Search for Havoc, Dog Lost Since November, Reaches Georgetown

What would you do if you lost your dog? Janet Mihalyfi has not stopped looking for Havoc, her five-year-old, mixed-breed dog since he ran away Nov. 9, 2013.

Mihalyfi has searched around American University Park, Spring Valley, Wesley Heights, Palisades and Glover-Archbold Park – and near the Dalecarlia Reservoir, where Havoc ran away along the Little Falls Bike Trail.

Now Mihalyfi, who moved to Washington from Boston with her two dogs last fall, has expanded her search into Georgetown. Havoc’s image on posters can be seen around town. It shows he is a Lab-Rottweiler mix with mostly black and tan fur. He weighs about 50 pounds.

“I always like to go take my dogs for runs everywhere. It wasn’t until last November on an afternoon, where Raze [the other dog], Havoc and I went for a run and I let them off their leash,” Mihalyfi said. “I only did that because we were in a fenced area. They began chasing down a deer. Raze managed to come back but Havoc never did.”

Mihalyfi, who works in marketing, said that she has done everything she can to find her missing dog. Over eight months, she has spent an enormous amount of time and almost $30,000 searching for Havoc.

“From putting out thousands of posters to installing heat-sensitive cameras at eight different feeding locations, to hiring professionals with scent-tracking dogs, I have done everything I can do to find Havoc,” Mihalyfi said.

“The scent will remain for at least six months for these trained dogs to smell and track down where Havoc may be,” she said. “As long as Havoc is still alive and well, I’m hoping to find him soon with the help of technology and other volunteers.”

While she has been criticized by some for her overzealous posting of street flyers, Mihalyfi expressed gratitude to the community for the encouragement she has received in her search.

“People here in D.C. are just so nice,” Mihalyfi said. “Oftentimes, I have had many pet owners call to encourage me in my search and to just offer help where it is mostly needed. I wouldn’t have carried on this far with my search if it weren’t for the help of the volunteers.”

“I want to encourage locals in Georgetown to keep a look out for Havoc,” Mihalyfi said. “And if you do find him, do not call him or try to get him on your own because he will get scared and run away. Please call me and keep him in sight until I arrive.”

For more information, visit www.BringHavocHome.com, go to Facebook page, “Bring Havoc Home,” or call Janet Mihalyfi at 248-755-7594.