Happy ending lost dog tales! Read stories about dogs that have gone missing and were later reunited with their families. Learn from the stories, and if you are missing your own dog right now, hopefully you will be encouraged by the successes of others before you. (If you just like happy ending stories, that's what you will find here.)
For recent stories, visit Lost Dogs Found on Facebook. (Sorry, I'm not posting stories here as much, and am posting a little more often to the Facebook page.)
Pompano boys give lost dog happy homecoming
By Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel
August 30, 2011
E.J. Albring, right, was awakened last week at 5 a.m. by the sound of a dog howling. E.J. went outside and found a small dog in the canal under the dock behind his Pompano Beach home. He and his friends Jackson Pace, 9, left, and Bradley Pace, 9, rescued the pup and spent four days trying to find the owner, to no avail. Then on Sunday, E.J.'s mom took the dog for a walk. As they passed one driveway, the pooch tugged on the leash, trying to make it to the door. Turns out that was home.
POMPANO BEACH— It's a good thing for Mizu that E.J. Albring is a light sleeper.
Nine-year-old E.J. was awakened from a deep sleep last week by the sound of a dog howling.
E.J. ventured outside and found a small dog in distress, balancing on a ledge about five feet below the canal dock behind his home. The canal runs along Northeast Fifth Street, north of Atlantic Boulevard, in Pompano Beach.
The boy quickly went back inside to rouse the three boys he lives with for an early-morning rescue.
Brothers Jackson Pace, 9, Bradley Pace, 12, and R.J. Pace, 15, helped E.J. pull the pooch to safety. E.J. and Jackson climbed down to the ledge and lifted the dog up to Bradley and R.J.
"It was so happy that we saved its life," E.J. said this week.
The dog, later identified as Mizu, had no tags or collar and no microchip, said Rex Pace, father of the three brothers.
Pace put up signs and knocked on doors trying to find the owner, to no avail.
Then on Sunday, the boys and E.J.'s mom, Cheri Albring, took the pup for a walk.
As they passed one particular driveway, Mizu tugged on the leash, trying to get to the front door.
Turns out that was home.
The distraught owner, Rosanna Meyer, told the family her beloved pedigree Sheba Inu had been missing for five days. She bought her as a pup from a pet store in Puerto Rico 15 years ago.
Meyer figures Mizu fell off the dock in her back yard and swam five houses down to the ledge lining the canal behind Pace's house.
"She likes to go swimming, apparently," Meyer said Tuesday. Grateful for the dog's safe return, she gave the Pace family a few fresh dolphin fillets.
During Mizu's brief stay with E.J., the boy made sure his canine guest had all the requirements for a good life.
"We gave it some food and water," he said. "And we gave it lots of love."
Source: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/pompano-beach/fl-lost-dog-found-20110830,0,7968950.story
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KOZMO'S HOME!!!!
by Bring Kozmo home
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Updated Sunday, August 28th, 2011
Kozmo was found in an empty apartment last week. Since then we have tried to identify exactly how she got in and how long she had been there.
When Kozmo got out she tried getting back to the apartment, but she went up the stairwell right next to ours and instead of going up to the fourth floor (where our apartment is) she went to the third floor. The apartment she entered was empty and must have been unsecured because it is believed she opened the door (has a lever handle on the outside and inside). She went inside but was unable to get out with the heavy weight of the door and Jersey not there to help her this time.
The previous residents had turned over the apartment 30 July the day before she went missing. We don't know when the carpets were cleaned at this point but it is clear they were done prior to finding Kozmo. We are curious if that is how she got in or if she was able to get in on her own later.
Based on the amount of waste (from Kozmo) inside and the toilet (lid up) being bone dry she was there for a least two weeks, surviving only on the water she found. It is truly incredible how well she is doing if she was in that apartment for the full 3 1/2 weeks, only surviving off one toilet bowl of water. (It may have been leaking more water in from the tank but in minimal quantities.)
She was found by the apartment complex management when they went to show the apartment. When the door opened she came out from around a corner, and not recognizing anyone she retreated to a back bedroom. Maintenance personnel was contacted, who provided her water and recognized her as Kozmo from the flyers posted. They contacted me and the SPCA immediately.
When I arrived, she recognized me in about 2 seconds and got so excited. After I got her calm enough to get back to our apartment, we left.
She was incredibly thin, showing bone structure everywhere. The focus was go slowly get food and water back into her without shocking her system. By the next morning she already looked so much healthier and began relieving herself normally in just over a day.
It is less than a week since she is back and she looks wonderful, as if nothing has happened. When we walk it is clear she is familiar with her surroundings and knows where she is. We haven't started to run yet, but will soon, based on what she can handle. The only change in her behavior was her increased determination in getting to food, but that is slowly getting back to normal.
Kozmo the Lion Slayer
We are so happy and lucky to have her back and incredibly thankful for her determination. I cannot thank everyone enough for your help and support. It is impossible to express in words how truly grateful and inspired I am. Thank you!!!!!
Our focus now is to get the word out she is safe at home, remove all the posted flyers, and I am drafting up a list of all we did to try and get her back to help anyone else in the future. There are so many effective resources that I didn't even know about until someone told me or happened upon in while searching for found dogs on the computer.
Words cannot express how wonderful it is to have her back. Again thank you to everyone for your help and support!
An out-of-town family is reunited with its beloved Frodo in Northwest Florida
Elizabeth Boland
2011-08-22
My family, including our four girls, were vacationing in Destin over spring break during the week of April 17, 2011. We even brought our beloved dogs, a chocolate lab named Jessie and our Havanese named Frodo.
It had been a great week, and we were spending our last day on the beach and at the pool before we headed back to Georgia the next day.
Of course our dogs were right beside us the entire time. What's a vacation when you have to leave your dogs at home? We were just getting out of the pool when we noticed the gate was opened, and Frodo, our only boy, was gone.
We weren't too concerned at first because the entire property is fenced in, but he was nowhere to be found. We searched and searched for him, but he had just vanished. Although he had on his collar and tags, someone surely snatched him up to keep him for their own. We were all devastated. Having to leave the beach the next day was truly one of the worst experiences our family has ever had. Could we really be leaving a family member behind?
We didn't leave without leaving our mark.
We put up posters, we hung signs, we walked to all the businesses in the area and asked people to keep a lookout for Frodo. We even came back the next week to look for him some more, but he was nowhere to be found.
Back in Macon, we continued to put up lost dog signs on the Internet. We even put out a pet Amber Alert. But we kept hitting dead ends. We had very little hope of getting him back because almost four months had passed by and we had not gotten any leads.
Finally I was contacted through email from Petfinder.com about a dog that was kind of similar to our dog. At first we thought there was no way this was our dog, but after we compared markings, we confirmed that, in fact, this was our Frodo.
He just had a very short haircut. He was at New Beginnings Animal Sanctuary. He had been turned in by a very sweet and caring couple, who had him for two of the 15 weeks he was missing. Frodo had apparently picked them out to care for him and they got him back on his feet and eventually back to us. After some rehabilitation, the couple turned him in to New Beginnings Animal Shelter in Niceville.
A very special vet tech, who is gifted and talented in matching missing pets with their owners, made it her mission to find Frodo's owners.
She checked all the missing dog ads in the newspapers, she checked all the websites, and eventually she found my listing for a missing dog. She sent me an email and we confirmed that this was our baby. He was coming home to us after 104 days of being gone.
It was truly a miracle!
We are so thankful to Nicole and the other employees at New Beginnings Animal Sanctuary. It was obvious that our dog had been cared for, and we are so thankful for their no-kill policy. Because of this, our sweet Frodo had a chance to make it back to his family. It was a glorious reunion. I don't think there was a dry eye in the house. Even Jessie, our lab and Frodo's best friend, was crying.
There are still good people in this world! If you are looking for a cause to support, take my word for it, New Beginnings Animal Sanctuary is a great one, and they need our support!
Source: http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/frodo-42901-dog-family.html
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Pensioner re-united with stolen dog
By Kate Proctor, Westmoreland Gazette Reporter
Thursday 25th August 2011
A PENSIONER has been reunited with her beloved dog, Honey, after it was taken in a burglary.
Barbara Whitham, 80, said she was delighted to see her prize-winning Yorkshire Terrier returned safe and sound after it was found wandering alone in a Bolton street.
“I couldn’t sleep I was so worried about her,” she said. “I kept thinking of her on her own and being scared so when we got the call to say she had been found I cried. It’s wonderful to have her back, she’s such a beautiful dog.”
Four-year-old Honey was taken by thieves during a break-in at her home in Whittington, near Kirkby Lonsdale, between 10.30am and 1.15pm on Friday, August 19.
Jewellery, including two gold chains and a diamond and sapphire Swarovski broach, were also taken, but Mrs Whitham’s other two Yorkshire Terriers were left in their baskets.
“I’d just gone out to get my hair done and when I came back I noticed the dogs weren’t on the sofa waiting for me like they usually are.
“I got in the house and saw a smashed window and there was just two of them - not three - I was just so upset,” said Mrs Whitham, whose Terriers regularly win awards at local shows.
After a frantic night’s worry, the pensioner was reunited with her pet on Saturday afternoon after a woman in Bolton found it and called Leigh Dogs and Cats Home.
Honey’s micro-chip quickly helped to identify the dog as belonging to Mrs Whitham and her son went to collect her straight away.
Lancashire Police said they did not know how the dog came to be in Bolton.
“I must say that anyone who has an animal should get them micro-chipped - it’s the only reason I got Honey back. I have no idea how it got to Bolton, it’s still a mystery at this stage,” said Mrs Whitham.
Detective Constable Jonathan Shaw is appealing for anyone with information about the burglary to come forward.
“If anybody has any information at all about this offence then I would urge them to come forward.
“Honey’s owner was left extremely upset at her disappearance, but thankfully she was returned to her in the end,” he said.
“However, there are a number of items of jewellery that are still outstanding, which are not only of monetary value, but of sentimental value too.”
In the past year, the number of missing dogs has almost doubled with animal charity Dog Lost handling 150 reports a week.
Another version of the story at http://www.lep.co.uk/news/features_2_1844/barbara_s_joy_as_stolen_dog_is_home_1_3710552
Barbara’s joy as stolen dog is home Reunited -
Published on Thursday 25 August 2011 04:09
Barbara Witham and her Yorkshire Terrier, Honey
A pensioner has been reunited with her pet dog after she was stolen by burglars.
Barbara Witham, 80, of Whittington, in Carnforth, was distraught when she returned to her home to find she had been burgled and four-year-old Yorkshire Terrier Honey missing.
But they have now enjoyed an emotional reunion after Honey was traced to Bolton through her microchip.
Mrs Witham, a widow who has two children and three grandchildren, said: “It was so upsetting to find my home had been burgled.
“The stolen jewellery was of great sentimental value.
“But the thing that upset me the most was finding that Honey was missing. I was in a real state worrying myself sick with what had happened to her.”
Mrs Witham, who breeds Yorkshire Terriers and owns three dogs, had been to the hairdressers and shops on Friday August 19.
She said: “As soon as I walked through the back door, I knew something was amiss as the dogs did not rush up to greet me like they usually do.
“I found two of my dogs locked up in the lounge, but Honey wasn’t with them.
“A window was open and there were papers all over the place. I rushed upstairs looking for Honey and found my bedroom totally ransacked and clothes all over the place.
“Every bit of jewellery had gone.
“But there was no Honey and I didn’t sleep all night worrying about her.”
The following day, she received a telephone call from a cat and dog home informing her that a dog had been found in Bolton town centre and a scan had revealed it was Honey.
Mrs Witham, of Main Street, Whittington, Carnforth, said: “It was so wonderful to get Honey back.
“She was so hungry and thirsty, but was delighted to be back and kept licking and kissing everyone.
“If Honey had not been micro-chipped, I would never have seen her again.”
*HAPPY TAILS*
For the Love of Louie
*Michigan Lost Pet Lookers*
8/26/2011
We are beyond excited to announce this dynamic duo has found their family! The pups went missing more than ONE YEAR ago! Their human is driving in from BATTLE CREEK in the morning to pick them up! She cried tears of joy as she didn't think she would ever see them again! Welcome home, MAGNUM AND MAVERICK! Great work, Lookers!!
The story of the dynamic duo, Magnum and Maverick…
Magnum and Maverick disappeared from Battle Creek a little more than a year ago. During this time, other local pups went missing as well. Magnum and Maverick's family suspected that someone had stolen their pups and, sadly, didn't expect to see them again.
On 8/25, Carrie, one of our original "Louie Lookers", received a call from a horse trainer in Milford. The trainer explained she had found two dogs and asked Carrie for assistance. Carrie shared this information with us. The awareness cycle began and people/pages joined in awareness expansion efforts.
Carrie was drawn to an obscure website that she hadn't perused in several years. She found a missing post for a chocolate and yellow lab. Leaving no stone unturned, Carrie contacted the creator of the post. Carrie and the post creator exchanged contact information and photos. Carrie was on the phone with the potential lost pups' mom when emailed photos were received. The lost pups' mom began to sob as a child yelled with joy in the background!
After more than a year and many miles, these pups were found by an unsuspecting stranger. The finder reached out to our amazing Looker, Carrie, for assistance. Within 24 hours of networking the dynamic duo, increasing momentum, and maintaining a desire to follow through with fierce dedication, love and loyalty, Magnum and Maverick's family was located!
Magnum and Maverick will officially reunite with their family tomorrow (8/27/11)!!
OP: 8/25 *FOUND* This dynamic duo (a male Yellow Lab and a male Chocolate Lab) was found in MILFORD today. These sweet boys have a missing family! Please share to increase awareness!
Jasmine - Georgia
Told to FindToto
Lost: 8/11/2011, Found: 8/18/2011
Our home was broken into while we were at work on Thursday, Aug 11. I walked into an empty house and open door, but no dog.
The material things didn't matter until we found Jasmine.
Our total efforts included 300 fliers, 8 highway signs, 2 missing dog alerts, multiple trips to the shelters and calls to vets, tips from the community, advice from a pet detective and viewing surveillance video at the corner of where she was picked up.
All we knew was two women in a silver Scion XB picked her up at 8:30 that night after she had been seen running for hours on the nearby busy, Atlanta highway.
While we tirelessly worked to find Jasmine, her good Samaritans took her to Roanoke for the weekend and then back to their home in Decatur.
They had just moved into the city and had no internet or cable during the time we were working with local news channels and social media.
Our friend Megan was posting some of our signs in Decatur when a silver Scion XB with two women in it stopped to ask about the sign. Megan immediately knew and when she told the women Jasmine was a Dachshund/Beagle mix, they knew too.
I got the frantically happy phone call and rushed over to pick up my baby almost instantly!
Jasmine is laying next to me resting in our home again and I couldn't be happier.
I know we are one of the lucky ones and I'm grateful for it!
Beagles reunited with family in The Woodlands
By Catherine Dominguez
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Two beagles that escaped their backyard in June have finally made it home.
The Hunt family, who lives in the Village of Cochran’s Crossing, confirmed last week their two beagles, Lucky and Hopscotch, are home but declined to comment further due to an agreement with the Woodlands-based Houston Beagle and Hound Rescue Inc.
The two dogs were let out of the Hunts backyard June 21 after a utility worker failed to close their gate completely. When a local resident found the dogs, she contacted HBHR when she was unsuccessful in locating the dogs’ owner. The rescue group subsequently adopted the two beagles into a new home.
HBHR officials said after reviwing Texas property laws with a Houston-based attorney, Zandra Anderson, they visited with the adopters of the dogs and explained the situation with the Hunts. The rescue requested they return the dogs.
Although the exact figures were not disclosed, HBHR said the Hunts did cover some of the costs for the dogs while they were in the care of the adopters.
The Hunts were reunited with the Beagles Aug. 17.
HBHR was founded in 1999 and is a 501 c3 nonprofit organization. The all-volunteer group rescues Beagles and other hound dogs from shelters and fosters them before adopting them into new homes.
Source: http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/courier/news/beagles-reunited-with-family-in-the-woodlands/article_ceeb1f5e-4872-541e-87e6-63d81152a246.html
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Original story: http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/east_montgomery/news/article_6baf61ea-a3d2-5481-a561-187fc157f06f.html
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Family fights to get lost dogs back
By Catherine Dominguez
Wednesday, August 17, 2011 6:40 pm
A Woodlands family is pleading with a local dog rescue group and a neighbor for the return of their dogs.
However, almost two months after the two beagles escaped from their back yard, the Hunt family is no closer to being reunited with the dogs, even though they have been located.
The dogs were brought to Houston Beagle and Hound Rescue, a local rescue group, after they went missing in June. The rescue group claims it legally took ownership of the two dogs and adopted them out to a new home almost a month after the dogs were found wandering a Woodlands neighborhood.
However, Houston attorney Zandra Anderson said the group had no legal authority over the animals.
“Dogs are property,” said Anderson, who specializes in animal law issues with a special emphasis in Texas Dog Law. “There is a two-year statute of limitations on property. If someone’s property is lost, the owner is not giving up rights because the property is lost. Rescue organizations have no right to impound animals, none.”
Angie Hunt, who lives in the Village of Cochran’s Crossing with her husband and two children, said the family’s 3-year-old beagles, Lucky and Hopscotch, got out of their yard June 21 after a utility worker failed to close the gate completely. When a local resident found the dogs and was unsuccessful in finding their owners despite posting on several community web sites, she called HBHR for help.
Officials with HBHR said they do not make efforts to find owners of lost dogs that come into their program, simply because they do not have the staff.
“It is not our burden to find the owners,” said Becky Agen, an HBHR volunteer.
Now, rescue officials say there is nothing they can do to get Lucky and Hopscotch back to the Hunts. That decision to return the dogs, now lies with the new owner.
HBHR was founded in 1999 and is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. The all-volunteer group rescues beagles and other hounds from shelters and fosters them before adopting them into new homes.
According to Agen, the Hunts’ beagles were adopted to their new owner for $250 apiece.
HBHR declined to provide specific details of the adoption including when the group adopted the dogs into their new home.
Search efforts
Hunt said she and her family started looking for their dogs immediately after discovering they were missing, posting notices online and driving the neighborhoods.
Hunt said she also contacted the Montgomery County Animal Shelter and checked area dog parks.
According to confirmation emails, the Hunts posted notices for their missing beagles on two sites June 23 and June 29. One site, Petharbor.com is a nationally known website that allows the public to adopt a new animal companion, find a lost pet or re-unite an owner with a lost pet.
“In Texas, when an owner is trying to find their dogs, they have not abandoned the dogs and have lost no interest in the dogs,” Anderson said. “The rescue organization, according to the law, is considered a finder of lost property and have no rights in that property unless the owner never comes forward.”
Ownership
On July 13, almost a month after the dogs went missing, the Hunt family learned from a family friend that the dogs were at a nearby home. The Hunts went to the home but the owner said they could not have the dogs and needed to contact HBHR.
Hunt said she contacted the group and informed the group that the dogs belonged to her and provided information that she owned the beagles. When the rescue group responded, Hunt said she was told the dogs already had been adopted and she could not get them back.
“If the owner comes forward,” Anderson said, “the (rescue group and adopter) have a legal obligation to give those dogs back.”
In an email to The Villager, Sandra Kos, founder of HBHR, said her organization does its best to reunite families with their lost pets. However, she said, once volunteers accept ownership of a stray dog, they move forward to get them placed into new homes.
“We must move forward and act upon our goal of getting the dog properly vaccinated, micro-chipped and vetted, then find the dog a new permanent home so that we can save the life of the next stray in need of rescue,” Kos said. “We cannot be expected to keep every dog that we rescue, and we certainly cannot ask an adopter to return a dog that was adopted from our organization in good faith.”
Anderson said many rescue groups are under the impression they are acting within the law.
“They have no legal authority to keep a dog from an owner,” she said. “They will say, ‘Well, we have adopted the dog.’ No. What they have done is taken someone’s lost property and sold it.”
While Hunt said she didn’t want to pursue legal action against the rescue group, she has been in touch with Anderson about help in getting her dogs back.
“I don’t want to sue them,” Hunt said. “I want to pay HBHR, pay the lady (who adopted them) and get our dogs back.”
Transcript of statement by attorney Anderson: “In Texas, when an owner is trying to find their dogs, they have not abandoned the dogs and have lost no interest in the dogs. The rescue organization, according to the law, is considered a finder of lost property and have no rights in that property unless the owner never comes forward…If the owner comes forward, the (rescue group and adopter) have a legal obligation to give those dogs back…They have no legal authority to keep a dog from an owner. They will say, ‘Well, we have adopted the dog.’ No. What they have done is taken someone’s lost property and sold it.”
With Charlotte Safe at Home, Family Thanks Community
By Angela Lemire
August 15, 2011
A 3-year-old chocolate Lab named Charlotte was returned to her family over the weekend, thanks to one woman's persistence and the teamwork of the Willow Avenue neighborhood.
Thanks to an astute Middletown motorist and the teamwork of the Willow Avenue neighborhood, harlotte the missing chocolate Labrador retriever was safely returned to her Newport family over the weekend.
"She is home now, and we couldn't be happier," wrote Charlotte's family of Prudence and Todd Sutton, whose daughter Talia Loyola initially contacted Patch last week for assistance in helping get the word out about the missing dog. "Thanks to...everyone in our community for their help. We are so very grateful."
Last week, the family had sought the community’s assistance in locating Charlotte, a 3 1/2-year old chocolate Labrador retriever who had run away on Wednesday, Aug. 10, from the Broadway area in Newport.
According to one tip, late last week she was sighted in Middletown in Kempenaar Valley behind the Christmas Tree Shop and East Main Road shopping plaza.
Around 10 a.m. Sunday, Willow Avenue resident Susan Adie was on her way home from the grocery store when she noticed another motorist slowly driving after a loose dog in the road.
"I turned onto High Street and saw this loose dog running like a wild banshee, or a race horse, down the middle of the road," recalled Adie. "There was a woman in a car ahead of me trying to call the dog so I thought it was hers. So I slowed down and thought well maybe I can help."
The dog ran into an open garage on High Street, but as the two women approached the dog to corner it, the dog bolted away and ran into the Willow Avenue neighborhood.
A resident of that street, Adie said she knew that all of the homes on that street had fenced yards and that the dog would be cornered, so this would be the best opportunity to catch her.
Sure enough, the scared dog ran into a yard and raced back and forth along a fenceline. Adie said she kept speaking to her softly to relax her.
By now a number of other neighbors had come out to help corner the dog and offer assistance.
When Charlotte ran onto a porch, Adie was able to approach her and grab her as other neighbors helped call local police and Charlotte's family.
The owners came over right away to pick her up and take her home, Adie said.
Charlotte's family offered the team of rescuers reward money and lobsters, but Adie said she asked that they make the donation to the Potter League for Animals instead.
Charlotte’s family had put up more than 200 flyers around Aquidneck Island, alerted area police and the Potter League for Animals, and appealed for help on Facebook, local radio station WADK and Patch last week.
Original appeal for help at
http://middletown.patch.com/articles/have-you-seen-this-dog-charlotte#c
Have You Seen This Dog, Charlotte?
August 12, 2011
By Angela Lemire
A Newport dog owner is seeking the community’s assistance in locating Charlotte, a 3 1/2-year old chocolate Labrador retriever who ran away on Wednesday, Aug. 10, in the area of Cumberland Farms on Broadway in Newport.
According to one tip, she might be in Middletown in the Kempenaar Valley field behind the Christmas Tree Shop and East Main Road shopping plaza.
Charlotte’s owner had tied her leash to an advertisement stand outside the store while she went in quickly to buy water. As she came back outside, a passing noise spooked Charlotte so badly that she ran into the road across traffic, dragging the stand with her.
As her owner ran after her, Charlotte’s collar came off, along with her leash. Charlotte continued to run.
“We got a call that night from a Newport police woman saying she saw her running and she chased her all the way to that huge field on High Street, the one behind the Christmas Tree Shop (in Middletown),” said owner Talia Loyola. “Unfortunately the cop could not get her and at this point she was in Middletown, so she had to leave the area.” . . .
Social networking aids in pup's safe return
by Robert Hirtle
August 16, 2011
Sisters Chloe, left, and Kasia Kowalski of Mahone Bay were reunited with their 11-year-old pet pup Bela after she went missing for seven days in early August.
MAHONE BAY - For most dog owners, their pets are not merely pets but more like a part of the family. So when Bill Kowalski, his wife, Alexandra Nedergaard, and their children, Kasia and Chloe, learned that their beloved dog Bela had run off, they were devastated.
"We were away and we had left her with a neighbour," Mr. Kowalski recalled. "They let her out to go to the bathroom ... and she bolted. We don't blame them in the slightest."
Bela's disappearance happened on the evening of July 30 during the Mahone Bay Pirate Festival and Regatta's re-enactment of the burning of the Teazer.
The noise from the firing of imitation cannons on the town's waterfront had spooked the 11-year-old pup, and the family learned of her disappearance the following day when they returned home.
"She's never done this, so we waited for a day or so and then we realized that wherever she was, she'd probably gone further than she knew how to come back from," he said.
At that point the family began searching in earnest for Bela and through those efforts they soon discovered exactly what kind of community they live in.
"A lot of amazing people helped and this was the most positive thing that came out of this," Mr. Kowalski said. "Some very good friends of ours helped make flyers, then somebody recommended the Nova Scotia Lost Dog Network, so I went on their [website]."
Ironically, Bela's disappearance occurred close to the time that an Austrian family had lost their dog, Luna, while visiting Halifax. That incident, which had a happy ending, had given the Lost Dog Network a significant amount of publicity and raised awareness of the organization across the province, including in Lunenburg County.
"That group had already gained a few hundred members thanks to Luna and so from that group there were dozens of people from the area who acted as though we were missing one of our children," he explained. "She really is a member of our family, she's 11 years old and was our first baby. So we were really astonished at how many caring, unselfish people there are in this community. And we didn't know any of them."
Mr. Kowalski said that one evening during Bela's disappearance, he received a call at 10 p.m. telling him the dog had been spotted along Highway 3 in Martins River.
"I went out there and within five minutes of my arrival, there were at least 10 people out there on the road looking for her and I didn't know a single one of them," he said. "They were really great and very encouraging."
For nearly a week sightings of Bela kept coming in to the family and Mr. Kowalski followed every one up, often missing her by only a matter of minutes.
"Alex was out looking on her bike on the trail and we had all kinds of people offering to help," he said. "I finally found her right before sunrise because of some advice somebody had given me on the network who said go back early in the morning, before the sun comes up, to where she was last seen. And that's just what I did."
Mr. Kowalski discovered Bela, again, running along Highway 3 in Martins River.
"She didn't know me at first because she was so panicked. So I just got down on my knees and talked really softly to her and held out a ball and after about five minutes of back and forth she came to me," he recalled.
It had been seven days since the border collie-spaniel mix had run away and, apart from being much thinner, she appeared little worse for wear.
A checkup by the family's veterinarian revealed that while Bela had lost six pounds, and had suffered some damage to one of the pads on her paw and some chaffing under one leg, she would indeed be fine.
"The vet said she's doing remarkably well considering what she'd been through," Ms Nedergaard said.
Although they came dangerously close to losing their cherished pet, the family believes the experience did serve as an eye-opener for them on several fronts.
First and foremost was the care and compassion displayed by members of the community, many of whom were perfect strangers.
"People were crying to hear she was gone and they were crying when we were reunited with her. It was unreal," Mr. Kowalski said. "It's also a great reminder for people to make sure their dogs are safe during thunderstorms or when cannons or fireworks are being shot off."
Finally, the incident brought to light just exactly how much influence social networking has on today's society and how people can utilize the internet to help each other.
"The Lost Dog Network has a website but they're most active on Facebook. If you're missing a dog and you send them a picture, they'll immediately post it and everybody who is in the area will look for the dog. We could not have found Bela without them. They were amazing," Mr. Kowa
lski said.
Source: http://www.southshorenow.ca/archives/2011/081611/news/index002.php
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Roy family reunited with dog found in San Diego after 8 months
Emily Morgan, Deseret News
Published: Saturday, Aug. 20, 2011
Sharalyn Cooper hug her dog Fadidle at the airport in Salt Lake City Saturday, Aug. 20, 2011. The San Diego Humane Society returned the dog belonging to the Utah family after it was found in California.
SALT LAKE CITY — It's been eight months since Sharalyn Cooper has seen Fadidle, her 2-year-old miniature pinscher, but on Saturday, she held the tiny animal, with its "bat ears" quivering, to her chest and cried.
The two were reunited at the Salt Lake International Airport after the dog turned up in San Diego.
"It's wonderful," she said, smiling though her eyes were full of tears.
The slight creature ran off from Cooper's Roy home last October. Cooper said that wasn't unusual. Most often, she'd find Fadidle running around with some neighborhood kids down the street, but this time her 1-year-old puppy was gone.
"We had a hard time," Cooper said. "She's our baby. It was pretty tough."
After a couple of months of scouring the neighborhood, posting fliers and diligently checking animal shelters in Davis and Weber counties, Cooper all but gave up hope.
Then, seven months after the dog disappeared, a call came from the San Diego Humane Society letting them now they had found Fadidle.
"I bawled and thanked them an awful lot," Cooper said. "I couldn't believe it. We done so much to get her back and hadn't found her."
Athena Davis, an employee at the humane society said the dog was brought to them by a "Good Samaritan" and was at first believed to be a stray. They placed the animal on a stray hold, but then discovered she had been implanted with a microchip that linked her to Cooper.
But the dog then had to go on ringworm watch, delaying her return until Saturday.
"I just want to see my dog," Cooper said anxiously in the airport. Then came Davis riding down the escalator, a small red kennel in hand and Cooper, her daughter, Darien, and Darin Watkins ran to greet the animal with hugs and tears.
She's the best little girl," Davis told them, noting that their pet had held up well, even amid the stress of the airport and having to ride underneath the airplane. "She did so good. She was very quiet and very patient."
Davis said she only found out two days ago that she would be accompanying the animal back to its home.
"I'm just so excited we were able to do it and make it happen," she said. "It's one of the more unusual things I've done, but I enjoyed it."
Davis said that the microchip made all the difference and recommended that everyone with a pet get one. In this case, it led to the "happy ending."
"We see a lot of different things," Davis said. "When it works out this way, it's really touching."
The family thanked Davis and those in San Diego for bringing Fadidle home. Sharalyn Cooper noted that the animal looked skinnier than when she had left, but was nevertheless happy to see Fadidle had survived the ordeal — even if a little unexpectedly.
"We were really surprised," she said. "She's just a little tiny thing. We're just happy they found her. It was definitely a long wait."
The family members joked that Fadidle was "'Homeward Bound' in real life" and had even visited a place they had yet to see.
"She's lucky," Darien Cooper said. "She got on a plane before I even did!"
They wondered about what may have happened in the eight long months the dog was gone. It's their belief that she was stolen.
"I'd love to hear what she has to say about this whole thing," Sharalyn Cooper said.
But as Fadidle rested her head on Sharalyn Cooper's shoulder, her shaking finally stopped until she sat in Cooper's arms — still and content.
"She always used to do this," Cooper said.
"She knows who her mom is," Watkins added.
Source: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705389499/Roy-family-reunited-with-dog-found-in-San-Diego-after-8-months.html?pg=1
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Hard work, KFC help reunite dog with owners
Sheltie back home after more than a month of searching ends in live trap baited with chicken
By Justin Glawe of the Journal Star
Aug 18, 2011
Cheyenne the Sheltie
PEKIN — After more than a month of sightings, stakeouts and a Kentucky Fried Chicken lure, Dwight and Connie Morgan finally have their dog back.
Judith Schmider of Groveland, who owns Aunt Jude’s Pampered Pet Care, reunited Cheyenne, a skittish 3-year-old Sheltie, with the Morgans.
Cheyenne was found in a humane animal trap about 7 a.m. Wednesday, a month and three days after disappearing.
“I’m just a pet lover. I was never going to quit, this is like a child to me,” Schmider said.
Dwight Morgan, 80, of Morton is happy Cheyenne is finally home and back to her habit of waking him up every day at 5:30 a.m.
“When we let her out of that cage in my backyard, she jumped almost three feet in the air to get to me,” Morgan said. “She’s been at my feet ever since.”
The Morgans left Cheyenne with Schmider to attend a family reunion in Florida.
“Usually, we leave her with a family member, but all our family was down there,” Morgan said. “The next reunion is going to be in the Peoria area.”
The dog’s stay with Schmider didn’t last long. Shortly after taking possession of the dog, Schmider pulled into her garage and let Cheyenne out of the car without realizing the garage door was still partly open. The dog bolted through the opening and began its monthlong hiatus.
After more than 50 sightings, according to Schmider, she and other searchers were at wit’s end until they talked to Annette Long, 72, of Normal, at Central Illinois Sheltie Rescue in Bloomington.
“You’ve got to use K Fried Chicken because of the odor. Dogs are drawn to it,” Long said Thursday. “And it’s just common sense to use a live trap.”
The trap was provided by Tazewell County Animal Control. The Kentucky Fried Chicken was provided by Schmider.
“Something kept telling me we were going to get her,” she said. “So, all day Tuesday, every two hours I would put a fresh piece of chicken in the trap.”
Early the next day, Schmider arrived to find the door of the trap closed.
“At first, I thought it was a small animal in there,” she said. “When I saw it was her, I fell to my knees sobbing.”
Cheyenne is believed to have survived on scraps from area restaurants as well as the food being left out by Schmider. The dog was taken to a local veterinarian who found that she had lost three pounds, had fleas and bruised paws and was, of course, very dirty.
Dwight Morgan praised Schmider.
“This lady put up signs all over the place, and we had nine or 10 people that said they spotted her and I’m sure more than that called in,” Morgan said. “When she (Schmider) found her, she was crying, she was just so elated that she had finally found her.”
“We’re going to have a welcome home party for her,” Schmider said. “There’s so many people that helped out and they want to get a chance to finally pet this dog.”
Charlie's Story
Granite State Dog Recovery
August 28, 2011
When we say we have a story to tell and we can't wait to share it but needed to wait until we had an ending . . . believe me when the adventure came to a screeching halt today, we were ready to bring you on our wild ride. Well the story is about to unfold! Sit tight as we tell the story of a lost transport dog on the run for months Amazing, Incredible, Miraculous, Tenacious, Tons of Willpower, Adventurous....We could go on forever but you get the hint: this was no routine lost dog search.
Charlie began his adventure in Tennessee back in June. He was a handsome dog, big and fluffy and his chance to become a member of a real family finally came up. He hitched a ride up to Massachusetts where his new family picked him up and brought him home.
The ride went great but upon getting into the house there was a little mishap and Charlie made a dash for freedom. His new family tried very hard to grab him but his paws hit the pavement and he started to run... and run he did. Gone, the happy event turned into days and then weeks of searching for this beautiful white dog.
He was spotted in several locations but each time someone ran out to find him he was gone like the wind. And then came the bad news...A big white fluffy dog had been hit and killed by a truck on rt 24 in Brockton. The accident was so horrific that there was not much left of this poor dog but everyone searching for him mourned the loss of poor Charlie.
Now the story might have ended here but actually this is where the story really begins.
Weeks later a dog is reported roaming the grounds of a local school and had been attacked by 4 coyotes which he was able to fight off and get away from. When animal control goes out to investigate, a big white fluffy dog bolts across the field and disappears into the woods.
Day after day the report continued to come in. He seemed to be a creature of habit, always in the same place but this dog disappeared just like a ghost whenever anyone tried to approach him....hence the nickname "Ghostie".
Ghostie was seen wearing a collar and tags so we thought there had to be a lost dog report somewhere. Nothing came up and no one came forward to report him missing.
Since this dog needed to be caught, animal control brought out a trap and baited it with whole chickens. As hungry as this wonderful dog was he was just as smart. He would not enter the trap but he would carefully eat the chicken from outside..Not to be outsmarted the animal control officer checked in with several other people and one recommended reaching out to GSDR.
Although this was out of our normal territory, several team members went out to survey the situation and offer advice and it was decided that the "gypsy" trap was the most logical way to catch this dog so GSDR purchased a kennel and brought it into Boston to set it up and wait for the capture. Surely it would only take a night or two and the adventure would be over.
"Ghostie" was way ahead of us however. He knew how to enter the trap and take the chicken without setting off the trigger.
Night after night several GSDR volunteers and the animal control officer waited until 2 or 3 in the morning with night vision goggles to watch this graceful creature eat his multiple dinners and then walk away only to retire in full sight a hundred yards away. He was not afraid and it seemed he was training us to serve him his meals every night.
Then came the rain, well actually torrential downpours and the GSDR volunteers and the animal control continued their stake out but again all they got for their troubles was soaking wet.
Time to regroup and call in some more help.
A call went out to Boston Animal Rescue League to discuss the situation. The decision was made to bring out a very sophisticated drop trap. Back to a backyard near the school and they all went to set up this huge trap. It took 3 hours and 4 people to get it in place and the waiting began.
This time it only took 3 hours and "Ghostie" was back looking for his dinner. Ghostie was looking for his regular food dish and as he reached down to take a bite he never looked up to see the netting that came crashing down on him.
In a flash four people rushed forward and jumped on the net as a very frantic dog went into flight mode. Scared and fighting for his life he ran in every direction, which is exactly what he needed to do to get himself wrapped up in the netting. Pinning a 80 pound dog to the ground and getting him under control became a heart pounding ordeal but everyone was dedicated to the capture and they were definitely not going to let him become a ghost again.
The capture did not come without some risk and a few of his capturers got injured in the struggle but after a short wrestle he was safely put in a vehicle and transported to an emergency animal hospital who was waiting on their arrival.
"Ghostie" was finally in a safe place where for the first time his tags could be read. Everyone took a step back as they read the name. CHARLIE.... Were we seeing a Ghost or was this the dog that was considered dead on the side of the road? How could this be... It was over 15 miles away from where Charlie went missing and it was 2 months after his escape but it was confirmed...This was CHARLIE!!!
It took several dedicated individuals to make this rescue happen but it took teamwork to make it successful. A huge thank you goes out to Brian from Boston Animal Rescue League, Leslie the Hingham Animal Control Officer, Big Fluffy Dog Rescue, the family that allowed our team to put up the drop net in their yard, and our fantastic team of volunteers from GSDR. Holly, Beth, Anne & Susan all gave up their nights and days to stake out this rescue and make it successful.
A partnership between all these people made the difference today. We believe in working together for the greater good and today the greater good was a dog named CHARLIE!!!
Lynchburg, VA - Losing your only pet can be devastating. But, a Roanoke woman was able to get hers back days later after finding it in another state. Tuesday, pet and owner were reunited.
Tank had been missing for three days. One minute, he was outside with his owner, and the next, he was gone.
Spencer Stephan says her Teacup Yorkie may just weigh three pounds, but missing him for three days really weighed on her heart. Spencer Stephen says, after two years together, three days without little Tank felt like forever.
"I'm just glad that he's back. Because he's the one that sleeps with me every night," said Stephan.
This isn't a one-sided love; Tank has taken the separation pretty hard too.
"He's usually really perky. He acted like he was sick, so it wasn't our Tank," said Chelsea Andrews, Stephan's relative who brought Tank from North Carolina to Stephan as she was driving through.
But this is the real Tank. Owners identify him by his quiet temperament. Tank, they say, rarely barks, and has never wandered off before.
"I thought he was a goner," said Stephan.
And, he could've been, if not for Paul Garver from North Carolina making a pit stop in Roanoke on Saturday. There, a total stranger asked Garver if he'd like a yorkie.
"She said, 'It's a cute little Yorkie.' She said, 'I found it along the road and I don't know what to do with it. Could you help?'" said Garver.
Paul said sure, and took Tank home to Sanford, North Carolina. There, he went online to find Tank's owner - and he did.
"I clicked on it a couple times, and lo and behold, here's a picture of the dog we have in our house,"said Garver.
Garver called Stephan in Roanoke.
"I said, 'I've got good news and bad news for ya. The good news is your dog is safe, the bad news is it's in North Carolina," said Garver.
"He had him in North Carolina. I was like 'O my gosh,'" said Stephan.
But, a 150 miles couldn't keep the two apart. Stephan and Tank did come together, and everyone's prayers were answered.
"We prayed every night as a family. I know people might think that's weird. But that's how I feel," said Stephan.
Spencer says this was a tough year for her and her family. She recently lost her brother, so losing Tank was hard to bare.
Garver in North Carolina says if he didn't find Tank's owner, he would've kept him. Tank, he says, is a great Yorkie.
Source: http://www.wset.com/story/15279987/roanoke-dog-found-safe-and-sound-in-north-carolina
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Man’s missing dog found 12 weeks after tornado
By Josh Letner The Joplin (MO) Globe
August 15, 2011
JOPLIN, Mo. — Johnnie Richey was one of five people killed when the May 22 tornado flattened the Joplin Elks Lodge on West 26th Street. His home near 26th Street and Adele Avenue also was destroyed.
Joyce Richey, mother of tornado-fatality victim Johnnie Richey, wipes away tears Sunday after her son’s dog, Sugar, was reunited with the family.
Richey’s family spent the chaotic days after the storm searching for information on his whereabouts and sifting through the rubble of his home.
Richey, 52, was an Elks Lodge trustee and, according to his sister, Kerri Simms, was well-known in the community.
“If you played softball or had anything to do with bowling or the Elks Lodge, you would have seen him,” said Simms, of Farmington.
After five excruciating days, the family learned that Richey was among those who died at the Elks Lodge.
The grief was compounded by the fact that Richey’s trusted companion, Sugar, a 9-year-old blond cocker spaniel, was missing as well.
Simms immediately began an effort to find Sugar. She did what many others in search of a lost pet did: She made posters and created a Facebook page dedicated to locating the dog. But as the weeks rolled by, the chances of finding Sugar grew slim.
That all changed Friday night when Chris Ruport, a part-time driver with Affordable Taxi, spotted a stray dog walking along West Seventh Street and decided to pick it up. Ruport was unavailable for comment, but his wife, Courtney, said her husband is not known for rescuing animals.
“My husband doesn’t usually pick up stray animals, so there must have been something about her that said ‘help me,’” she said.
Ruport took Sugar back to the Affordable Taxi shop, where his in-laws, Jerry and Anita Dallies, cared for her. Courtney Ruport said Sugar “drank bowl after bowl of water” and looked “pretty beat up.”
It was obvious that Sugar had once been well cared for, they realized, but the past few weeks had been rough on her.
That night, Chris Ruport went home and posted a photo of Sugar on Craigslist. Within hours, word reached Simms that a dog matching Sugar’s description had been found. Jerry Dallies had misjudged Sugar’s gender, and she was listed as a male, but closer examination revealed the mistake. A growth on Sugar’s hind end confirmed her identity, and Simms made the trip from Farmington to claim her.
Simms took Sugar to the Emergency Pet Center in Joplin, where she was treated for severe eye and ear infections, flea infestation, and severe dehydration. Richey’s mother, Joyce Richey, said Sugar was weak when the family picked her up.
“When we first saw her, she was shaking real bad like she didn’t have the energy to stand, but they put her on (intravenous fluids) and kept her overnight, and she was better,” she said.
Simms has taken Sugar home, where she lives with six other dogs and five cats. She said Sugar has spent a lot of time sleeping and eating.
Finding Sugar has given her a new connection with her brother, Simms said.
“It means having part of my brother back,” she said. “We can’t bring him back, but we can at least have her. Now we don’t have to wonder. They wouldn’t let us see my brother after the tornado, so I don’t want to say it’s closure, but we know now that she’s OK.”
Simms said those who are still searching for lost pets should continue to do so.
“I know there are a lot of pets still out there, and there may be people keeping them not realizing that the owners are looking for them,” she said. “All I can say to them is start with the fliers and keep looking.”
Source: http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x1533030307/Man-s-missing-dog-found-12-weeks-after-tornado
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We had a tremendous thunderstorm (which scares our dog to death) when we noticed he was missing we began our search.
We combed a 6 mile radius of our home. It felt like looking for a needle in a haystack. Nobody had seen any signs of him anywhere.
I posted an add on Craigslist and the only reply I got was from a lady suggesting this website. I immediately thought it was a scam. After checking it out I was still very skeptical, but decided to give it a wirl.
Literally within 20 minutes of placing the ad my cell phone was ringing like crazy!! Everbody was saying that a dog that fit his description was hanging out in a Walmart parking lot several miles from our home.
Granted once we got there he was gone. But after talking to the managers we got a STRONG impression to check at our local animal shelter. Sure enough he was there.
We had already called them, describe him to them and were told No that he wasn't there. We also had visited the shelter and looked for ourselves earlier that day and did not find him.
Thanks to the findtoto alert system we were able to put the pieces together and find our Ruger buddy!!
THANK YOU to Findtoto and all of those who called with information. We went from zero sightings to TONS of calls!!
Lost Dog Back Home After 44 Days; Found 33 Miles Away
By David Greisman
March 10, 2011
After an Ellicott City dog went missing in January, he was able to return home more than six weeks later thanks to a group effort and the power of technology.
Found: Cockapoo.
Answers to "Winston."
Ran away from his Ellicott City home on Jan. 21.
Picked up March 6 – from a house 33 miles away in Gaithersburg.
The search for Winston included old-fashioned methods – feet on pavement, fliers on post – and new-media assistance from Facebook, Google Maps and, in the end, the classified ads of Craigslist.
And so when Janet Lynn West announced that Winston was home, her exclamations of gratitude were directed to many beyond those who had given her dog temporary shelter.
"We did it! We all did it!" West wrote on Facebook. "We found him!"
It had been a long time. And it had been a long journey.
'Will be dirty'
The fliers were seemingly ubiquitous, attached to posts and poles around Columbia and Ellicott City.
"LOST DOG," they read. "WINSTON white cockapoo with beige markings. Will be dirty..."
He had gone missing early in the evening on Jan. 21 from West's home off Route 103 in Ellicott City. His owner figured he must have followed some neighborhood kids.
The search soon began.
West called in Dogs Finding Dogs, a nonprofit organization that, as its name suggests, uses trained dogs to track down lost pooches.
West and others went with the rescue dog for more than two hours on Jan. 25, looking near Route 29, Old Columbia Pike and Route 103 in Ellicott City.
"Winston's scent led us in a few different directions," West wrote on Facebook.
There was the inside of the firehouse. There was Veterans Elementary School. There was no sign of him. Some people had seen him earlier, but nobody knew where he had gone since.
"We are hopeful he didn't cross over to the other side of 29, but we can't be sure," West wrote.
Across Route 29 – And Beyond
New sightings were seemingly being reported each day. Descriptions of where and when were posted on Google Maps, lines crisscrossing first around Ellicott City east of Route 29, then shooting west of the busy highway and farther away from home.
Jan. 24: "Somewhere on Toll House Road."
Jan. 25: "Heading west on 103 across 29."
Jan. 27: "He seemed to be traveling northbound on Columbia Road. Every time I got closer and tried to talk to him, he'd run."
More days, more dots on the map. The dots kept moving west along and around Route 108.
Finally, on Feb. 17, there was what, for some time, was referred to as the last sighting: "Green Dragon Court. Columbia. Sighter saw Winston running northwest."
And then a call came in.
"A woman called ... and has in her possession a white poodle mix with a blue collar that is thin like a cat's," West wrote on Facebook on Feb. 17. "Pray it's Winston! She is in Ellicott City on Main Street."
It wasn't Winston.
But several days later there would be this entry into Google Maps, all the way over in Gaithersburg, near Damascus:
"Lady found a dog that looks like Winston on Marsh Point Court."
Found?
Denise Harris is an employee at Camp Bow Wow, a day care and boarding facility for dogs in Columbia. She had never met Winston before he went missing. She did not know West.
She was one of nearly 260 people who had joined a Facebook page dedicated to helping find Winston.
"He kept tracking farther and farther away. He was moving really fast. And then there was nothing for about two weeks," Harris told Patch earlier this week, a day after Winston returned home. "If he’d continue to move at that speed, he’d be out of Howard County if he continued to move up Route 108."
Route 108 led to Montgomery County. Harris logged onto the Craigslist site for people living in and around Washington, D.C., and checked the "found" listings.
"I sent the lady an e-mail just saying, 'We are looking for a dog who disappeared from Howard County. It’s been a while. Do you have a picture of the dog?' " Harris said.
"She sent me a picture. I looked at the picture and thought: 'I don’t think that’s Winston.' "
Despite that, Harris gave the woman a link to the Facebook page.
"I looked through the pictures and called the numbers listed," said the woman, Katy Cox Engels, writing on Facebook. "I live too far away to [have seen] any of the fliers. It really was a miracle we connected."
On March 6, West headed to Engels' house to see if this dog was Winston.
A friend waited for West to call with the news.
Nearly 260 people waited in suspense for an update on Facebook.
Found!
At 11:06 a.m., they had confirmation: "IT IS HIM!!!!!!"
Video of West's reunion with Winston can be seen above.
"They were thrilled," West said of the Engels, writing on Facebook. "They had been looking for the owners for 7 days.
"We hadn't heard [of] a sighting in two weeks, and I was getting stressed thinking, 'Hopefully that means ... someone has him!' " West wrote.
The fliers can now come down.
"I never expected him to run off. He never had," West wrote. "He is certainly a survivor. I was most afraid of him getting hit by a car, but he kept proving over and over [that] he was making it through the weather conditions.
Source: http://columbia.patch.com/articles/friends-salute-winston-the-lost-cockapoo-that-found-his-way-home-with-video#photo-5295108
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A dog that went missing for six months has been reunited with its owners.
Max, a two-year-old Lhasa apso was taken to the Scottish SPCA's Glasgow animal rescue and rehoming centre after being found as a stray in the Tollcross area of the city.
Centre assistant Manager Anna O'Donnell said, "Thankfully Max had a microchip so we were able to contact his owners straight away.
"His family were delighted to hear he had been found after such a long time. They collected him immediately and Max was very excited to see them again.
"Someone had probably taken him in when he first went missing as he is not underweight.
"However, his coat is badly matted so it's possible he was living rough for a while before he was picked up by the dog warden.
"This highlights the benefits of microchipping your pets as without one it is unlikely Max would have been returned to his owners."
Dog lost in Hackney riots is reunited with owner
Source: Battersea Dogs & Cats Home
Date:12 August 2011
A lost dog that was found in the wake of the Hackney riots has been reunited with his owner, after she saw an appeal about him on ITV London Tonight.
When two-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier Jake arrived at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home on Tuesday 9 August he didn’t have a collar and tag or microchip, so the charity had no way of tracing his owner. But on Thursday ITV London Tonight ran a story about the dog on their evening news programme, and he was spotted by owner Jade Hegarty from Lewisham.
When Jade came to collect him from Battersea on Friday, she revealed his real name was Major, and said he must have been terrified. “He is a loving, gentle boy, so he must have been petrified by the violence. He must have been so scared.”
Jade was shocked to see him on TV, as she had rehomed him to another family in Tooting on Monday. She explains: “I live in a small flat and have two rabbits, two dogs and two children and it was very crowded. I thought the best thing was to rehome him. I put an advert on Gumtree, and found a family in Tooting who had children and loved Staffies, and they seemed really nice.”
However when Jade called them to ask why Major was now at Battersea, the family said he had escaped. “They said he had chewed things in their house and escaped, and they didn’t seem to care that he was missing,” Jade said. “I completely regret giving him up, and I would never advise anyone to rehome a pet on Gumtree. I wish I’d just brought him to Battersea so they could find him a good home.”
Jade now believes that Major tried to escape from his new family, and was attempting to make his way back to Lewisham, but somehow got caught up in the Hackney unrest.
She adds: “He must have been very stressed to be in a new place, and just wanted to get home. I wonder what he saw during the disturbance in Hackney. He loves to raid the biscuit bin at home, so I just hope he didn’t try and loot any butchers!”
However now Jade and Major have been reunited, Jade has vowed never to give him up again and got him microchipped at Battersea, so they can be reunited if Major does go missing.
She says: “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone, and he is the loveliest dog, I just wish I’d never given him up, but he’s not going anywhere now.”
Battersea is concerned that Major may be just one of the animals which has been affected by this week’s unrest throughout the UK, and is appealing for owners to ensure their dogs or cats are microchipped and have a collar and tag, so they can be swiftly reunited with their pets if there is any further disturbance.
The Home is advising any pet owner within the M25 to get in touch with the charity’s Lost Dogs & Cats Line if they have lost their pets. This service is the capital’s key rehoming service and has reunited thousands of dogs and cats with their owners since it was set up over 10 years ago.
Missing Arizona dog found thousands of miles away in Pennsylvania
By: MaryEllen Resendez
August 12, 2011
BLACK CANYON CITY, AZ - A Black Canyon City man waits patiently as details are ironed out for the return of his beloved pet after it went on a cross country adventure earlier this year.
Heidi took a cross-country trip after she went off chasing a rabbit in March.
Jim Chryst loves taking his dogs on adventures around the creek near Black Canyon City, but then his car broke down and he and his pets found themselves stranded.
"About the second day they were sitting outside my window barking continuously at their walk time," said Chryst who finally gave in and took his dogs for a walk up the hill near his home.
When they reached the top, Chryst's beloved shorthaired pointer named "Heidi" took off after a rabbit.
At first, Chryst didn't worry.
"It's not unusual for her to take off after animals and be gone for 30 minutes," he said.
But Heidi never returned. That was in March of this year.
For the next five months, Jim continued to return to his and Heidi's favorite spots hoping she would be there.
"German shorthaired pointers are known to return to the spot they were released," said Chryst , who was desperate to find Heidi.
"I don't want to sound overly religious, but I got down on my knees and said 'Lord please bring Heidi home, I know you can do this.'"
Jim's prayers were answered last week, when a rescue group called him to say Heidi had been found thousands of miles away, in Pennsylvania.
"A geologist working near I-17 found her along interstate 17," said Joyce Harrison with the German Shorthaired Pointer Rescue of Pennsylvania.
Harrison told ABC15 the woman who found Heidi flew her home to Pennsylvania when the project she was working on was over.
"She has five cats and Heidi didn't take too well to the cats," said Harrison who took Heidi in after the woman who found her dropped her off at the rescue shelter.
That didn't surprise Chryst who said Heidi's been known to go after cats before.
It was a chip implanted in Heidi that led the GSP rescue back to Chryst in Arizona.
"I just happened to have a scanner and started scanning Heidi's body when I found the chip," Harrison said.
Soon Chryst was called and told Heidi had been found.
"I was happy, then it hit me and I got a little emotional," he said.
Harrison said after talking to Chryst, she knew she needed to get Heidi home.
The rescue is now working with Pilots and Paws, an animal rescue group that flies pets home to get Heidi back to Arizona. The rescue will take five flight legs and will need five volunteer pilots. So far only three have come forward, including Sgt. Bill Rademacher with Avondale Police.
Rademacher is hoping to fly Heidi over the last leg from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Goodyear, Arizona.
Chryst is happy for all the help, and is hoping to soon be reunited with his beloved Heidi,
"At least I know where she's at now and I know she's being taken care of," he said.
Source: http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_central_southern_az/black_canyon_new_river/missing-arizona-dog-found-thousands-of-miles-away-in-pennsylvania
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Milo found, back home with Good Samaritan
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
August 8, 2011 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- A dog named Milo that disappeared while his owner rushed to help a woman is back by her side, thanks to a dog communicator.
Kristin Yoshida and Milo were out for a walk when a woman tried to jump from the CTA stop at Kinzie and Wells. Yoshida pulled the woman to safety, but dropped Milo's leash.
She said she called a "dog communicator" who suggested Milo might be in a parking garage. Yoshida's father found the dog in the parking garage of Yoshida's building.
"We were on the phone for less than an hour and he led me right to my dog. And he kept saying something about the number five. I always park down here and today my car is on the fifth floor because there was no parking when I came home," Yoshida said.
Milo was thirsty and hungry when she found him, but seems to be fine.
Source: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news%2Flocal&id=8295871
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Now read more on the blog of the animal communicator, Charles Peden:
Unfortunately the story above lacks several details, as I am the “dog communicator” Animal Communicator, (Pet Psychic) who led Kristin to Milo, let me share my side of the story.
August 8th, 2011 was already a busy day with a house call earlier in the day to look into a possible ghost issue at a nearby residence. After identifying the ghost and encouraging him to move on, I returned home just in time to spend some quality time with my family.
While sitting down and enjoying a family movie, my phone rang and I knew that it was an emergency. As I left the living room I told my family that I had to take the call and went downstairs to my office.
A woman had been walking her dog 48 hours ago and had prevented someone from committing suicide. While doing so dropped her dog's leash, and the dog then ran off. Only knowing that this had taken place around the Chicago area and that the dog’s name was Milo, I proceeded to telepathically connect with Milo and assisted in leading Kristin to him.
Prior to describing Milo to Kristin, I saw a small Yorkie like dog, (as it turns out – that dog was missing too and also was in the Chicago area.)
When I connected with Milo he told me that he was a medium to large dog, with a lot of black on his face. He told me that he was a working breed.
Kristin confirmed the details and then I asked if the bridge was over a narrow yet deep body of water, she said no … I then saw the water turn green and knew that I was dealing with an incident that took place in the downtown part of Chicago. I pulled up a map and while doing so I told Kristin that the bridge was not over water, and that she had been just north of downtown Chicago, which she then confirmed.
While looking at the map (via Google) of the city, I saw an intersection that caught my attention. I asked her about the area near the intersection of Kinzie and Wells. Kristin was surprised that I asked her about that location and then confirmed that was where she had lost Milo.
I then “saw” a number five and asked if Milo was five and Kristin said “No.” I then told her that number was important and to set it to the side until I made more sense of it.
I then “saw” the river again and saw a big bend in it. Then I “saw” a parking garage.
I felt as though Milo was trapped, unharmed, thirsty, hungry and dry.
Again I “saw” a parking garage, Kristin told me that she thought he had gone into one and began asking questions about it.
As it turned out, I ended up describing two parking garages, one with a single level (the one she thought he was in) and I “saw” another garage that Kristin recognized as being hers at home. The garage at her home was multi-level. I “saw” Milo on the fifth floor. He was under a white vehicle that was a cross between an SUV and a sedan, the vehicle had a green logo or lettering on it.
I also “saw” the public art sculpture that Milo frequently uses as his place to take care of “business.”
At one point I told Kristin to stop wasting time and go out and bring Milo home as he was thirsty and trapped by his leash under the vehicle.
Kristin asked me if Milo would come to her father or if she would be the one to find him, I told her that her father would connect with him.
After the call I had an errand to run and headed down the mountain and into town. On the way down the hill my cell phone rang, it was Kristin, they had just found Milo.
Milo was found on the 5th floor of Kristin’s parking garage. The images I was shown of the one story garage have to do with him going there first. He then showed me several locations he is familiar with while walking around downtown Chicago. The last pieces of information he showed me had to do with him being in his person’s parking garage. Milo was located under a white minivan that was an Enterprise rental vehicle, it had the word Enterprise in green on the vehicle.
Later that evening all of the major Chicago based television stations ran a story about how Milo was found with the aid of a “dog communicator” or animal communicator as I like to be referred to.
Not all tales have a happy ending, lost animal cases, next to missing person cases, are some of the most difficult types of readings to do. Sometimes great joy can be found in a tearful reunion, other times tragic events have unfolded and the animal may have been killed or as in one recent case, they simply do not wish to return home for one reason or another.
Among the world of animal communicators, there are only a handful that work missing animal cases, and even fewer who work without a photo and or description of the animal who has gone missing. I only require the animal’s name in order to establish a connection. Once I have brought forward details that confirm a connection, such as age, breed, physical appearance, events that led up to the animal going missing etc., then I can work with the animal to find out where they are and if it is possible for them to come home on their own, or if I should direct the pet owner to recover them themselves.
