Community rallies behind Colorado woman in search for missing seizure alert dog, Heidi

Erin Cleavenger, The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.
·3 min read
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Jul. 24—Area residents and animal rescues are rallying behind a Colorado woman who has been searching the area for her missing service dog since May 21 — a dog that has twice saved her life.

Bridget Spangler and her beloved seizure alert dog Heidi, were separated after the German shepherd mix ran from the scene after Spangler's fiance suffered a medical emergency causing him to wreck their truck on Route 43, just inside the West Virginia state line from Pennsylvania.

Heidi has been seen several times since the accident on both sides of the state line, the most recent being less than a week ago on Gans-Woodbridge Road, just across the border near Rich's Farm.

Heidi is brown and black with some white on her belly. Spangler said at the last sighting, Heidi appeared to be underweight, but she was too far from the dog to get her attention.

Heidi was also seen playing with another family's dog on their property three days in a row, but that family did not realize she was a missing dog and did not report it.

Spangler said she is overwhelmed by the amount of support being offered by the community.

Animal rescues like You Will Be Found Lost Dogs and Wild Angels K9 are assisting Spangler in more ways than she could imagine, she said — helping not only search for Heidi but helping Spangler herself by providing transportation, food and housing.

Angels Journey Home Animal Rescue even purchased a plane ticket for Spangler to return to Morgantown after depleting funds forced her to return home to Colorado. They also arranged for a hotel room when she arrived back at the beginning of July.

Heather Laufler, an AirBnB host in Uniontown, Pa., heard Spangler's story and offered her accommodations, where she is now staying while the search continues.

Another local resident Spangler knows only as Art, has also been assisting in the search with his drone as well as teaching Spangler how to use them.

She also said Tom Rich, of Rich Farms, has been kind to continuously allow them to invade his property while they search.

Spangler said these represent just a few of the organizations and community members reaching out with assistance.

"I don't want to see all the time and resources that all of these rescues and private people and everybody has put in for nothing, " Spangler said. "All these people deserve a happy ending and so does Heidi."

Spangler said Heidi is now in survival mode and will definitely run away from anyone who comes near her.

Spangler and her search team are asking anyone who spots her to not approach her but report where you saw her immediately so they can take the proper precautions to safely trap her.

There are multiple ways to contact Spangler if you think you have seen Heidi. You can call or text her directly at 719-640-2651 as well as reach out through Heidi's Facebook page Bring Heidi Home, where updates are regularly posted on the progress and search methods. There is also a GoFundMe (https://gofund.me /49d57520) set up to help purchase search equipment and to print fliers, etc.

"We are so appreciative of everybody in the community and what they've done to help this ; there's just so many private people who have come in, I mean, we had people come in and bring us groceries even."

Spangler said she believes they are getting closer and they just need reports of sightings and to make people aware she is out there somewhere and she is very much loved and wanted by her family — help her go home.