Time is running out for the owner of Dutch the dog to file an appeal but authorities think Dutch and his owner may have left the area.

After the hearing two weeks ago, the court ordered Jeremiah Aguilar to turn Dutch over to Animal Services by 3:30PM that afternoon.

Aguilar ignored the court and never showed up. Although that deadline has passed, Aguilar still has some time left to file an appeal of the court’s decision to put the dog down.

“He does have two weeks from the 14th to file an appeal if that's what he chooses to do and then after that we'll see what the court chooses to do” explained Mike Duncan, Animal Services Supervisor for the Montrose Police Department.

Authorities say they haven't seen Aguilar or Dutch during the past couple weeks and they believe Aguilar and the dog have left the area. The city says if Aguilar doesn't file an appeal or turn in the dog by Thursday’s deadline, legal action may be possible against him.

A new memo from the court says the city is willing to consider an alternative to putting Dutch down. Instead, Dutch would go to a sanctuary in Colorado or Utah where Aguilar could go visit him.