Happy, Havanese

Happy Ending For Dog Owner, Lost Pet Dog Ran Off After Break-In
July 30, 2011

STOUGHTON, Mass. -- Filthy, thirsty and totally exhausted, Happy the Havenese was resting comfortably at home on Friday night after being lost for more than 40 hours, our news partner WickedLocal/Stoughton reported.

The story is also available on video at:
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/07/29/one-dog-killed-one-missing-after-stoughton-kennel-break-in/

“It’s great, great,” said Happy’s owner, Jim Bannister. “There’s just no feeling.”

Two boys out playing at 3 p.m. Friday found Happy under a bush, Bannister said. They chased him into the yard of a neighbor, who recognized Happy as the dog missing from Stoughton Groomers since Wednesday.

“She called my daughter in Maine, and my daughter called my wife, and my wife shot right over there,” said Bannister.

Happy, a 3-year-old black-and-white Havanese, disappeared at 9 p.m. Wednesday after, police say, a woman broke a lock on the play yard of the Park Street dog-grooming business where Happy was being boarded while his family vacationed in Maine.

The woman, who police said was drunk, walked off with a white Shih Tzu in her arms. Meanwhile, eight other dogs ran into traffic on Route 27, and one, a terrier mix named Snoopy, was struck by a car and fatally injured.

Police rounded up most of the animals, but Happy remained elusive. Bannister and his wife Vivian returned home from Maine to search for him and posted 125 fliers with his photograph around town.

The woman who allegedly broke into the business, Pamela Dowd, 44, of 1247 Park St., Stoughton, was ordered in court Thursday to undergo treatment for alcohol addiction. She was arraigned on seven charges, including breaking and entering, larceny and animal cruelty.

Five of the dogs belonged to Scott Holyoke, 32, the owner of Stoughton Groomers at 883 Park St., the former site of Missy’s Puppy Land.

Holyoke, who opened the business in March 2010, spent four years in prison on federal drug-dealing charges and will finish his federal probation next month. He was a government informant in the trial of Lawrence P. Novak, a Brockton lawyer convicted of money laundering and obstruction of justice.

“My life is not the same as it was,” Holyoke said Thursday. “I’m not a different person, I just don’t do the same things. Obviously, I know how to manage my previous demons.”

Police Executive Officer Robert Devine said police have no reason to believe the break into Holyoke’s business had anything to do with his past. It appears to be a random act, Devine said.

“We had problems with the previous owner,” Devine said, referring to Missy’s Puppy Land, whose owner was charged with animal cruelty. “He hasn’t been there very long. We really haven’t had too many dealings with him.”

Meanwhile, Bannister said Happy was “all wiped out” and in his own room resting after the ordeal.

The veterinarian said to give Happy water and a little food and time to recover from the stress, Bannister said.

Vivian Bannister said the family will find a way to reward the boys who brought Happy home.

Source: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/print/28714638/detail.html
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Xander, Rottweiler

Dog missing nearly three weeks reunited with owner
Misty Maynard, Ledger Independent
Posted: Wednesday, July 27, 2011 10:00 pm

Josh Ginn was reunited with his dog, Xander after 20 days thanks to a local rescue group which uses Facebook in its efforts to find homes for animals.

One social networking site has proven to be pet-friendly.

When Xander, a 1 1/2-year-old Rottweiler managed to escape from his East Second Street home earlier this month, his owners, Laurie and Josh Ginn, searched the neighborhood, inquiring of neighbors and friends whether they had seen the dog. When those efforts failed, they turned to Facebook.

Laurie Ginn said she posted on her status that her son, Josh Ginn's, dog had gone missing. The post failed to get any leads.

As the days passed, Laurie Ginn said a family member checked the Mason County Animal Shelter for Xander, but with no luck.

"I actually had kind of given up," Laurie Ginn said.

It was not the first time the dog, who Laurie Ginn described as an "escape artist" had gotten loose. One time before, the dog had managed to get out of the back yard and he was found by some children at Rotary Park. He was wearing his usual collar with identification tag at the time so they were able to contact the owner.

Laurie Ginn said an attempt to make the backyard escape-proof was made and no one thought the dog would be able to get out again. Somehow, he managed to find a hole in the fence that had eluded notice. When he got out the second time, Laurie Ginn said he was wearing a walking collar instead of his usual collar with ID tag.

Laurie Ginn sent up a prayer for the dog that had been with the family since about Christmas. Laurie Ginn said the dog was given to them by another family member who couldn't keep it and it was meant to be a temporary home for him -- until she and her son fell in love with him.

Not long after the prayer, a call came in from her nephew, the original owner of the dog, who asked if the dog was still missing and told her about a photograph he had seen on the local volunteer group, the Maysville Rescue Team's, Facebook page. The group often posts photos of dogs at the animal shelter to promote adoption.

Laurie Ginn checked the page and contacted Bridget Case, who runs the group with her husband, Ryan Case.

"I called her and she was just overjoyed," Laurie Ginn said.

Bridget Case sent photos to Laurie Ginn via text and Laurie Ginn was able to confirm the dog in the photo was Xander.

Laurie Ginn learned Xander, who had been in the shelter for beyond the typical hold placed on animals, was to be euthanized. Laurie Ginn said she thought Xander might have been kept longer than usual because he was wearing a collar when he was picked up at a location past the animal shelter.

Laurie Ginn said she went to the shelter, accompanied by MRT, and was reunited with Xander.

Laurie Ginn praised both the shelter, who kept the dog past his original euthanization date and MRT for bringing Xander home. She also gave Facebook credit for the happy ending. She said she didn't think Xander, who had been missing for about 20 days, would have come home if it had not been for Facebook.

Source: http://www.maysville-online.com/news/local/article_37c2f1b8-b893-11e0-9886-001cc4c03286.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter#ixzz1TSEXwcW5

Louie, shepherd-chow mix

Louie Back Home After Huge Facebook Following
2-Year-Old Shepherd Chow Named Louie Missing
POSTED: Wednesday, July 20, 2011
UPDATED: 2:47 pm EDT July 27, 2011

HIGHLAND, Mich. -- A dog who was the subject of a social media-based search initiative since early July has been found.

More pictures of Louie at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LXKWA_b4UI

Meredith Miller, of Highland, said 2-year-old shepherd chow mix named Louie is her pride and joy.

"He means everything to us," she said.

Miller said she and her fiancee were in Chicago on July 6 and had left Louie with her parents. She said she was heartbroken when she got the call that he had gotten away.

"My initial reaction when they called was that I was standing in the middle of Chinatown crying in front of just groups of people," she said. "Because I'm emotional and I'm very attached to this dog."

Miller said she wasn't immediately able to get home to search for Louie, so she started a virtual one.

"I didn't know what else to do. There was nothing that I could do from that hotel room. So, I got on Facebook on my laptop and put it here," she said. "And meditatively, I don't remember how many there were in the beginning, but all of my friends pretty much responded right away."

Miller started the Facebook page "Looking for Louie," which garnered more than 1,000 followers.

Details on where or how Louie was found weren't posted on the page, but group members posted pictures of Louie and Miller being reunited and messages of thankfulness and congratulations.

Source: http://www.clickondetroit.com/family/28614267/detail.html
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Part 1 of the story follows:
Skittish pet rescued from hoarding situation on the run in Highland Township
By Carol Hopkins, The Oakland Press
Published: Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Louie ran away from a home in Highland Township on July 6 and has been missing since.

Meredith Brown and her fiancé were visiting Brown’s parents in Highland this month when the couple decided to take a short trip to Chicago.

The couple left their dog, Louie, at the parents’ home, but the dog ran away July 6. Brown has been trying to locate the dog, which has had a hard life.

“It’s been the worst week of my life,” said Brown, who has been frantically searching for the dog.

Louie — a 2½-year-old, 50 pound shepherd chow mix dog — is mainly brown with a dark muzzle, floppy ears and a curly tail. The dog is skittish and afraid of people.

Brown, who has resided in Baltimore for seven years and works as an elementary school teacher, has the summer off.

She and her fiancé decided to visit her parents, who live in the Axford Acres subdivision, located east of Harvey Lake Road between North Milford Road and East Wardlow Road in Highland.

The couple brought along Louie, a dog with an unusual history.

“He was in a horrible situation,” Brown said. A man in Clark County, Ohio, was hoarding dogs, including Louie.

“He had 300 dogs and 70 were dead,” she said. “This is why Louie is so scared and doesn’t trust people.”

Rescue authorities recovered the dogs and, because there were so many dogs, the Washington, D.C. shelter took 30 of the dogs, she said.

“Because our dog died, we were looking for a dog,” she said.

Brown said her parents were well-informed about Louie’s behaviors, but while Brown and her fiancé were away and her parents were home sleeping, the dog went up on a dresser, managed to open a window, tore through the screen and jumped out.

“Louie has severe separation anxiety when I’m not there,” said Brown. “He bonded with me so quickly. I was his world. He focused on me 100 percent of the time and follows me from room to room. He left to go in search of me.”

Brown’s father spotted the dog early on. After Brown posted fliers in the area and announced on her Facebook page she was searching for the dog, she received calls about people seeing him.

“I’m driving 15 hours a day but I’m always five minutes behind,” she said. Milford police contacted Brown, telling her they saw the dog and were tracking him.

“When the officer got out of his car, Louie took off,” said a weary-sounding Brown.



Brown is asking anyone who sees the dog to follow him but not to scare him away. Then call her.

“I think the only chance is if he sees me,” she said.

Brown worries her dog by now is suffering and hungry.

She said, “He doesn’t know people are looking for him.”

Source: http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2011/07/13/news/local_news/doc4e1db6f595c27787923128.txt?viewmode=fullstory

Piper, boxer/lab mix

Part 1 of 2
A Risk I’m Willing To Take
Andy Coon, Final Cut Producer (blog)
July 26th, 2011

Monday morning I was supposed to begin a new job as an video editor/shooter. My ethos compelled me to ask for an additional week before I begin. Here is why I asked that…

The Hike

On July 6th, 2011, I drove from Greensboro to Pinnacle, NC, to hike with a friend, my dog Kisa and my neighbor’s dog Piper. It is about a 2 mile trail that is less traveled which allows me to take my dog off the lease. I’ve hiked this trial numerous amount of times and Kisa absolutely loves it. It is a time where my friend and I can air things out and leave it in the woods. Very peaceful and tranquil.

Both dogs were off their leashes and the hike was a go. We hiked to the end of the trail and both dogs were exhausted and were well behaved. We carried a bowl and a gallon of water and rewarded the dogs often. Kisa is the pack leader but always turns her head to see where we are. Piper is walking right behind us smiling along. About a quarter of a mile before we reach our car Piper trots ahead and is right besides Kisa. We came to a hill and Kisa goes left down the trail and Piper continued straight ahead into a high grassy area. I set down the bowl and poured out the water and called to both dogs…Kisa came and slurped up the water…no Piper. I continued to call for Piper and she never showed up. There was no sound of her running off, yelping in pain or barking. She just wondered off into the woods. I knew right away something was off. My friend and I searched the area for the next 8 hours. No luck.

I had to make one of the most difficult phone calls in my life…I called my neighbors during their vacation and told them that Piper went missing. They came home the very next day and headed out to the trial and instantly became part of the search. We posted flyers, called every close county’s animal control, shelters, police, park rangers, ads on Facebook, they even hired a dog tracker. Numerous amount of friends and even strangers helped in the search. We all drived in circles calling for Piper.

The first two weeks were frustrating. We live an hour away and would get calls about spotting Piper in a certain location. By the time we get up there she would be long gone and even worse, we couldn’t confirm if it was even her. That drains you emotionally…the hope then the dispair.

Last week we got a call from a sweet married couple that live across from the trail that we hiked and claimed they saw Piper in their backyard a couple of times. We went up and walked through their yard and went into the woods. We came up empty. They allowed us to camp out in their backyard in order to bring Piper home. My neighbors went up Friday night and confirmed a Piper sighting. When they called her name she scurried back into the woods. It broke their hearts that she ran from them. They camped out again Saturday night into Sunday afternoon with no Piper sighting. They have searched daily and have been immersed into the emotional roller coaster from day one. Both of them work full time and can’t afford to take the time off to hunt with no good leads during the weekday. It is now up to Piper to be seen and swayed into a caring home. She does have her collar on and has tags for contact. She is the sweetest dog, but is skittish around new people which makes it even more difficult for her to trust new people.

The Empathy

13 years ago my sweet dog, Indra, went missing. I did everything you could do at that time to get the word out. I chased leads and it would always fall short. People were so kind and wanted to help in anyway. I received call after call about a found black lab…I would be so hopeful until I showed up and it wasn’t my Indra. About 5 weeks after she was reported missing I got a phone call from a lady that claimed to have my dog. To make things short. She questioned me to make sure it was my dog…after she knew it was my Indra she then went on about how good of a dog she was and how caring she was around children. I knew, I trained her to be a peaceful dog and I showered her with love and effection. She then began questioning about the kind of dog care taker I was. I knew there was a hidden agenda but I was so excited to know she was okay I continued to answer her questions. The tears started rolling when I began to ask how I can get her back. She cried uncontrollably and then hung up the phone. I was shocked until fury entered into my blood. I called *69 and she blocked the phone. I was irate!

The next day a man called and was a little more rational. But he continued to question me about how I took care of the dog. He brought up personal things like how I was about to graduate collage and if I knew what I was going to do with my dog. I asked him kindly to meet so I can get her back. I offered a reward, even though I was a poor college student. He ended the conversation with, “We will communicate with you in a couple of days to inform you about our decision.” and hung up. I lost my shit. *69 and this time I had a phone number. I researched it and it turned out to be a public phone in McLeansville at a supermarket. I went to the police and reported a stolen dog.

Two days later I got a letter in the mail stating the reason they were keeping my dog. I will never forget the one line from the letter that is permanently imprinted in my brain. It said, “After long consultation, meditation and prayer we came to the conclusion that we will keep the dog for her best well being.” That killed me. My school work suffered, work suffered and I was dragged into a pit of depression. But I never gave up looking for those asshats. I did a live broadcast on public access, went to the newspaper and even the local news did a story but no one turned them in. I know my dog had a loving home but those people stole not just a dog but an amazing companion who I showered with love and affection and she responded in being the sweetest dog in the world. I miss my Indra and I hope Karma bites those people in the ass.

The Steakout

Back to the present…for the remaining of the week I will be camping at the spotted site of Piper until Saturday. I have a hard time sitting on my ass knowing that I can do something and not do it. I never got a response for my request to begin my new position for next week. But this is something that I have to do. I know the feeling of loss, I understand the frustration of loosing hope over and over, but I don’t know what it feels like to have a close friend loose your beloved dog. I alone, have to go to sleep at night knowing the pain that my actions have caused. But, this is not about me…it is about doing whatever I can to reunite that dog to their owners. Even if I can’t bring Piper home by Saturday I know that I did everything that I possibly could…that, I can live with.

My Actions

I hold myself accountable for my actions with everything in life. I continue to kick myself for the fact that Piper trotted off into the woods and is still not home with her owners. Looking back, would I have put her on a leash?

■If I knew she was to trot off of course I would.
■If I ever take another hike with any dog including Piper…yes, I would.
■If this experience never happened, I probably would not based on how she was right behind us the entire hike.
■If I took her off the leash and she jetted into the woods and was running around, I would’ve leashed her right up.

I’ve been unemployed for the month of July and I’m very fortunate and grateful for the position that I was offered. I do not take this offer lightly. I understand the significance it holds for me. It is a position that will allow me to continue working as a video professional. I’m so proud of the fact that I get paid to do something that I love to do. I know this is not the best way to enter into a new job. I do understand from their perspective if they go with another candidate. I just hope my actions show the kind of person that I can be for their company. Not the actions of delaying my employment but the actions of compassion for others and that I am responsible and accountable for my actions. I’ll just have to wait and see by Saturday or if I can bring Piper home earlier. Wish me luck.

Source: http://fcproducer.com/2011/07/a-risk-im-willing-to-take/

Part 2 / Conclusion
Bringing Piper Home
Andy Coon, Final Cut Producer (blog)

July 26th, 2011

Today is the happiest day for all the right reasons. I found Piper…let me correct that Kisa, my dog sniffed her out and drew her out of the woods. Kisa is my hero. We were walking a grassy path when she just stopped dead in her tracks and looked into the dense wooded area to the left of us and in the shadows a tail wagged happily to see her buddy. I let Kisa go into the woods and Piper greeted her with doggie kisses across the face. I began to approach her and Piper began to inch away from me. I stopped and began to squat. She then came back to Kisa. I realized that Kisa would have to lead her back to the car.

I pulled Kisa out of the wooded area slowly and Piper followed, but was still skittish of me so I used a soft inviting voice like that of Herbert or Delilah. She responded but was still hesitant. So we began walking back to the car and Piper was following us. The car was about a 1000 feet away and my heart was racing. I didn’t want to jump on her in case I missed and freaked her out even more. But at the same time I didn’t want to loose her either. We picked up the pace and began to jog back to the car and she was right there with us. We approached the car, I opened the rear door and she backed up and ran back into the woods. Oh shit! went through my head. My adrenalin fell back down and I had to think what’s next. I grabbed an extra leash, some doggie treats and Kisa and I were back on the trail.

We went through all the brush and entered the woods again and no Piper. I realized that we didn’t scare her…it was the car. So I grabbed a chair and a bowl with water and we sat in front of the opening of the woods where she scurried off to. I poured the water, Kisa began drinking it up and within 15 seconds of us sitting down we both heard the tags rattling in the distance. I looked in the woods and there was no movement. Kisa turned around and Piper was behind us in the large field wagging her tail. I let Kisa go to her and I got down and slowly crawled to them and stuck out my hand. Piper came over and licked my hand and allowed me to grab her collar and I clicked the leash on her. My heart raced and an overwhelming feeling of joy came over me. I knew Piper was going to be home with her family.

We approached the car and she did not want to get in that car. She began pulling away and it looked like she was about to get out of her collar. I stopped pulling and sat down. Kisa plopped down, she was exhausted. Piper sat and we had some bonding to do before we could get in the car. After a few more licks and petting on the head and words of encouragement, I asked Piper if she was ready. Kisa knew exactly what those words mean and it seemed Piper did too. She got up walked over to the car and hopped in the back seat. Kisa followed. I jumped in the car and rolled up the windows and fired up the car and hit the air. I ran around the yard picking up all the supplies and jumped in the car and headed back to Greensboro.

That one hour drive back to Greensboro was…the best feeling in the world. The weight of the world was off my shoulders and my beautiful neighbors will have their family together again. I looked in the rear view mirror and saw the exhausted face of Kisa…that was the most beautiful face in the world at that moment. There is no possible way that I would’ve stumbled across Piper without her. Kisa is not the friendliest dog to most dogs but her and Piper have an amazing bond. A bond that was put back together almost three weeks after Piper went missing.

There were so many people that helped, shared enthusiasm, put up flyers, gave suggestions and kept Piper in their prayers. The family whose yard Piper was attracted to, I do believe a higher power kept her safe and to stay put. To all who exhausted themselves thank you so much and know that your help was instrumental in bringing Piper home.

Ready to go start my new job…if they will have me.

Source: http://fcproducer.com/2011/07/bringing-piper-home/

Astro, shepherd mix

Tail-wagging ending:
Lebanon dog reunited with family in Blount County
By Joel Davis, The Daily Times
July 25, 2011

"Astro,” a 13-year-old shepherd-mix dog, has been reunited with his family from Lebanon after being found more than 150 miles away in Blount County.

Astro, a 13-year-old shepherd mix, relaxes on Billy Minser’s porch at his home in Maryville. Minser found the dog on his property back on July 8. Turns out that Astro was missing from Lebanon and has now been reunited with his family.

Back on July 8, Maryville resident Billy Minser had an unexpected guest at his home — located out in the country on Gribble Road — a black dog who was later dubbed “Wolf.”

Minser took the dog to the Blount County Animal Center but made it clear to the volunteers that he would foster the dog until there was more room or a home was found for him.

According to volunteer Emily Straquadine, finding an adopter for a 13-year-old dog is no easy task, so, a few days later, when the center reached holding capacity, Minser took the dog back home where it stayed for a few weeks.

On Saturday, Darlene Bakos, another animal center volunteer, received an email about a missing dog named Astro. The photo caught Bakos’ eye because Astro looked a whole lot like Wolf. She alerted the Vescera family, Astro’s owners, and they arrived at Minser’s farm on Sunday for a happy reunion.

“I’m just very grateful for the network of animal rescues in Tennessee that put the word out and worked together to look for Astro,” said Maureen Vescera, one of Astro’s owners. “It’s just amazing how they all worked together for the benefit of getting one dog back to his home.”

Astro had disappeared from his dog sitter’s home around June 30 while the Vesceras were on vacation. Staff at a Lebanon gas station reported that a lady with a white horse trailer had picked the dog up. A week later, he arrived at Minser’s home. “I was a bit shocked to see he was that far away,” Maureen Vescera said.

Vescera heaped praised on Minser. “(Astro) certainly picked the right foster-dad. Billy was amazing with him. It was like Astro was a summer camp the whole time. Here I was worried, and Astro .... was with someone who was very loving to him. ... He’s a wonderful man. He took Astro in like his own. I told Billy if we go to vacation again, we’ll drop Astro off with him.”

This wasn’t Astro’s first brush with an animal shelter. The Vesceras first met the dog, then less than a year old, at the home of a woman who had rescued him from being euthanized at another shelter.

“My husband said, when we were leaving, ‘That’s the dog.’ I said ‘What dog?’ He said ‘The shepherd mix we looked at. He’s our dog.’ We adopted him. From the moment we adopted him, he was just the perfect pet.”

Source: http://www.thedailytimes.com/Local_News/story/Tail-wagging-ending%3A-Lebanon-dog-reunited-with-family-in-Blount-County-id-013946

Emma & Ziggy, golden retriever & boxer/pitbull

Second stolen dog missing from Ada home found
By Zane McMillin | The Grand Rapids Press
Thursday, July 21, 2011

ADA TOWNSHIP — The second of two dogs who were stolen from a home Tuesday and thrown from a moving car near Spring Lake has been found.

Ziggy, a 3-year-old pit bull-boxer mix, had been missing from the Grand Valley Estates home since Tuesday morning. He belongs to the Anderson family, whose 9-year-old Golden Retriever, Emma, was also taken and injured.

The family spent time searching for the dog in the Spring Lake/Nunica area and found him today, according to an MLive post by Marc Anderson.

Marc Anderson's father, Tom, told The Press on Wednesday that Emma had been found by a resident of the Spring Lake area.

The resident reportedly spotted Ziggy, but could not lure him to her house with a treat. The woman contacted authorities, who tracked down the Andersons.

Tom Anderson said he was told Emma was in rough shape and appeared to have been thrown from a moving vehicle.

Marc Anderson's MLive post indicated Ziggy was found injured as well.

A motive for the theft remains elusive, as do suspects.

Source: http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2011/07/second_stolen_dog_missing_from.html

Arlo, dachschund

Vacationing family reunited with lost dog at oceanfront
WTKR-TV3, Virginia Beach VA
July 22, 2011

A joyful reunion at the beach Saturday - a family vacationing in the resort city lost their dog and were forced to go home without their furry family member.

Thanks to a local rescue group they are together again.

The Daschund named Arlo can finally rest easy back in his owners arms after spending the last three months lost at the oceanfront.

"We dont know what kind of adventure he was on but he made it back to us in one piece," said Robyn, Arlo's owner.

Arlo's adventure started back in April when his owners, Robyn and Joseph Smith came to stay at the La Quinta Inn on Pacific Avenue on a crowded afternoon.

While they were unpacking their car in the parking lot, a loud noise startled their dogs Arlo and Lucy.

Somehow the leash attached to Arlo's neck unhooked and he took off.

They spent three days searching but eventually had to go home to Ohio without him.

"That's the way we wanted to picture it, someone found him here and gave him a good home, cause he loves kids and he loves to cuddle," said

But that was far from what happened.

Arlo was spotted about 6 weeks ago running around a marshy area near an apartment complex two blocks away by two women, Pam Davis and Buffy Drake, looking very hungry and scared.

"Everytime you would go near him, he would just run," said Buffy.

They say he looked so skinny you could see his ribs and he was covered in fleas.

"I called him over and he rolled over on his back finally and I started rubbing him real easy and I was ready to just click him cause he did have his collar on," said Buffy.

Buffy was able to hook a leash on him and called animal control.

That's when others in the community took action.

The Dachsund Rescue of North America was able to get the news to the Smiths in Ohio.

"If it wasn't for the dililgence of the girls to keep up with him, he'd probably still be out there," said Robyn.

Now, meeting in the last place they saw each other, a family is reunited, just a couple weeks before Arlo's first birthday.

Sunday, they'll finally make that 10 hour drive home together.

"This place is a wonderful place to vacation and it must be a wonderful place to live because the people here have really worked together to make this happen," said Robyn.

Vets don't believe Arlo will suffer any long term health problems and he's now been microchipped, which can help find him if he ever gets lost again.

Source: http://www.wtkr.com/news/wtkr-dog-reunited-with-family,0,325628.story
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Riko, miniature pinscher

Recent Find Toto Success Stories: Riko - Maryland
told by Kim Leaty, in Glenarden MD
Lost 7/13/2011, Alert 7/18/2011, Found 7/18/2011
 

I can not thank FINDTOTO.COM and the honest neighborhood citizen enough times that called me in helping bring our Riko back home!!!

I had just got done confirming with Krislyn from FINDTOTO.COM of the text to be sent out, her email was timestamped 5:10pm ET that she was going to send out shortly and wishing me best of luck.

5:14pm ET I received a phone call from a gentleman stating he received the alert on his way out the house and had noticed his neighbor with a new dog that they recently just got and the dog fit my description.

I went to the police and asked for an escort to the house. As soon as I heard the dog bark as the police office knocked on the door, I KNEW it was our Riko!!!!

The officer asked if the dog was the lady's who answered the dog, and she stated 'no'. Her mother then came to the door and explained how her son brought the dog home after he was found wandering in the rain and he thought he was abandoned.

Riko had a collar on and is well trained. The lady told me I could have the dog food they bought for him, I told her no thanks.

They had my dog for 5 days and did not report him found to the SPCA, to any animal shelter or police. While I believe this family that had Riko took good care of him for the 5 days he was missing and am thankful for the care and that he was not abused or mistreated, I still also believe at the same time they had no intentions on trying to find his owner, otherwise they would have contacted the appropriate authorities when they found him, 5 days ago!

THANK YOU TO FINDTOTO.COM and "the neighbor" for all of your help!!!

I think the 4 min response time, from when alert was sent out to accurate lead phone call to owner, must be an all-time record for FINDTOTO.COM!

THANK YOU THANK YOU!

Source: http://www.findtoto.com/?action=success_stories_detail&id=5951

Millie, black lab/greyhound

Recap of Millie's Capture
by Angela Song,  Scared, Lost Dogs: San Diego on Facebook
Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Millie, chillin' after her capture, following 76 days on the lam

Millie was captured at 12:45 am on July 18! After 76 excruciating days of intense witness development, tracking, finding that Millie nearly starved to death, training to keep her in one area, dart and drugging attempts, and Jen living under the freeway for 15 hours a day two months- not an exaggeration! Here is a recap of the night since so many caring people have been asking and wondering.

On the day/night of trapping, we had our team of five. We each had a pre-planned role with specif...ic responsibilities. We were positioned in different locations with different equipment. I was with Jen who had the baby monitor, I had the binoculars. Pattie and Lynn were in a parking lot just adjacent with Lynn's high powered scope aimed at the from the of trap.

There were several hours of planning and deliberation and detailed testing and retesting of all the moving parts. We set the trap at 6 pm to sync it with her usual feeding and activity time.

She really made us work for her capture. Although she came out a few times from 8:25 pm onward, she kept us on the edge of our seats as it grew dusk then very dark. Jen and I worked back and forth with me letting her know if Millie was approaching the trap so she could turn the baby monitor on. We had limited battery time so the monitor could not be kept on. Becky, Pattie, and Lynn called in from their vantage points as well. We were all in constant communication (even if words were not spoken). The dark hours between 9 pm and midnight were pretty nervewracking to say the least. Millie went back and forth between the humane trap and box, to the east, disappeared to the west, napping here and there, multiple approaches without eating, a LOT of looking out into the parking lot.

When she finally approached the box trap the final time, she went in for the hanging hot dog first then went right back in to try for the chicken. It took her three good tries to get the bait chicken. It was a super dry, nuked chicken breast attached to a papattachéattached to the wire at the very end of the trap. Thank goodness she didn't accidentally trip the wire during these initial attempts because she was doing her crazy lean-ins and looked out at the parking lot. She did this several times before she actually committed to pulling the chicken. She walked all the way in and the door slammed shut.

From the nanosecond we saw the door shut on the monitor, Jen and I flew to the trap (I think our feet touched the ground, but can't remember). Car doors still swinging open. I know Jen will give more details on this, but it was so critical that we got there within a miniute. A minute! Millie was already frantically clawing at the door and sides and started barking as we approached (a scared bark, not aggressive) and we know even a couple of more minutes and she could have lifted the side of the door and gotten out. Thank goodness for the box trap and the ingenious custom-made flanges from Pattie's friend, Glen, to help keep the door down. It bought us precious moments.

As soon as Millie heard Jen's soothing voice as Jen was tying the door, and Millie realized we were not there to harm her, she immediately calmed down, sat and allowed Jen to reach in and put a collar (three in total) around her. She is SUCH a sweet girl.

By this time, Pattie, Lynn, and Becky were there and with all of us guarding the door, we lifted it for Jen to go in and sit with her baby. It was an incredible moment.

Jen and Becky were able to calmly walk back down with Millie on the lead(s), put her in the back of Pattie's truck which had the crate ready to go and off to the vet we went. ... The rest of this happy ending to be continued...

Video 1 - Testing of trap door in daylight view. It works! 

Video 2 - Millie finally in the trap!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scared-Lost-Dog-San-Diego/210446905654052

Luna, beagle

Gran Alacant's Luna found safe after month on the run!
19th July

Gran Alacant's Richard and Aline reunited with their dog who went missing for over a month

Gran Alacant's Website received very good news from the owners of missing dog Luna.

'Richard and I have very good news! We have found her last night! After more than one month looking for her each day, and with the help of very big part of Santa Pola/Gran Alacant Luna is again at home :) She is fine, with a lot of vermin but the veterinary this morning told us she is OK.'

Richard and Aline found her on Monday night after searching for her every day since she went missing whilst playing on the Carabassi beach. She was later spotted all over Gran Alacant; the Gran Vista Urbanisation, GA Centre and even on the other side of the N-332.

The couple also expressed their thanks to the users of Gran Alacant's Website...

'We want to thank Gran Alacant's Website MYgranalacant.com and every person who called us to inform where they saw her because that was the key to catch her.'

The missing dog banner image with a link to download the lost dog poster was positioned in a prime position highly visible on the front page of Gran Alacant's Website.

MYgranalacant.com is very pleased that the Gran Alacant's Website helped play an important role in capturing Luna.

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10th July - Update: 'Yesterday we got a call from a person who saw her last Tuesday! It is nice because we know now she is well but she is moving a lot! And now, we have to look for her in a bigger zone because the last news is that she crossed the main road (Santa Pola - Alicante) to go to drink water in ...the depuration central. Now we know where to look (because we spent lot of time without any news) we are trying again to catch her. I want to thank you to have placed Luna in the first page with the link to the document because when people ask us for information, we send them directly to Gran Alacant's Website, mygranalacant.com.
I hope soon I can send you an email with good news and picture with Luna and us together! Thank you again for your help.

29th June - Update:  'Thank you a lot for your help. We have seen her 2 days ago, at 2 o'clock in the morning near the Chinese restaurant Gran Dragon and after that, in the morning down near the beach, down of Gran Vista urbanization. ...We hope Luna will soon at home! And I am sure with your help and the help of everyone who see her, we will "capture" her. Many thanks again, it is very visible in the Web page and I am sure it will very helpful.'

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Source: http://www.mygranalacant.com/gran-alacant-luna-found-safe-after-month-on-the-run.htm

8/4/2011:  STAY TUNED FOR THE STORY OF LUNA THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER. IT'S COMING UP TOMORROW!

Oahu, JRT mix

Homeward Bound: Purloined Pooch's Journey Comes to an End
After a dog-napping at Christmas, an anonymous tip led to a happy ending for this Jack Russell terrier.
By Frank Klimko
July 21, 2011

Oahu shows off her belly. Volunteers were just happy to get Oahu back home and are treating her like a “hero.”

Animal rescue volunteers are scratching their heads over the tale of Oahu, a Jack Russell terrier mix that was stolen from an animal shelter last year and recovered last week following an anonymous tip to authorities.

That should have been the happy ending to this story about a purloined pooch. However, before the dog could be reunited with her rightful owners, she spent two nights in the Loudoun County animal shelter while animal-control officers established who the dog really belonged to.

Up until last Christmas, Oahu gladly spent her nights snuggled up on a doggie bed at the Friends of Homeless Animals shelter (FOHA) awaiting a permanent home. FOHA is a no-kill shelter and Oahu was looking for an adoptive family, said Linda Moringello, a shelter volunteer. The shelter is in Aldie, but it is supported through its second-hand store in Chantilly, The Treasure Hound.

One day around Christmas, she disappeared from her locked outdoor dog run. Shelter officials were dumfounded, since all the animals at the facility can be adopted for a reasonable fee, but eventually came to the conclusion that she has been stolen.

Shelter president Laura Dove reported the theft to Loudoun County police. Volunteers weren’t optimistic. “Usually when somebody steals a dog, they don’t get returned and it’s very bad,” Moringello said.

However, they didn’t give up and got lucky last week when an anonymous tipster called the shelter with the whereabouts of the dog. Apparently, Oahu had been locked up in a Loudoun County residence ever since she had been taken from the shelter, Moringello said.

The man who was looking after the dog had been picked up and taken to jail on charges unrelated to the dog theft, Moringello said. An acquaintance of the man, who was not named, called the shelter and left a tip, which Dove then reported to Loudoun County authorities.

Police found Oahu in a locked bedroom, said Moringello, but the terrier was not returned immediately to FOHA.

Thomas Koenig, director of the county’s Department of Animal Services, said that animal-control officers were required to take Oahu into county custody until a determination over ownership was made. Even though Oahu’s microchip listed FOHA as her owner, that is not considered conclusive in disputes over dog ownership, which normally has to be decided by a court, Koenig said.

However, Oahu got a break when the caretaker of the dog relinquished any ownership claim, Koenig said. Oahu was returned to FOHA on Saturday night, he said.

Loudoun County Supervisor Jim Burton, who had asked animal control officials to expedite the matter, applauded their work. “Once in a while, fortune smiles,” Burton said.

Volunteers were just happy to get Oahu back home.

“It’s such a wild story and everybody has got to hear more,” Moringello said. “Right now, everybody is treating Oahu like a hero.”

Source: http://chantilly.patch.com/articles/homeward-bound-purloined-poochs-journey-comes-to-an-end-2

Another version of the story: http://www.leesburg2day.com/news/article_bce1cc34-af24-11e0-95ee-001cc4c03286.html

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Chaz, pit mix

Missing dog found after rollover accident in Mundy Township July 1
By Nyssa Rabinowitz, The Flint Journal
Thursday, July 07, 2011

This photo of Chaz was taken in March and was used in flyers and the Facebook page to try and locate the lost dog following the accident

MUNDY TOWNSHIP, Michigan — The missing dog of a Wixom couple involved in a rollover accident has been found after friends and family created a Facebook page to help search for him.

Chaz, a mixed-breed dog just more than a year old, was riding in a vehicle with the couple on their way up north Friday, July 1, to celebrate the Fourth of July weekend when their car rolled over on Grand Blanc Road near U.S. 23.

The Champions of Chaz — Reuniting Lost Dog with Owners page on Facebook had more than 425 fans by Wednesday.

“We’ve had people who don’t know us or the family going out and doing searches on their own,” said page creator Leah Dolsea, 37, of Pleasant Ridge.

The Wixom man’s sister, Susie Klimkiewicz, said her brother was treated for minor cuts and bruises but that his girlfriend was critically injured. Police and family declined to identify the man, 26, and the woman, 24.

“My brother called me from the ambulance, and I went straight out (to the crash site),” said Susie Klimkiewicz, 30, of Waterford Township. Her brother was driving the car.

But Chaz was gone when she reached the scene.

“Witnesses said that they did see Chaz fly out of the vehicle, and he landed on all fours and took off running,” Klimkiewicz said.

Then, the family got the news they had been waiting for for six days — Chaz had been found at 8 in the morning on July 7.

“A guy was on vacation for three days and came home to a stuffed mailbox,” Klimkiewicz said.

Chaz was in his backyard.

A member of the Facebook page dedicated to finding Chaz had printed flyers with her phone number, Chaz’s picture and description and distributed them around the area of the crash site, Klimkiewicz said.

One of the pieces of mail in the homeowner’s mailbox was the flyer, and he recognized the dog.

“I just drove there and picked him up,” said Michelle Guswiler, 37 of Fenton, who made the flyers.

Chaz was found about a mile north of the accident at a home by Reid Road and Torrey Road, Guswiler said.

“I’m an animal lover,” she said. “I just couldn’t stand the thought of him being scared of fireworks or hurt or something like that.”

Guswiler volunteers with an animal rescue group called Guardian Angel Animal Rescue in Livonia, which inspired her to get involved and help.

She said she would never have known the dog was missing if not for Facebook.

“I had seen a post on Facebook on Friday, the day of the accident,” Guswiler said.

Chaz was checked out by a veterinarian and give a clean bill of health apart from a small fracture on his hip, Klimkiewicz said.

Klimkiewicz said she’s not sure Chaz would have been found without the Facebook group.

“I don’t think it would have made it this far without the page,” she said. “We had a lot of help from people in the Flint area. I don’t think any of us could thank them enough.”

Guswiler said she was glad to be a part of the emotional reunion.

“It was a good reunion,” she said. “I’m happy I could be a part of a happy pet story. I think Chaz is very happy to be home.”

Source: http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2011/07/missing_dog_found_after_rollov.html
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Willey, kelpie

Reader reunites with missing dog
16th July 2011

Willey’s owner tracks down his pet after reading the Daily News.

AN ARTICLE in the Daily News last Saturday has led to a man and his best friend being reunited.

A farmer was relieved to see his lost kelpie alive and well when he opened the paper last weekend.

The dog, tentatively nicknamed Blackie by carers but which has the real name of Willey, fell off the back of a ute when its owner was heading from Warwick to Inglewood.

Donna Tanner, from West Warwick Veterinary Services, said the owner hadn't realised his dog's chain had broken and didn't know where he had come off the ute.

“He saw the picture in the paper on Saturday morning and recognised him immediately,” she said.

“He called us and came in to get him.

“He was very happy to have the dog home.”

Willey was found on Monday morning, wandering along the Cunningham Highway, near the Pratten turn-off.

He had sustained some head injuries in his fall and was taken to West Warwick Veterinary Services clinic for treatment.

The vet clinic continued to treat and look after the dog throughout the week in the hope its owner would claim him.

Mrs Tanner said it was good to see a happy ending for the dog and, despite his injuries, Willey was in good shape.

After recovering well throughout the week, the lucky pup was sent home.

Source: http://www.warwickdailynews.com.au/search/?tag=reunited&all-sites=on

Bodhi, lab/hound mix

Dog that went missing from 'Four Paws' is found
By Ryan Nobles
Jul 08, 2011

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - A dog that went missing from a local kennel with a history of problems was found today.

Bodhi went missing earlier this week from the Four Paws Pet Resort in Richmond.

His disappearance followed another dog going missing, as well as a pet dying under the care of the local kennel.

Today, much to the delight of his owners, Bodhi turned up, for the most part unharmed.

Four Paws owner John Maleta claims that Bodhi leaped over a six foot fence and took off.

He said today that the dog was located on train tracks on the Southside of Richmond, by someone who recognized the Four Paws collar.

Four Paws picked up the dog and called owner Maureen Santos and her boyfriend, Mike Rowe, who are relieved to have the dog back.

"Part of me did, I just kept hoping that we would find him and that is why we kept contacting everyone we could," Santos said. "And tell everyone we knew to keep an eye out for him. I was hoping somebody would find him at some point."

Maleta told NBC12 today that he is considering a lawsuit against Santos and her boyfriend for slander.

He said their claims that the kennel wasn't staying in constant contact during the ordeal was not true and he has phone records to prove it.

As for Bodhi, he appears to be in pretty good health, but will be taken to the vet for a check up just to be sure.

Souce: http://www.nbc12.com/story/15050256/dog-that-went-missing-from-four-paws-is-found
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Misty Si, black lab

Snoqualmie couple reunited with ‘walking miracle’
Beloved dog is returned after being lost for 54 days
By Dan Catchpole
July 14, 2011

Cheryl Hanson hugs her 13-year-old black Lab, Misty Si. Misty survived 54 days in the forest near Snoqualmie after getting lost on a walk.

Misty Si is a walking miracle as far as her owners, Cheryl and Steve Hanson, are concerned. They thought their 13-year-old black Lab had died after going missing near Snoqualmie Point Park on May 11.

It was a terrible thing for the Hansons to try to accept. With no children, their dogs are their offspring, and Misty’s disappearance had left a gaping hole in their lives.

Cheryl was hiking on Winery Road with friends and their dogs when Misty vanished. She and Misty had walked the road countless times, but the older dog lagged behind the group.

Cheryl kept an eye on her, but when she checked the last time, Misty was gone. Cheryl and her friends scoured the area, but couldn’t find her.

The Hansons and friends launched an all-out effort to find Misty. They made posters and repeatedly searched the area from sunrise to sunset.

But May dragged on and turned into June.

The Hansons realized there was no way Misty could still be alive with her bad hearing and bad hips.

“We figured she was gone for sure,” Cheryl said.

They began taking down the posters.

“It was terrible. That was our one connection to that area — continuing to put up signs,” she said.

Chance encounter

Allan Landdeck was running late as he and his black Lab, Leo, hiked along Rattlesnake Ridge the morning of July 4. He figured he might be able to save some time by cutting down the steep slope down to his daughter’s house.

He quickly regretted his decision.

“There was no trail. It was in deep woods,” the North Bend resident said.

Landdeck and Leo cut through undergrowth so thick he could only see a few feet away. He could barely see his feet as he stepped through the salmonberry, ferns, small alder and devil’s club.

About halfway down, Landdeck saw a maple tree with a well-worn path about 3 feet wide around its trunk. Had he been just a few further away from the tree, he would have missed it.

Despite running late, his curiosity prompted him to check it out. He approached cautiously, thinking there might be a nearby bear den.

Curled up on the other side of the tree was Misty Si. Her red collar grabbed Landdeck’s eye. Without his reading glasses he couldn’t make out the information, but he knew she belonged to someone.

Misty didn’t respond to him or Leo when they came near. She was fur and bones, and covered with mosquitoes.

“I thought for sure I had a dead dog. I was taking her down to be buried by her loved ones,” he said.

Misty couldn’t walk down, so Landdeck picked her up. Even though she had dropped from 70 to about 30 pounds, walking with her was difficult given the terrain.

“I thought, ‘How the heck am I going to get her out? I can’t even get myself out,’” he said.

The slope eased off, and he managed to make it to a woman’s house with Misty. The woman called the number on the tag.

Cheryl Hanson was mowing her lawn when her cell phone started vibrating in her pocket.

“The woman said we have Misty Si, but she is dying,” Cheryl said.

She and her husband jumped in the car feeling a mix of excitement and worry. They still had in their car the rescue box they had assembled when Misty disappeared.

The Hansons raced over to the woman’s house, where Landdeck was waiting with Misty along with his wife and his daughter. As they approached, he set the dog down.

“When Allan put her on the ground, and she started to wobble toward us, it was the best feeling in the world,” Cheryl said.

Slow but sure recovery

After being reunited with Misty, the Hansons rushed her to VCA Alpine Animal Hospital in Issaquah, the closest one that was open on July 4.

Despite her ordeal and her gaunt appearance, Misty Si was in good shape, the veterinarian told them. She wasn’t even dehydrated.

But bringing a dog back from the brink of starvation is not an easy task. The body’s organs have begun shutting down, and reviving them has to be done slowly and carefully. Rushing the process can trigger harmful, even fatal side effects, such as heart failure, said Dr. Teri Weronko, a veterinarian at Snoqualmie Valley Animal Hospital in Fall City. Weronko is overseeing Misty’s recovery.

With careful steps, Misty is getting back to her old self. When Cheryl takes their other dog, KC, a 2-year-old black Lab, for a walk in the morning, Misty tries to get in the car with them.

“She thinks she’s ready to go, but not yet,” Cheryl said.

Misty’s recovery has amazed Weronko.

After 54 days in the woods, “her body had started eating itself,” she said. “Despite her critical condition, her will to go on was still strong.”

She credits the Hansons with keeping Misty in good health to begin with, but even so, the odds were against her.

“I don’t know how she survived that long. She really shouldn’t have,” Weronko said.

Cheryl knows why.

“It’s a miracle. She’s a miracle,” she said while rubbing Misty’s neck. “Something was watching over her.”

Source: http://snovalleystar.com/2011/07/14/couple-reunited-with-%e2%80%98walking-miracle%e2%80%99#more-15310

Gwen, guide dog

Missing Seeing Eye Dog Returns With Gift
Neighbor Rescues 'Gwen' And Pays Vet Bills
Jaclyn Allen, 7 News Reporter
Posted: 6:05 pm MDT July 13, 2011
Updated: 12:13 pm MDT July 14, 2011

DENVER -- A guide dog, frightened by Tuesday night's storms, escapes from her home, leaving her blind owner desperate to find her.

"I thought I closed the front door," said Denver resident Michael Thorpe.

During the downpour Tuesday night, his front door blew open, and his seeing eye dog, Gwen, disappeared.

"She means the world to me. She's my eyes. She's my friend," said Thorpe.

So for hours, in the middle of the storm, Thorpe walked his neighborhood, calling for Gwen, but there was no sign of her.

"I've already lost a pair of eyes. To lose another pair of eyes would be devastating," he said.

While he was waiting on his front porch all night, hoping the storm would pass, Anette Anderson was looking for him.

She found Gwen late Tuesday night, and called the number on the tags, an 800-number for Guide Dogs For the Blind.

"We live just around the corner, actually," said Anderson. "When I saw that she was a guide dog, I thought, 'I've got to find this guide dog's home.'"

7NEWS cameras were there as she brought Gwen home for the emotional reunion.

"Is that her?" asked Thorpe.

"Gwen! Come here girl! Come here! I was so worried about you, " he said, while hugging his dog.

If every storm cloud has a silver lining, here it is: Anderson not only paid to have Gwen microchipped, but she put her credit card on file at the veterinarian's office and offered to pay for any vet work in the future.

"I just thought it would be nice to do something for another living animal," said Anderson. "That's enough of a reward for me. That's all I really needed."

Thorpe said he also now has all he really needed; his best friend, come rain or shine.

"I think she's glad she's back," he said as she curled up on the front porch.

Source: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/28540024/detail.html

Cricket, great pyrenees

Show dog missing after fatal Haymarket crash found safe
By Kari Pugh
July 12, 2011
Update, Wedneday, 8:50 a.m.

Prince William County police say a passerby on U.S. 15 found Cricket about 9:45 p.m. Tuesday night near Logmill Road and held her until police arrived and reunited her with her family. Wayne Boyd, a friend of the Perrys, said finding Cricket would help the family as they grieve the death of Charlotte Perry, who was killed in Sunday's crash.

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Friends of Charlotte Perry, the 72-year-old Fauquier County woman killed in Sunday's head-on crash along U.S. 15, gathered in Haymarket on Tuesday to search for her lost show dog.

Wayne Boyd, a family friend, was hanging fliers Tuesday afternoon and said volunteers and a tracking dog would be searching the area for the missing dog, named Cricket.

Police said the impact of the crash that claimed Perry's life forced open a crate holding Cricket, a Great Pyrenees.

The show dog, about 5 years old, was last seen running northbound along U.S. 15 just after the collision.

Perry, her 79-year-old husband and Cricket were traveling home from a dog show at the Howard County Fairgrounds in Maryland when the wreck happened.

Police said Perry was trying to pass a vehicle and ran head on into an RV traveling in the opposite lane. Perry was killed instantly and her husband seriously injured.

Boyd said Perry's husband has since been released from the hospital and is "devastated."

There have been no Cricket sightings since the crash, and no one knows whether the dog was injured.

"I saw the van and the van itself is terrible," Boyd said. "But the crate itself wasn't too damaged."

Boyd said he's hoping Cricket is OK, despite the crash, thunderstorms and heat.

The family is offering a $500 reward for her safe return.

Anyone who has seen Cricket or may have information on where she is asked to call

Source: http://www2.insidenova.com/news/2011/jul/12/3/friends-search-us-15-show-dog-missing-fatal-crash-ar-1167953/?referer=None&shorturl=http://bit.ly/o7rhaB
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Another version of the story here:
http://fwix.com/princewilliamcounty/share/24ef7ebbd4/dog_missing_after_fatal_vehicle_crash_found_safe

Rocky, guide dog

Guide Dog Found After Being Missing Overnight
From KPSP Local 2 News
March 2, 2010

Palm Springs, CA  Rocky the guide dog was back home Monday, after going missing over the weekend.

“We’re very excited to have him back,” said Kim Laidlaw, a spokeswoman for the Guide Dogs of the Desert

The 2-year-old black Labrador Retriever had gotten loose while out for his last walk of the day at about 12:30 a.m. Sunday, according to Laidlaw. Rocky had somehow freed himself from his collar and took off running away from the volunteer who was with him, she said.

Animal control picked the dog up just four hours later, at about 4:30 a.m., but since the shelter is closed on Sundays, the organization couldn’t check to see if he was there until early Monday. He was found just two blocks from where he got loose.

Someone from Guide Dogs saw Rocky’s picture on the Palm Springs shelter’s website Monday morning, and they went and picked him up at 9:30 a.m.

Rocky has been slated to be a breeder for the organization, which Laidlaw says is “just as important as a guide dog itself!”

Guide Dogs of the Desert is a local non-profit that provides and trains dogs for the visually impaired.

Source: http://www.thedogfiles.com/2010/03/02/guide-dog-found-after-being-missing-overnight/

Dobie

Success!
Tester for Stay and Fetch Goes Missing and is Found by the Tag
2011

Although you hope your pet will never become lost or even hurt and lost it a great feeling to know that when you do something to protect your pet it works. This page is about sharing stories, notes, emails and comments about how StayandFetch works for you. Please send us your story for us to share.

Our First Success!  How a lost dog 1966 miles from home was reunited in hours

We never expected our first success story to come from one of our "test" dogs but none the less we are excited to share the successful outcome with you.

Dobie with his StayandFetch USB flash drive ID

"Dobie" was the first dog to have the StayandFetch USB pet ID tag. His owner agreed for him to be a lifetime test dog and to send us regular updates about how the drive was working at different times and under different elements. Before this he had always worn a collar but never any kind tag or ID on it.

He's a feisty little guy, sometimes a bit of a yapper, an explorer, great travel dog and always adorable! When they decided to move to California from Columbia Missouri he became a logical choice for a test dog because he would not be familiar with the area, always an explorer he'd test the ocean, roll in the sand and take an occasional dip in the pool or nearby stream.

On a recent visit back to Columbia, 1966 miles from home, Dobie wandered off. Having lived in the Columbia area for more than 10 years he was familiar with the area, but forever the explorer this time he went a little too far out of range. His owner, Scott, had been looking for him for almost 5 hours when he got a call from the Central Missouri Humane Society. The person with the happy news said that Dobie had been picked up and brought to the shelter, and when they saw the StayandFetch ID tag they put it in the computer and had printed out his contact information. Relief all around!

It's hard to put into words just how grateful you are for a successful outcome. You never expect it to be one of your own, but since it did, we couldn't be happier.

Scott and Dobie are back in Califorina. Scott said the first time on the beach one of the waves got him but but being the feisty guy that he is he shook it off and was back at digging in the sand.

Thank You to the Central Missouri Humane Society staff for your hand in reuniting Dobie and Scott. You should be proud of your alert staff and their attention to detail, without them we could have have a very different outcome.

We will be donating $5.00 for every StayandFetch USB pet ID sold in July to the Central Missouri Humane Society. Thank you for all the good you do!

Source: http://www.stayandfetch.com/success

Marley, mutt

Dog Found After Being Missing For 3 Months
Julie Flannery - ABC23 Kern Mountain Reporter
March 20, 2010

TEHACHAPI, Calif. -- It was back in December when Marley, a 14-year-old mutt, went missing from a Bear Valley home. The owners had given up hope of finding their four legged friend, when just last week a friend saw Marley on a “dog found” poster.

If dogs could talk, Marley would have quite a tall tale to tell after he wandered away from home and in to the Bear Valley wilderness three months ago.

Marley was Leslie Walz's childhood dog and she said when Marley went missing the family did everything they could to find the dog.

Video at http://www.turnto23.com/mountain/22893494/detail.html

"For about a month, we did everything we could to find him. We put up the posters, called the newspaper and the humane society, and the bear valley gate and everything and we had given up hope that he would ever be found,” said Walz.

But on a cold winter day last week, Marley was found taking refuge in an old dog house.

The dog house was on Jenny and Rick Salazar's property and used to be their dog's dog house before he passed away.

“He looked very dirty, scared, and when we were able to touch him although he had a very thick coat, the bones underneath, he was very emaciated,” said Jenny Salazar.

The Salazar's called Marley’s Mutts Dog Rescue for help, and flyers were put up in hopes of finding Marley’s owner.

Zach Skow, who owns Marley's Mutts Dog Rescue, said because the dog was so old and was obviously missing for a longperiod of time, they weren't very hopeful that his owners would be found, but a few days after flyers were posted, Skow got a phone call.

"A gentleman at the Bear Valley Market saw the poster and called up Marley’s owners and let them know, ‘hey buddy, I’m looking at a picture of your dog,’ and still he didn’t believe it. He said, ‘nah can’t be,'” said Skow.

But it absolutely was their beloved Marley.

And while Marley is now safe at home, it’s still a mystery just how this little pooch survived not only freezing temperatures but alongside the bobcats, coyotes, cougars and bears that roam this lanscape.

“It’s treacherous up here and the fact that he didn’t get killed is beyond me, I don’t know how that happened,” said Skow.

Rick Salazar said he believes Marley was able to survive thanks to a creek of fresh water at the bottom of the canyon and food set out by local residents meant for deer.

“Quite a few people putting out food for deer and cats and I think he got used to eating that and it was enough for him to survive on,” said Rick Salazar.

And while no one will ever know just how Marley survived, his story has left quite an impression.

Jenny Salazar said Marley has taught her a life lesson. “Marley has made me have a lot more hope and hang in there when things aren’t going so great,” said Jenny Salazar.

Marley has been reunited with his owners for almost a week now. He lost twenty pounds while he was missing, but the vet said he is in good health, and Walz said he is also in good spirits, and actually more outgoing now then before his three month long adventure.

Source: http://www.turnto23.com/mountain/22893494/detail.html

Katara, miniature schnauzer

Cancer victim reunited with dog missing since 2010
7:02 PM, Jul 9, 2011

Joda Viveiros reunited with her long lost miniature schnauzer after it ran away a year ago. Watch the video at http://www.ksdk.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=1045603579001

St Louis County (KSDK) - A local woman battling cancer says a miracle was answered this weekend. While it wasn't a cure, she believes one very special wish came true.

Last march a north county woman said she lost a very important part of her life, just months before she learned she had cancer. She's fought a tough battle since then, all the while holding out hope for a missing part of the family.

5 year old miniature schnauzer named Katara is severely underweight after being on her own more than a year.

"I walked in sleet, I walked everywhere through paths and put signs up everywhere," said cancer survivor Joda Viveiros.

Joda Viveiros last saw Katara when her husband went walking with their dogs and briefly let them off their leashes. Katara took off after a squirrel and vanished while more devastating news came just 4 months later in July.

"I have uterine cancer and there are spots on my colon as well that we are treating," said Viveiros.

Out of nowhere came a miracle beginning when an animal shelter worker saw an abandoned dog.

Shelter workers read the dog's microchip when they learned it was a dog named Katara who belonged to Joda Viveiros.

One day after being found, Katara was back where she belonged and back with her owner who says it was God's will to help her survive and beat cancer.

"I would like to think he brought her home to help me fight it, and it was God's gift to me," said Viveiros.

Source: http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/266402/3/Cancer-victim-reunited-with-dog-missing-since-2010

Parker, shih tzu

Dog returns to Kentucky family 6 years after disappearing
By Stefano DiPietrantonio
Posted: Feb 17, 2011 9:37 PM CST

MELBOURNE, KY (FOX19) - A Melbourne, KY, family got the shock of their lives when their dog, which disappeared more than six years ago, suddenly re-appeared Wednesday.

They picked-up the dog Friday afternoon in Indianapolis and are so happy to have him back!

The Ollberding family said they wouldn't believe it until they saw their beloved pooch, a Shih Tzu named Parker, in person.

No one was more surprised than the Ollberdings when a call came from the Humane Society in Indianapolis, roughly 120 miles away.

The control officer said, "Hey, we've got your dog."

And the Ollberdings know it's their dog, because of their personal information stored in the micro-chip they had placed under its skin years ago, when they first got the pet.

The Ollberdings say they have had terrible luck with dogs. Their first family pooch, a boxer named Max, vanished.

"We had him for about three months and he went mysteriously missing," said John Ollberding.

At first, he thought Max may have fallen prey to a puppy-trafficking ring, which was later broken-up in nearby Pendleton County.

Upset, but not giving-up, they got a second dog.

It was a happy ball of fur they named Parker.

"He's a little, bitty, fluffy, furry thing you know," laughed John Ollberding.

And not taking any chances after losing Max, they outfitted Parker with a micro-chip.

"I thought, you know, he's got that chip in him," Ollberding said. "If somebody's doing this and he winds-up somewhere, we're gonna find him."

But the family only got to enjoy Parker six or seven months and that was in December.

"2005," Ollberding said. "Christmas of 2005."

"I just took the dog to get it's hair done and all that stuff, shampoo, they had bows in his hair," Ollberding laughed. "Because he had the long hair in the front."

Daughter Lacy Ollberding was one year old when Parker disappeared.

Her older brother, William, was three years old, shown holding his pet in a photograph only a month or so before Parker's exit.

"I was a baby," chimed-in youngest brother John, Jr.

At the time of Parker's disappearance, John, Sr. said he was fixing dinner.

"I let him out and I had something cooking in the microwave, soup or something," Ollberding said. "And I let him out and he always came right back to the door, always."

But this time, Parker never came back.



"I loaded the kids up, got in the truck, we went looking for him," Ollberding said. "But could not find him anywhere."

It took the family more than four years to consider getting the chocolate labs they have now, named Rex and Bella.

"I never thought I would get that phone call," Ollberding said.

Wednesday, that bombshell came from the Humane Society in Indianapolis.

"I think we've got your dog," the man told him over the phone.

The micro-chip confirmed it was, in fact, their dog.
"There was a guy jogging or something in a park, the dog was running with him," Ollberding said.

The dog would not leave the jogger's side. Worried something might happen to the little pooch, the man scooped Parker up and dropped him off at the Humane Society.

"The man at the Humane Society said he was a really good dog still and that's the way we remember him," said Jamie Ollberding. "We actually named him, 'Parker No Barker', because he never barked."

The Humane Society said Parker looks like he's been taken good care of and is healthy. He appears to have been well-fed. His hair was matted and the family plans to take Parker to their groomer and then to their veterinarian for a complete check-up.

Parker seems to be getting-along well with the Ollberdings other two dogs, chocolate labs Rex & Bella. The family is very happily reunited.

Source: http://www.fox19.com/story/14054584/dog-returns-to-kentucky-family-6-years-after-disappearing?redirected=true

Chance, black lab

Texas couple reunited with lost dog in Tucumcari
Russell Anglin
Thursday, Jul 7 2011, 7:15 pm

Forth Worth, Texas retirees Chick and Lee Gardner were devastated to find their search and rescue dog, a black Labrador retriever named Chance, missing from their car and care while returning from a California vacation Saturday night.

Lee Gardner is reunited with Chance, her search and rescue dog, Wednesday at the New Mexico State Police office in Tucumcari

The couple realized that one of their three search and rescue dogs was not in the car with them when they stopped in an Amarillo hotel Saturday night. It turns out Chance had hopped out of their car to pay patrons a visit earlier that evening when Chick and Lee stopped at the Flying J truck stop in Tucumcari. They had not realized Chance jumped out of the car when they popped the trunk.

“I was like, ‘What do you mean he disappeared? That’s not possible,’” Lee said.

Chick called the Flying J immediately. A cashier there said one of the Flying J employees had discovered the dog and had him at his house.

The Gardners drove back to Tucumcari, planning to pick up Chance and return to their Amarillo hotel. But when they returned, they discovered Chance had left the caretaker’s house. It was back to square one for the Gardners.

Chance had already earned his name twice before. Lee explained that Chick found Chance at a Fort Worth animal shelter. Chance was a mange-infested puppy then, but Lee said Chick personally nursed the puppy back to health.

“My husband said, ‘No, I can see the life in this dog. I think we need to take this dog home,’” Lee said. “He’s 75 pounds now.”

Three years ago, Chance experienced another battle for his life when he came down with bloat, a digestive dysfunction that is one of the leading killers of domesticated dogs.

“I have to call him Second Chance now,” Lee said she thought after Chance survived his bout with bloat.

Lee could only hope there would be a third chance for Chance as she and her husband did all they could over the past week to recover their dog. After a trip to recover their possessions from Amarillo Saturday night, the couple checked into a hotel in Tucumcari, determined to find their canine family member.

Lee called her daughter and son-in-law to bring their search dog out from Fort Worth to search for Chance Sunday.

“She found his scent right away,” Lee said of her daughter’s dog. “She wondered for a couple blocks and that was it. There was no direction of travel. I did not know what to do at that point. We figured that somebody had picked him up. My husband went around to everybody Monday.”

The Gardners were not ready to give up. According to Lee, the couple traversed every square block of Tucumcari multiple times over the next few days, desperately searching for their search and rescue dog.

Chick, an ex-military animal operator, had served tours of duty in Afghanistan and Vietnam before he and Lee retired to work with animals on a full-time basis. Lee just retired from a career as an educational diagnostician this year.

Lee explained that Chance is trained as a live-find dog, meaning he will search for live bodies in the wilderness after disasters or accidents have taken place.

Lee said she and Chick searched for Chance over the next few days. They spent their July 4 holiday looking for chance.

“We were thinking during the fireworks he might jump out and try and get out in the street and we might see him and we didn’t see him,” Lee said.

So the search continued. Lee said she was amazed to find how helpful Tucumcari residents were when she asked for help.

“Tuesday my husband went around to everybody including the radio station … not one single person said ‘I don’t have time for this. Don’t bother me with this.’ It was absolutely amazing,” Lee said. “I got out ... I guess it was about 1, 1: 30 (p.m.). I found a gang of kids at one of the corner places. They had their music blaring and everything, and I pulled in there and asked if they’d seen him and I told them I’d really appreciate if they’d look for a dog and there was a reward and they said ‘Yes ma’am. We’ll go right away and look for him.’ They were very, very nice.”

As it turns out, resident Jennifer Jiminez had located the dog near St. Anne’s Catholic Church after Saturday’s evening mass. Attempts to reach Jiminez have been unsuccessful as of Thursday, but Lee said Jiminez took great care of Chance. Lee said Jiminez heard Chick talking about Chance on the local radio station Wednesday morning.

“He got back to the hotel and it wasn’t fifteen minutes after he was back before (state police dispatcher) Kim (Molyneaux) called,” Lee said.

After days of searching, Lee, Chick and Chance were reunited once again. The Gardners returned to Fort Worth Wednesday evening.

“I was so worried about (Chance) being out in the heat, being out without water,” Lee said. “We just felt really, really blessed.”

Source: http://www.cnjonline.com/articles/car-44059-chance-tucumcari.html