Two Ohio families search for missing dogs last month

The Bordewyk and Asher families are searching for two missing dogs after disappearances in late November and early December; neighbors mounted drone and flashlight searches and a rescue expert described pressures around obtaining purebred dogs.

A one-year-old French bulldog sitting on a suburban front porch in overcast light, looking alert

The Bordewyk and Asher families are searching for two missing dogs after separate disappearances in late November and early December in southwest Ohio.

Tito, a 1-year-old purebred French bulldog, went missing on Nov. 29 from the Asher family home in Brown County, Ohio, and Reece disappeared on Thursday, Dec. 4 from the Bordewyk family property in White Oak, Ohio, near Hubble Road and St. James School and Church. The circumstances surrounding missing pets often point to various factors, such as open gates or loud noises that can frighten animals, prompting their escape. In total, two dogs are missing. Animal Control is often involved in such cases.

Amber Asher said the loss has been immediate and final: “He’s gone. Somebody had to at this point picked him up and that he wasn’t just wandering,” she said, describing her belief that Tito did not leave on his own. Local neighbors in Mt. Orab and beyond mounted drone and flashlight searches to help look for Tito, an effort community members organized in the days after Nov. 29. Local communities typically respond to situations like this by searching nearby neighborhoods and distributing flyers alongside using social media to spread awareness. Researchers and guides on community response note that neighborhood searches and flyer campaigns are common ways people coordinate searches; local groups have shared best practices for organizing volunteers and canvassing nearby streets (Humananimalsupportservices).

On Dec. 4, Reece vanished from the Bordewyk home on Hubble Road, leaving Alicia Bordewyk and her family searching their neighborhood. “There hasn’t been a single sighting of her,” Bordewyk said, adding that the pet has left “a hole in her family’s heart.” This highlights the emotional toll such disappearances can inflict on families, with many seeking support from their neighbors. Bordewyk’s description places the disappearance close to familiar local landmarks, and she has appealed to neighbors for leads.

Both families have framed the dogs as family members, and the emotional toll is clear in their statements. Amber Asher described her love for her pets and the emotional impact of Tito’s disappearance, while Alicia Bordewyk spoke to the absence Reece has created in her household. To prevent such heartache, experts recommend ensuring pets wear secure collars with up-to-date ID tags and are microchipped, which can significantly increase the chances of a safe recovery. What steps can pet owners take to prevent their pets from going missing?

Animal rescue experts have weighed in on the broader circumstances that can surround disappearances of purebred dogs. Lori Deters of Paws 4 Miles said financial pressures and demand sometimes play a role in how people obtain animals. “A lot of times you want to give the dog as a gift and you’re desperate and you can’t afford it,” Deters said, noting one factor that can drive risky decisions. She added that “The average cost of a purebred dog is between $1,000 and $2,000,” a figure intended to give context around market value rather than to explain these specific incidents. The most common reasons pets go missing in neighborhoods can often be linked to these pressures.

Community volunteers carried out coordinated searches after both disappearances, and neighbors used drones and flashlights in an effort to locate the animals. Those efforts reflect the immediate local response when pets go missing and the role neighbors can play in early searches. Many families might have similar experiences, prompting them to jump into action when they hear of a pet in distress, often rallying to help.

Officials and rescue groups are not named beyond Paws 4 Miles in the available accounts, and the families continue to ask anyone with information to come forward to help reunite them with their pets. The two disappearances occurred on Nov. 29 and Dec. 4 respectively, and both families remain active in local searches.

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