Friends Raise Reward to Reunite Urbandale Soldier with His Best Friend

Facebook is building another grapevine – this one to help reunite an Urbandale soldier with one of his best buddies.

G4 Officer 2 David Schnotala, a full-time soldier with the Iowa National Guard, said his dog Rusty, a Pomeranian mix, has been missing since May 25.

Schnotala’s military friends at Camp Dodge have raised $1,500 in reward money for the return of Rusty, who they believe was nabbed by a motorist in the vicinity of 125th Street and Douglas Parkway. Professional missing pet investigator Karin TarQwyn was able to track the dog to the middle of the street, Schnotala said.

The post from TarQwyn’s Facebook page was shared on Urbandale Patch’s Facebook page via Janet Ly Willis and on it goes.

Told of the reward and awareness campaign across social media platforms to bring his dog home, Schnotala said he was unaware that his buddies were putting up a reward. Right after Rusty disappeared, friends were eager to help search.

“It makes me feel pretty good that people are still out there trying to help out,” he said. “That’s pretty special.”

The dog was just a few blocks from Schnotala’s residence when the tracker lost the scent, “and that indicates he was picked up and put in a car.”

Schnotala was out of town visiting relatives over Memorial Day Weekend when Rusty disappeared. He thinks Rusty probably slipped out the door while his roommate was watching him.

Rusty was last seen in the vicinity of 125th Street and Douglas Parkway.

“Normally, he’s real good and doesn’t wander off,” Schnotala said. “He left because I wasn’t there – he always followed me around and wanted to go where I went.”

Schnotala checked with the Urbandale police, shelters pounds and veterinary clinics, where Rusty “would have been taken if he had been hurt by a car or, God forbid, killed, but it wasn’t any of those things.”

Schnotala said Rusty is current on vaccinations and has both vet and Urbandale registration tags.

“That’s the frustrating part,” Schnotala said. “He’s got the tags and everything.”

Rusty is a friendly, outgoing dog who likes other dogs and other people, Schnotala said.