ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, December 7, 1995 TAG: 9512070048
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: KENNETH SINGLETARY STAFF WRITER
The road home for Sparky the dachshund has been a long one - longer than the stretch of highway from upstate New York to South Carolina.
It's stretched out through a yearlong custody battle to get Sparky from his former home in New York down to Spartanburg, S.C., where his owner now lives.
And just as Frank Scatigna was about to have his beloved, 81/2-year-old pet returned to him, Sparky has up and pulled a disappearing act that would make a magician proud.
Wednesday, a frantic Scatigna was on his way to Christiansburg, where his pet was last seen, determined to pull out all the stops to find his pooch.
Sparky was on his way to South Carolina with his escort, Scatigna's friend Emil Warchol, when the two decided to pull off Interstate 81 early Tuesday morning.
They checked into the Super 8 motel in Christiansburg and prepared to go to sleep. But first Sparky had to answer the call of nature. Warchol opened the door, and Sparky took off.
Warchol has an injured Achilles' tendon, so he wasn't able to give chase, but since the disappearance, Warchol constantly has been on the move. He has called the dog warden, humane society, local police, radio and television stations, and the newspaper. He walked up and down the street looking for a brown, 12-pound dachshund with white fur around his snout and a blue halter.
Scatigna is beside himself with worry. He has had Sparky since the dog was 6 months old. It was the first time he was to be reunited with his pet after the custody battle.
The matter entered the courts in New York more than a year ago after a friend who was caring for Sparky placed him with another family while Scatigna, who lived in New York at the time, was receiving medical treatment, the owner said.
Scatigna hired a lawyer and went to court, a long travail that finally ended with a decision in his favor.
"After a year and a half, I finally got him back and now this happens," Scatigna said by telephone. "I'd do anything to get him back. I'd love to get him back because he means so much to me."
Scatigna said Sparky was close to both him and his father, who is now dead. To Scatigna, Sparky is a tangible connection with his father.
"He was a little part of my Dad. That's why he means so much."
Sparky has a long scar down his back from an operation to fix a displaced disk, and Scatigna said he also had a back operation. "They wanted to put him to sleep, but I had them do surgery. I didn't want to lose him."
Scatigna said he has invested at least $2,000 in the dog.
For his part, Warchol, who has an Australian shepherd back home in New York, plans to stay in the New River Valley until this evening. By then he figures he will have done all he can.
"I'm broken up about it, of course," he said.
Scatigna and Warchol were to meet up early Wednesday evening.
If you find Sparky, leave a message at Scatigna's home by calling (803) 583-2545.
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Sparky. color.by CNB