Missing service dog

A local veteran and his family are still looking for the man’s missing service dog, hoping that flyers of the dog’s image will help bring the animal home.
Shea Valdezcruz and others have flooded social media group pages like the Kernersville Mommie’s Club and Kernersville 411, and local media outlets, with photos of black lab Garrett with Valdezcruz’s father, Rick Gaefe, as well as information on how to contact them if anyone sees or locates Garrett. As of Wednesday afternoon, Garrett was still missing, but new photos of him had been posted online.
According to Valdezcruz, Garrett first went missing from the Hwy. 158/Vance Road area on Thursday evening, Feb. 17, posting online, “Please be on the lookout for my dad’s guide dog, Garrett. He escaped out of the door last night in the wind storm. He’s an 8-year-old lab.”
In her post, Valdezcruz noted, “My dad is a veteran and completely blind and is desperate to get him back.”
On February 19, Valdezcruz noted how much Garrett means to her family.
“I never thought that a dog would mean this much to me or my family … but with Garrett being missing my heart breaks for him and for my dad. Garrett could be out in the cold, no food no water in going on three days. He means so much to my dad. Garrett literally keeps Dad safe every day when he is at work.”
That same evening, WXII Channel 12 News ran a story on Garrett, and Fox 8 News published a similar story on February 21.
Still, Garrett’s whereabouts remain unknown.
Gaefe, an Army veteran, has a visual impairment and is completely blind. He and Garrett were paired together seven years ago and he depends on Garrett to get around.
“I depend on him so much. And now that he’s gone, I feel like I lost my right-hand man,” Gaefe shared with the media.
Garrett is an all-black English Labrador Retriever with no other markings. He has tags and is microchipped. Garrett also has the number 7862 tattooed in his right ear.
Garrett was last seen near Barrow Road wearing a half chain and black fabric martingale collar.
If found, the family asks that people call 800-548-4337, or 631-930-9000.