missing Great Pyrenees, Baldone. He was last seen in the Lupfer Meadows area and near Martin Camp Road.
Great Pyrenees Baldone, a large fluffy white dog, was riding in the truck with his owner, Rob Bowen, when the two suffered an accident on U.S. 93 north of Whitefish on Nov. 13.
Bowen, a diabetic, went off the road near mile marker 148, possibly due to a medical emergency, and died at the scene. The loyal pup stayed with Bowen until first responders arrived.
“The trooper said that when they came up on the scene, they saw the dog near Rob and obviously, he saw all the emergency personnel and he bolted into the forest,” said Ellen Mayo of Great Pyrenees Rescue Montana.
The dog was spotted most recently crossing the highway near Martin Camp Road on Monday, Dec. 2.
Baldone, pronounced “bald one” due to his appearance as a puppy, has been lost now for three weeks. Mayo said he was spotted on trail cameras near Lupfer Road on Nov. 24 and 25. However, many of those cameras are owned by people who live elsewhere in the winter.
“We did have a couple people go there on the 30th and, with permission, they left out bowls of food and some blankets from Rob's house that smelled like him,” Mayo said. “Now it's just a waiting game. We have people who have offered to foster him. He’s probably going to need vet care.”
Mayo said if people in the area want to help, they could leave garage doors open, as Baldone would seek out warmth. Leaving food out may be helpful, but people would have to be cautious not to entice wildlife.
“I think he’s OK,” Mayo said. “Those dogs are really resilient, and Rob lived remotely up at Trego, so they’re used to being out in the elements and being independent, but we’d love to capture him.”
The Great Pyrenees Rescue Montana picked up Baldone’s three siblings from their remote home near Trego. Two of them are being fostered in Stevensville by Bowen’s niece. The other has been adopted.
Pyrenees are livestock guardian dogs, though Baldone was not used as such. They are hearty, independent dogs who are protective yet highly social. They are double coated dogs and the breed is known for their ability to adapt.
Call Great Pyrenees Rescue Montana at 406-303-0283 for more information or to report a sighting.
A flyer currently being distributed to help finding the missing Great Pyrenees, Baldone. He was last seen in the Lupfer Meadows area and near Martin Camp Road.