The cane corso that roamed Crawford freely for more than a year — and captured the attention of many Oglethorpe County residents — was caught Saturday morning and placed in a permanent home, Mayor Alan Erwin said.
The black dog, nicknamed “C.C.” by Erwin and Crawford water superintendent Donny Faust, was captured around 6 a.m. in a trap set near Crawford City Hall.
“I’m just very pleased we were able to catch him and provide him with a great place to live, and he’ll be loved,” Erwin said.
Faust placed Hamburger Helper lasagna in the trap the night before.
“That was C.C.’s downfall,” Erwin said.
Once C.C. was caught, Erwin, Faust and members of Faust’s family quickly arrived and worked to secure a home for the animal. Several residents had expressed interest in adopting the 91.9-pound male.
Erwin said they wanted to ensure he would go to a suitable owner, avoiding the animal shelter.
“He was already traumatized enough,” he said.
Erwin said they caught him humanely without any major issues.
C.C. was placed with a local woman, who had been feeding him and attempting to take him home for months. Erwin declined to identify her, citing privacy concerns.
“She’s a very kind lady,” Erwin said. “He’s in his forever home now, and I don’t think we’ll ever have to worry about him again.”
Faust said the woman works in the veterinary field, is familiar with cane corsos and plans to have the dog checked for a microchip and evaluated, especially after the dog was hit by a car a few weeks ago.
This incident was widely discussed on social media, with many community members expressing concern for the dog. Faust said C.C. has a bruised hip and is waiting on heartworm results.
Erwin and Faust said the dog has quickly adjusted to his new life.
He jumped into a bath, ate and rested with the woman’s other dogs shortly after arriving in his new home. Faust said he is also gentle with the other dogs.
Erwin said C.C. was friendly once captured, allowing himself to be leashed and handled. The dog laid in his lap and ate treats from his hand.
Faust said he believes the dog likely was with people before, based on how it behaved.
“We were able to love on him immediately when we caught him,” Erwin said.
“He looks intimidating, but he’s just a big baby,” Faust said.
Faust said he was initially scared to approach C.C. in the trap, unsure how he would react. However, the dog remained calm when Faust reached inside to leash him. He then spent about 30-40 minutes with the dog that morning and quickly grew attached.
“I kind of hate to see him go, but I have four dogs myself,” Faust said. “I can’t have another one.”
Erwin and Faust had been working for weeks to safely capture the dog.
They bought a trap and set it near City Hall, where C.C. was frequently spotted. However, the dog repeatedly escaped the traps.
After multiple failed attempts, Erwin contacted Board of Commissioners Chairman Jay Paul, who provided a larger trap. Still, the dog was able to avoid triggering it.
The goal of catching the dog became its own full-time job toward the end.
Faust said he set up a camera and monitored the trap daily, checking it before and after work and sometimes before bed.
“I’m glad that we were able to get him the help that he needed,” Faust said. “And definitely the love that he deserves.”