Family searches for missing dog who escaped from Chicago boarding facility

CHICAGO (CBS) – A family in west suburban Plano has spent the last month searching for their beloved Belgium Shepherd. "Henney" was staying at a Chicago boarding facility when she scaled a 6-foot gate and took off.

To make matters worse, it took the business nearly a week to notify the dog's owners that she was missing. CBS 2's Andrew Ramos spoke to the family, which is making a plea to the public.

What initially started as a dream family vacation for the Chavez family at Disney World quickly took an unexpected turn after a phone call.

"Something went south," said Paul Chavez. "I asked what happened, and he stated that Henney had run away."

Henney is the family's 1-year-old Belgian Shepherd which was placed, along with their other German shepherd, at a boarding facility at Brighton Park Animal Hospital while they were away.

The family dropped the dogs off on June 30, but it wasn't until July 5 that they were told Henney had escaped.

"He was hopeful about finding her on his own," Chavez said. "It felt really bad because we couldn't do anything. You know we're so far away. We wanted to get involved."

Over a month later, Henney is still missing. When they're not manning the front desk of their auto parts shop in Little Village, the family is out searching.

"It's frustrating, you know?" Chavez said. "Going out and hearing about sightings here and then coming back empty-handed. It's like ugh!"

Dr. Ernesto Perez, the owner of the Brighton Park Animal Hospital, said what happened was simply a freak accident where the dog was frightened by another dog and got out of her collar and leash.

"They corralled her, and then she kind of dodged everybody," Perez said. "She climbed up the fence, and then like a military dog, she just jumped."

That fence is 6 feet high.

Perez said he has never had an incident like this happen since opening the facility in 2001, and he said his team, for the past month, has been actively scouring the area to search for Henney.

But why did it take the business five days to notify the Chavez family?

"It was a Saturday and then we were closed on that Monday for Fourth of July and then that's why it seemed like it was a long time sicne we notified them," Perez said.

The Chavez family said they believe Henney is alive and well and was likely taken by a family. They are now asking for anyone who recognizes her to come forward and do the right thing.