Dog Missing In NJ 55 Miles Away From New Home

HIGHLAND PARK, NJ — No matter which way you look at it, Clodo is a long way from home. The 70-pound Anatolian Shepherd mix was rescued from a foster family in Russia, taken in by a rescue in Pennsylvania, and fostered to a home in Hawthorne, before he went missing last month. Clodo was last seen over the weekend in the Edison/Highland Park area, about 55 miles away from his most recent foster home.

It's been difficult trying to track Clodo down, Larisa Ulanova, a volunteer with Pennsylvania based Dire Straits Paws Animal Rescue in Pennsylvania, said.

Clodo was settling into in his two-week foster trial with a family in Hawthorne when he got away, Ulanova said. He'd been at their home for just 20 hours when he went missing on May 27.

Since his disappearance, the foster family has been less than helpful, Ulanova said.

"The adoptive family refused to look for him after just one day of search. They refused even to place flyers we printed. They bounced the adoption fee check the same day of his escape," Ulanova said, adding that because it was the two-week trial period, Clodo still legally belonged to the shelter.

A missing dog report was filed with the Hawthorne Police, Ulanova said. Hawthorne Police did not respond to Patch's request for comment Tuesday morning.

Making the search more difficult is the area of land Clodo has covered, and the rescue group's unfamiliarity with the area.

"Unfortunately, we are located near Philadelphia and are not familiar with North Jersey at all. We keep driving to the area almost every day, but he keeps moving, and we cannot cover the whole NJ with the flyers," Ulanova said.

A full list of Clodo sightings, recorded by dog trapper NJ Strays, is available below, but Clodo has been spotted in Totowa, Wayne, Edison, South Plainfield, and, most recently, Highland Park.

Clodo first lived in Moscow, Russia, with a permanent owner. After that owner died, Clodo was taken in by a Russian rescue before making his way to Pennsylvania. Clodo was supposed to spend just a few weeks with Ulanova before being adopted by a nursing home, but those plans fell through when a resident became scared of his size.

Things seemed to be looking up for Clodo when he was fostered in Hawthorne, until he ran away.

"He was not used to all the traffic and sounds of urban life and took off running. In fact, he ran the length of Totowa Road all the way from Broadway in Paterson, crossing over into lawns and private property until he found himself in Dey Hill subdivision in Totowa," Ulanova said. By mid-June, Clodo was in Middlesex County, in the Route One, Route 27 area.

Clodo understands both English and Russian, but is unlikely to respond to his name, Ulanova said. He's very friendly and "human oriented." He is chipped, but because his chip is from Russia it might not be readable in the United States.

Clodo might still be in Highland Park, but it's possible he crossed over into New Brunswick at this point.

A reward is being offered for Clodo's safe return. Anyone with information in his whereabouts is asked to call 215-264-3704 or 917-554-4608.

Here is a full list of where Clodo has been spotted between May 27 and June 13:

• 5/27/19 10:00 a.m.: 2nd Avenue, Hawthorne, NJ
• 5/27/2019: Jasper Street, Paterson
• 5/28/2019 9:00 p.m.: near Preakness golf course
• 5/28/19 11:00 a.m.: near lookout point trail, Totowa
• 5/28/19 2:00 p.m.: near gated community call Hickory Hill, CVS parking lot
• about 6/6/19: Park Ave & Woodbrooke, Edison
• 6/11/19 7:00 a.m.: High St, Metuchen by the Y
• 6/11/19: Saw on Durham Ave South Plainfield @287
• 6/13/19 9:00 a.m.: Saw on 4th headed towards Raritan
• 6/13/19 10:00 a.m.: Seen on Donaldson St, Highland Park
• 6/13/19 11:00 a.m.: Seen on Magnolia St, Highland Park
• 6/13/19 10:00 p.m.: Seen on Harrison Street
• 6/13/19 11:00 p.m.: Seen going into the park