S.C. Woman Searching For Missing Service Dog In Dravosburg

DRAVOSBURG (KDKA) -- While others celebrate the July 4th holiday, Amanda Markatine and her family are mourning the loss of a loved one and another family member who is missing.

Amanda and her mother, Loretta, drove to Dravosburg from Gilbert, S.C., to attend her cousin's high school graduation, even though Loretta was not well.

She was diagnosed last August with Stage IV cancer, and she had been going through treatment.

Loretta was able to attend graduation, but two days ago, she passed away.

Amanda knew she would now be in Dravosburg longer than expected, so she asked her sister to drive up with her service dog, whose name is Jewels.

"My sister brought her up for me. They didn't get in until late at night, and when they got here, she got loose," Markatine said, "and she went up into the woods, and we couldn't get her."

Jewels was last seen in the driveway on June 18 around 1 a.m.

For more than two weeks, every day and every night, Amanda and her family have looked for her missing service dog.

The 33-year-old has been in a wheelchair since a car accident left her paralyzed at age 16.

Amanda has had Jewels by her side for almost six years. She needs her back and is offering a reward for her return.

"If I were to drop something on the floor and it goes under a table to where I can't reach it, she can go under there and pick it up for me," Markatine said. "If I ask her to go get the phone, she can go get the phone. Like, if I were to fall or something like that, she can go get the phone for me. She knows how to open and close doors."

Jewels is a blue pit bull. Her ears are cropped. She has white on her chest and the tips of her paws and the tip of her tail.

She was wearing a black collar, but had no tags. She does have a chip.

"We need her back, and we are desperate to get her back. And if [someone] has her, just turn her in, and there will be no questions asked. They can have a reward. We just need the dog back."

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