Search Underway in Missouri to Rescue Tito the Otterhound, One of the World’s Most Endangered Dogs, One of Less Than 600 Left in the World

St. Louis, MO, August 28, 2022 --(PR.com)-- Mason Miller, managing partner at MER Legal, has initiated a search for his champion Otterhound, Tito. It is rare to have the chance to save one of an almost extinct species, but that’s exactly what is occurring in St. Louis, Missouri right now. A massive search is underway to rescue one of the planet’s most endangered dogs, the rare and almost extinct otterhound. Some estimate that there are less than 600 otterhounds left in the world, making it more rare than the white rhino or the giant panda. Now, one of those 600 is lost in St. Louis, Missouri and a rescue mission is underway.

“Tito,” as he is affectionately called, is an AKC Champion Otterhound, and the son of an AKC Grand Champion. Tito was bred and shown by AKC Breeders of the Year Andrea “Andy” and Jack McIlwaine from Ohio, but escaped from his new home less than 15 minutes after arriving at his new home in St. Louis, Missouri.

A giant breed, weighing well over 100 pounds and standing over 30 inches tall, otterhounds are known for their incredible sense of smell - a nose so strong they can track animals through water for over 72 hours, and with webbed feet and a double-coat of fur that allows them to swim great distances in chilly water. However, it is that nose and endurance that may have Tito in trouble, as he may be travelling over ten miles a day while lost, following scents along the way.

Dozens of searchers across St. Louis have organized, posting hundreds of flyers and walking miles to try to spot Tito, some even coming from other states to help. If spotted, searchers are encouraged to immediately text his exact location to 859-475-8418 and to not try to capture Tito, but instead follow him calmly.