Volunteers seek wandering Pyrenees dog spotted near Ligonier

Andre, a 6-year-old Great Pyrenees dog who wandered away from his Cambria County home last fall and has eluded a team of volunteers searching for him in Westmoreland County the past two weeks, was recently spotted in the Ligonier area.

That gives members of “Team Andre” hope the large white dog soon may be reunited with his owner, Gwen Michaux.

She encourages anyone who sees Andre to call her at 814-591-4264. The neutered male dog was last seen Thursday evening walking near Idlewild Park.

“He's been seen everywhere,” Michaux said, noting the breed — originally developed to assist shepherds in the mountains of southwestern Europe — is capable of traveling many miles in a day without eating much food.

According to Michaux, Andre had the run of her 50-acre farm in Summerhill, south of Ebensburg, but wandered off on Oct. 15. He was spotted Feb. 12 in Jerome, Somerset County, then headed west to the Laughlintown area of Route 30.

The dog responded when Michaux called his name. But before she could secure him, a loud noise spooked him, and thus began the ongoing attempt to track him, assisted by volunteers who distributed fliers.

He's since been sighted in Seward, across the Conemaugh River in Armagh and Blairsville, and in Wilpen and Ligonier.

Andre is described as friendly, but Michaux notes on her Facebook page that he is operating in “survival mode.” She asks that those who see him call her to report the time and location but refrain from chasing him, or calling or whistling for him, which could cause him to run away.

Jeff Himler is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-836-6622, jhimler@tribweb.com or via Twitter @jhimler_news.