‘She’s home!’
From left, Russell Springs Mayor Eddie Thomas, Officer Kendall Catron, and Police Chief Bryan Shepard posed with K9 Joli. Joni returned home after going missing for almost 24 hours last week.
By Wade Daffron
TJ Editor
A dog was roaming around the mayor of Russell Springs’ office Monday morning.
And it was absolutely welcome there.
Last Wednesday, the city’s beloved K9, Joli, went missing from her secured pen.
“There’s an hour and a half window where she somehow mysteriously got out,” Russell Springs Police Chief Bryan Shepard said.
“She was still in her pen at 4:30 p.m.,” Officer Kendall Catron said. “I went to feed her…and she was gone.”
Word got out, and a search was launched immediately.
Entities and agencies from across the state offered to help, and the community came together to help bring Joli home.
Mayor Thomas announced a $2,500 reward for the K9’s safe return, and a citizen instantly offered to add $500 to the total.
“We had all kinds of people calling to offer help,” the mayor said.
“Pulaski SRT came and deployed their big drone,” Cartron said. “And there was a lot of citizens out looking.”
“There was all kinds of people out that night…driving around in fields looking for her,” Chief Shepard said.
Then, almost exactly 24 hours after her disappearance, Joli returned home to a joyful and jubilant celebration.
“With all then rain we had…she was dry,” Catron said.
“She returned home somehow, someway,” Chief Shepard said. “We still don’t know what happened. It’s still a mystery. We may never know, more than likely.”
“Only she knows for sure what happened…and she’s not talking,” the police chief joked.
But the main thing is she returned home, and is safe and sound, and ready to sniff and snuff out crime.
The coming together of the community and the concern from citizens and fellow first responders is not forgotten.
“It was honestly very humbling the amount of people that devoted their time and wanted to help out,” Catron said. “It just shows how much people respect the police department when they come out like that. It’s certainly appreciated.”
Moving forward, the mayor requests a slight change in policy.
“I want them to bring her by here more so I can see her!” he said.
