PHOENIX – In December 2002, the media reported on the successful efforts of a national animal organization, In Defense of Animals (IDA), to shut down the Buckeye puppy mill of Catherine Whipple, notorious for severely neglecting dogs. With the assistance of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department and the Arizona Humane Society, IDA removed the surviving dogs from their kennels, took the dogs to safety, and permanently closed the facility.

Through the combined efforts of Valley Rescue organizations including Arizona Siberian Husky Rescue, Dog Rescue, and For the Love of Dogs loving adoptive homes were found for seven of the dogs and the remaining three malamutes were placed in loving foster care.

Black Star, a beautiful two-year-old black and white malamute mix female found her forever family just before Valentine’s day with Lisa Racz, her daughter, and their 12 year-old malamute named, Patsy. Lisa and her family gave Black Star the perfect new name, Amy, to go with her new life and bought Patsy and Amy matching red collars and matching purple leashes. Amy and Patsy bonded immediately, playing and sleeping with heads together in the same bed at night.

Amy’s progress in her new found home was phenomenal as she experienced love and companionship. However, on Wednesday, February 12, 2003 as the family walked Amy, she was frightened by a bad storm, bolted, and disappeared, wearing her red collar and dragging her new purple lead. The family, who lives in the Northwest Valley near 35th Avenue between Thunderbird and Greenway has spent the last six days combing Valley shelters, posting fliers and searching for Amy but their efforts have been unsuccessful to date.

To add to their fears, a man called the family recently saying he had seen their fliers, that he had Amy, and if they did not pick her up immediately, he was going to let Amy go.  When the family found the house from which the call was made, they were told Amy was not there. At the request of the family, the Phoenix police department went to the house to look for Amy but she was not there.  Either a very cruel hoax had been played or indeed Amy had been released before the family could get to the house.

Lisa Racz and her daughter are asking for help from the Community in finding Amy, “Amy is just the sweetest dog. We are heartbroken. We miss her so much. She is our family. Amy is a very special dog and needs to be with her family who understands her. Amy is very shy but will come if you offer her food. Because of her life in the puppy mill she is very frightened and does not understand the world. Amy has a small scar above her nose and black under each eye like a football player. She has been through so much and survived. We can’t even think of her wandering around frightened, hungry, and alone. We just want her home.”