Family Was Told To Remove Flyers For Lost Dog Or Face Hefty Fines

A family in Ocean View, Delaware has hit a major roadblock in the search for their missing Yellow Lab. Ace ran away from his home on September 22nd and hasn’t been seen since. Now to make matters worse, the family is being told by the Delaware Department of Transportation, or DelDOT, that they cannot hang fliers of Ace on utility and traffic poles around town. Ace’s family has been threatened with a $25 fine per flyer!

Big Fines Threatened On Grieving Family

C.R. McLeod is the Director of Community Relations for DelDOT. He says they have received complaints about the signs. Additionally, they have collected 59 signs so far.

“The flyers are illegally placed per our sign law. DelDOT has collected 59 signs so far and we have received multiple complaints about them being placed on stop signs and other road signs as well,” McLeod told local news radio 92.7 WGMD.

Nicole Peterdozzi is Ace’s mom and she feels differently.

“I don’t think it’s hurting anything at all, and I think everybody else would agree, but they just said they’re not allowed. Not allowed on the utility poles, stop signs, yield signs, or anything like that,” she explained.

A $6,000 reward has been offered for Ace’s safe return. The loveable Labrador has been in the family since he was just 8 weeks old. His dad, George Elliott, got Ace when he was just a tiny baby. He will stop at nothing to get his baby back.

“We’re offering a $6,000 reward for his safe return, no questions asked, and the person will remain anonymous,” Elliott said to 92.7 WGMD. “We want him back home.”

DOT Laws Sparked More Creative Awareness Campaigns

The community has come together to help Ace’s family bring him back home despite DelDOT’s blow to their efforts. The ban on the use of utility poles has only inspired more creative methods of spreading the word about Ace.

A Facebook page has been started to help people from all over come together to share ideas, sightings and words of encouragement. Race to Find Ace has nearly 1,500 members. Local business owners and managers have offered to distribute flyers in their stores. One woman shared an ingenious idea that a local pizza place had.

What To Look For

Ace’s dad gave some unique features to look for that set Ace apart:

Ace is not neutered.
He has a brown, distinctive strip on his nose.
Has an old tail injury causing it to be a half-inch shorter than normal and the tip is not pointy.