Dog found after tips from psychics

Owner willing to try anything

By Lori McGinnis
Freeman Staff

    Town of Waukesha - Mary Ann Mauer of the town of Genesee says she doesn't believe in psychics, but she was willing to try anything to find her beloved puppy, Polly.
    The 5-month-old Rhodesian ridgeback bolted from an employee at Kuenzi Family Pat Hospital in the town of Waukesha in Thursday afternoon, was hit by a passing car and disappeared.
    More than 24 hours later and on a tip from two psychics, Polly was found.  She was frightened and slightly wounded, but otherwise in good shape, Mauer said Tuesday.
    "It's just a miracle to have her back," said Mauer who has another Rhodesian ridgeback named Huck.
    Mauer took Polly to the animal hospital at Highway 164 and Glendale Road at 7a.m. Thursday for a leg x-ray because she was limping.
    Dr. John Kuenzi, the owner, called her later and told her "the biggest nightmare of his life had happened."
    The technician, Sue Beihoff, took Polly out for a walk on a leash, a normal practice, but the dog got spooked and bolted from her grasp.  Polly's hip was grazed by a passing car and Beihoff lost sight of her.
    More than two dozen of Mauer's relatives, friends  and hospital employees searched in the area until dark.  Fliers were made and distributed and Mauer called her prayer chain at church.
    "All I could think of was this poor little puppy, the love of our lives, was out there and injured," she said.
    Mauer and her husband, Bruno, returned from searching at 10 p.m. but she couldn't sleep.  She went back to the area at midnight and continued searching all night.  On Friday animal hospital personnel enlisted the help of tracking dogs owned by Karla Ebert of Mukwonago.
    Eventually psychic Tim Beihoff, Sue's brother, was contacted.  Tim Biehoff said he had visions of Polly being safe and near in a dark, dry place.  He suggested another psychic, Marietta German of Milwaukee.
    "They described what she looked like and I tuned into where she was," German said.
    German said the dog was in a building surrounded by bushes, shrubbery and tall grass with a boat nearby.
    Mauer remembered seeing a building surrounded by tall grass when she was searching for Polly.  There was no boat, but rather an old car at the building - a farmhouse shed set back far from the road about a mile from the animal hospital.
    "I don't believe in psychics, but I do believe people have gifts," she said.  Besides, "at this point I'm desperate."
    Mauer called her son-in-law, Ed Peobst, on a cellular phone and told him about the psychics.  Probst, who was still searching in the area, laughed at her, she said.
    But Probst's wife, Lisa, insisted on looking in the shed.  She heard a faint sound, then found the dog.  Polly had a few abrasions and was covered with mosquito bites, but otherwise was in good health, Mauer said.
    Mauer is thankful to the vets, the employees and others who helped search for the dog.
    "It showed me what the love of people can do," she said,"I've never seen such love."