Cooper, chihuahua-whippet

Dog lost in California in 2009 found in Brandon
By Ray Reyes
September 29, 2011

Cooper, seen with a vet assistant at Care Animal Hospital, will go home Monday.

Two years ago a dog named Cooper ran away from his home in California after a gate in the yard was left open.

Last week, the Chihuahua-whippet mix was found shivering in the pouring rain on the side of a road.

In Brandon.

After two years and 3,000 miles, the dog and its owners will be reunited on Monday.

Cooper’s coast-to-coast journey seems like something out of a Hollywood movie, owner Michelle Baetge said.

“It still seems sort of surreal,” said Baetge, 41, from her home in Sacramento, Calif. “Everyone involved has been stunned and amazed.”

Baetge and the veterinarians of Care Animal Hospital in Brandon said they have no idea how Cooper traveled cross-country. What’s apparent is that since he’s been missing, someone had been taking care of him.

“His nails were trimmed. He’s fat and happy,” said Cheri Kane, the owner of the animal hospital.

Kane said it’s anybody’s guess what happened to Cooper after Baetge’s gardener left the gate open and the tan-colored dog made a break for the outside world. Someone must have found Cooper, treated the pet like his or her own and relocated to Florida, she said.

Two good Samaritans found Cooper on Sept.22 during a thunderstorm, Kane said.

“He was sitting there, shaking, on the corner,” she said.

Vets found out Cooper had a microchip for tracking and alerted the company, HomeAgain, that they had recovered the dog. A company representative then called Baetge and told her the news.

The situation was so extraordinary that the microchip company is paying the expenses to fly Cooper back to California, spokeswoman Amy Eury said. Cooper will be back with the Baetges by 9:41p.m. on Monday.

Baetge said her 16-year-old son Cody has an attachment to Cooper. Baetge’s father bought the dog for his grandson after he contracted a terminal illness.

“He told Cody that he didn’t have much to leave him but would buy him anything he wanted to remember him by,” Baetge said. “So that day we bought Cooper.”



Baetge said they contacted local shelters, put up fliers and posted messages on social media sites to find their dog. Still, they were amazed when the family got the call from the microchip company.

“Cody was in stunned silence for awhile,” Baetge said. “He’s now getting more and more excited. We never lost hope. We just thought we would never see him again.”

Source: http://www2.tbo.com/news/breaking-news/2011/sep/29/4/chihuahua-lost-in-california-in-2009-found-in-bran-ar-261573/
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Sophie, Alberta rescue dog

Rescue dog brought home
Katie Turner, Metro Gallery
29 September 2011

Meaghan Ralston gives rescue dog Sophie a kiss.

Eight days after she went missing, a rescue dog with medical needs was found and returned to her foster home.

The dog, called Sophie, escaped under Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society volunteer Meaghan Ralston’s fence last week.

Ralston said she was devastated when she discovered Sophie dug under the fence because the dog is dealing with a serious infection caused by porcupine quills in her face.

With Sophie needing medication, Ralston said she was scared at the potential outcome.

“When we did the search party, we had about 15 people come out and there has been at least 30 people that have driven through, walked through, gone through the neighbourhood looking for her,” said Ralston.

Tuesday, Ralston said she received the call she’d been waiting for that Sophie had been spotted in Discovery Ridge.

Sophie was picked up by city bylaw officers and taken to a nearby vet clinic and because of the posters around the community, was returned to Ralston’s care.

“She’s doing quite well. Her paws are pretty raw because she’s been running so much,” said Ralston.

“It’s amazing the support from the community and the vet clinic and the city. Everyone just came together.”

Source: http://www.metronews.ca/calgary/local/article/982933--rescue-dog-brought-home
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Gizmo, miniature pinscher

Gizmo, The Lost Allentown Dog is Found Due to Reward Money!

Lehigh Valley With Love
September 20, 2011

Remember when some lady stole Gizmo, the cute minpin doggy, and her owner failed to give quality chase?

Well, after a week or two of exhaustively looking for the dog … by putting up posters on telephone polls announcing that there was a $700 reward… surprisingly, the dog has been returned.

Gizmo, the 13-month-old dog reported stolen three weeks ago on an Allentown street, has been found.

The miniature pinscher was picked up last Monday in exchange for a $700 reward posted by its owners, Manuel Mendez and his wife, Dennise Ramirez, of 823 N. Halstead St., Allentown.

The reward was paid to a woman who lives at 10th and Green streets, less than a block north of where Gizmo slipped away at 6:35 p.m. Aug. 29 while Mendez was visiting a friend.

Hmmm, I wonder if that woman was also the same woman who stole the dog in the first place and now has just cashed in…

“When we got him back that night, he was like traumatized,” Mendez said. Gizmo, who weighed 3.2 pounds before his disappearance, had lost about 4 ounces in the two weeks he was missing.

That is like 7 dog pounds!

After Mendez and his wife put up a $200 reward for Gizmo’s return, a Slatington man increased the reward by $500. Donald Thek paid out the $500 last week.

I would totally compare the footage of the woman who stole the dog (it was crudely caught on camera) with the woman who got the reward.

This is super fishy… I don’t like it one bit….

I say this because apparently they just found the dog walking around. Bullshit! The person who stole the dog wouldn’t just let it go. She would try and sell the thing or at least keep it around as a pet, she wouldn’t just let it walk away.

I think the lady saw that the dog was worth $700 in reward and brought it in.

Crazy.

In other news, my friends have a min pin and it has a foot fetish. No lie. Every time you put feet in the general area of her face she gets all lovey. It’s actually a bit weird.

Source: http://lehighvalleywithlove.com/post/10443740273/gizmo-the-lost-allentown-dog-is-found-due-to-reward

Toby, bichon frise

Toby reunited with loving owners after dognapping ordeal
Tuesday 6th September 2011

Happy reunion: Peter and Debbie with Toby (left) and Pippa

A Halesowen family is on cloud nine after being reunited with their pet dog who was stolen while they were on holiday.

Peter and Debbie Mills and their two children Sian, 18 and Josh, 16, are delighted now Toby is back at home in Manor Lane recovering from his two-week dognapping ordeal.

The three-year-old pedigree Bichon Frise, who was snatched from a relative’s garden in West Bromwich on August 21, was found tangled in brambles near a railway line in Great Bridge.

Managing director Peter said: “We are ecstatic, absolutely overjoyed. Toby is a little bit confused, he’s pretty quiet at the moment.

“He’s lost a little bit of weight and his fur looks a bit messy but apart from that he’s fine.

“We are just over the moon to have him home and our other dog Pippa is a lot happier now he’s back.”

Toby, who was stolen from Peter’s mother Barbara Mills’ garden in West Bromwich, which was secured by a gate and fence, was discovered a few days after he was snatched by a lady and her grandson.

They took him in until they spotted an article in the press saying he had been stolen and contacted Peter yesterday (Monday).

Peter said: “We saw as soon as she opened the door it was Toby. He came running up to us with his tail wagging.

“We don’t know if he escaped from whoever stole him or whether they abandoned him when they realised he was neutered and wouldn’t be any good for breeding.

“We are angry that these people don’t realise the harm and heartache they cause.”

The family launched a desperate search for Toby which saw them contact rescue centres and lost dog websites as well as put up posters in pet shops and vets in West Brom and Halesowen. Peter said the organisation doglost.co.uk had given them vaulable help.

There has been a spate of dognapping in West Bromwich including the high profile case of King Charles Spaniel puppy Alfie who was reunited with his family after being snatched by motorbike riding thieves.

Source: http://www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/9235204.Toby_reunited_with_loving_owners_after_dognapping_ordeal/

Paris, chihuahua

Welcome Home, Paris!
From the parents of Paris:
Craig and Lisa Sutfin

My husband was returning from a trip to California when he wrecked on I-40 between Seligman and Kingman, Arizona. Our 4 1/2 pound chihuahua panicked, and ran into the desert. She is not only a pet, but a service dog, as she awakens my husband (who is diabetic), when his blood sugar is low. She is a part of our family and we were devastated.

Paris and Deborah

The night of the wreck it was dark, cold, and snowing. My husband and my son spent several hours looking for her, along with the assistance of the owner of a local motel, who graciously took them out with flashlights to search. They were unable to locate her that night, which was Sunday. On Monday, they resumed the search, but to no avail. There were reports that traffic had slowed for a chihuahua in the median, so we were hoping that someone had picked her up.

In the meantime, I was placing ads in newspapers, radio stations, and on the internet. In the process of doing this, I saw a website where someone said they had lost their pet and that a pet detective found it. So, I called the first pet detective that came up in a google search. She was busy, but gave me the numbers of other pet detectives, one of whom was Deborah, who was within driving distance to Seligman. I contacted Deborah Monday night and she drove down Tuesday morning with her dogs Riley and Dudley. Deborah, my son, and the dogs tracked for 8 hours on Tuesday, finally reaching a point that the dogs would not go past. The decision was made to rest until the next day and hopefully they could get past that point.

On Wednesday, after several hours of trying, Deborah called me to to tell me that they were still unable to get past the one area, and that it might be a predator issue as there are coyotes in the area. As we were talking, a tow truck pulled up and her dogs began barking, so she got out of her vehicle to talk to me. We talked for another minute when she said "I've got your dog - I'll call you back" and hung up. Ten minutes later she called to say that she had my chihuahua safe and alive and evidently unhurt.

The miracles: Paris was found three miles from the wreck (what wonderful tracking Riley and Dudley did, through snow, ice, and horrible terrain). They left the lights on in the van, requiring the tow truck - if the tow truck had not pulled up then, when she needed to continue talking to me... she may never have seen my baby. A 4 1/2 pound chihuahua, subfreezing temperatures, coyotes, snow, and three nights in those conditions...need I say more? The wonderful people of Seligman, Arizona who did so many things to help. We are forever grateful to Deborah, the dogs, and the township of Seligman.

Paris, safe at home with Craig

Source: http://www.missingpetdetectives.com/Missing_Pet_Detectives/Welcome_home_Paris.html

Kiddo, akita mix

Lost dog found 4 years later
By Steven Butler
Published: September 25, 2011

Kiddo had not seen his family in over four years. No matter, canine life goes on.

Meanwhile, over 100 miles away, his owner, Wendy Love, received a call.

Kiddo and Wendy are reunited at the shelter

Turn the clock back five days. For Culpeper County Animal Control personnel, it was business as usual. They had received complaints of two unfriendly dogs living off Clover Hill Road—a black and white male akita mix and a black and tan female akita mix.

The male was extremely protective of his female counterpart.

“He wouldn’t approach, he would just stand there and growl,” said Kim Seibert, operations manager. Along with Animal Control Officer Greg Sargent, Seibert attempted to safely capture the dogs for five days. “There was no getting near him,” she said.

“It got down to the point where we were telling people if he gets aggressive, you have the right to shoot him,” said Seibert. She believed the dog was feral. “That is one of the worst things when you get a call and they won’t come anywhere near you.”

On the fifth day, they got lucky. Using a box trap, they were able to capture the male. The female evaded capture again.

As is standard procedure, when they brought the dog in, they scanned it for a microchip, which is a device injected into animals for identification purposes. To their surprise, they found one.

“I never in a 1,000 years would have believed he had a microchip in him,” said Seibert. “As soon as we micro-chipped him and found out his name, he calmed down and turned out to be a sweetie.”

The chip informed them that the dog’s name was Kiddo and its owner was Wendy Love, from Gaithersburg, Maryland—just over 100 miles away.

When Love answered the phone, she couldn’t believe it.

“What? Kiddo? Really?” She had not seen or heard any information about Kiddo since February 2008 when he was three years old. At the time, she lived in Gaithersburg and had left Kiddo with a sitter.

“I went on vacation, I came home and he was gone,” she said. Love and the workers at Animal Control had no idea what could have happened to Kiddo between 2008 and now.

“He’s not skinny, he’s not mangy and he hasn’t been hit by a motor vehicle,” said Seibert. The staff was confident that if Kiddo had been taken to a vet or animal shelter, he would have been scanned just as they had done.

Seibert said she has heard of animals traveling long distances, but doubts this is the case. “Sounds kind of wild, but I guess it could happen,” she said.

Kiddo, however, is keeping his silence and the past four years of his life will most likely remain a mystery.

When Love arrived, after the 2.5-hour drive from her current home, Glen Burnie, Md., Kiddo acted a bit distant, as if annoyed.

As soon as she mentioned a car ride, Kiddo could not contain his excitement anymore and started wagging his tail and barking excitedly as Love scratched behind his ears.

“I was crying on the way up here. I was so excited,” she said. “You give up after a while.”

When she led him out to her car—the same car she had four years ago—Kiddo hopped right in, not missing a beat. Love said that back home he would be reunited with Autumn, her puppy Kiddo was buddies with before he went missing.

Looking on, adopting coordinator, Loretta Clatterbuck said, “Bless his heart. This is a happy day. This is what I do, this is why.”

With his head hanging out the window and his tongue licking the breeze, Kiddo was finally going back to his family. He was finally going home.

Source: http://www2.starexponent.com/news/2011/sep/25/lost-dog-found-4-years-later-ar-1334814/
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Goldie, labrador

Missing WI Dog Found in 6-Foot Sinkhole after 6 Days
Owners: Labrador raced to family home after rescue
Wednesday, 21 Sep 2011

VIROQUA, Wis. (AP) - Goldie the Labrador retriever never misses a meal. So, when she vanished from a vineyard near Viroqua last week, her owners were devastated. They knew their pet would never wander far from home.

Mary and Jeff Aderman searched by foot and by car and put up posters, hoping to find their beloved dog. Six days passed, but Goldie did not turn up and the couple grew doubtful.

Then on Monday, Jeff Aderman was collecting grapes in the vineyard when he heard a strange sound coming from the nearby meadow.

He discovered a sinkhole in the meadow about six feet deep. At the bottom, Goldie was looking up at him. She had survived the elements without food or water for nearly a week.

Mary Aderman told the La Crosse Tribune that once Goldie was lifted from the hole, she made a beeline for the house.

Source: http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/offbeat/missing-wi-dog-found-in-6-foot-sinkhole-after-6-days-sept-21-2011

Simpson, walker hound/beagle mix

Dog Stolen With Truck Reunited With Owners
WAPT Viewer Finds Missing Dog
POSTED: 9:27 am CDT September 21, 2011

JACKSON, Miss. -- A dog that was inside a pickup truck when it was stolen was reunited with his owners Tuesday night.

Video available on the www.wapt.com website

Bill Buffington's green Ford F250 was stolen Tuesday afternoon from Walker's Drive-In on North State Street. Buffington went inside the restaurant and left Simpson, his 14-year-old Walker-beagle mix, in the back seat of the locked and still running truck. Simpson suffers from kidney disease and requires IV fluids daily.

"We want our dog back desperately," Buffington's fiancée, Tracy Rice told 16 WAPT News on Tuesday. "He can have the truck. Please find a way to get our dog back to us."

A woman spotted Simpson Tuesday near the Fairview Inn and brought him in to feed him, Rice said. She saw how sick he was and took him to her vet. After watching the story about Simpson on 16 WAPT News, she contacted Buffington and Rice and they picked up the dog from the vet late Tuesday night.

"He heard us talking with the vet. He just started howling. He knew it was us when we walked in the front door," Buffington said. "He was in the kennel in the back of the building and he was howling and very happy to see us. I think he knew he'd been in trouble."

Buffington's said his truck has still not been recovered, but he's thankful to have Simpson home.

Source: http://www.wapt.com/news/29254345/detail.html
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Duncan, corgi

Family reunited with missing dog after 11 years
By Heather Klein
Sep. 20, 2011

Click here for video

Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) - A dog that ran away from a Las Vegas home more than a decade ago has been reunited with its original owners after spending several months almost halfway across the country.

Michelle and Kipp bought Duncan, a corgi, for their two boys 11 years ago. He became their shadow and companion.

"Then one day he was gone, just disappeared," Kipp said.

They searched in shelters and put up fliers, but never heard anything about his whereabouts until just a few days ago.

"I got a call from this lady in Missouri and she says I have your dog, and I'm like 'what dog?'" Kipp says.

The woman had Duncan. Kipp explains he ended up in a valley shelter where he was adopted.

"She was an elderly lady and the dog ended up being her companion for about ten years," Kipp says.

Then that lady died, and her daughter brought Duncan to Missouri, where he escaped her house. He was picked up by another rescue group that discovered Duncan had a microchip all along. Just last night, captured on home video, Duncan was reunited with his original family.

"I never would have thought it, I never would have thought it, not in a million years," Michelle said. "But you know, life is strange, you never know what is going to happen."

Source: http://www.ktnv.com/news/local/130252373.html

Nicky, shepherd mix

"It Takes A Village To Bring Home a Dog.."
9/19/2011

On July 20th, Nicky, an elderly shepherd mix escaped from his new adoptive home by slipping through a hole in the fence. For 47 days, a rescue team made up volunteers from multiple animal welfare groups tirelessly worked to bring him home. Read below to learn the extraordinary story of his return home!

How Nicky Came to PAWS

In early January, PAWS received an email from about a woman who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and placed into hospice care. Her dying wish was that her eight dogs be placed in safe and loving homes. Unfortunately, this woman has passed away before PAWS was able to make arrangements for such a large group, but we did ultimately find a place for the eight dogs, one of which was Nicky.

All of these elderly dogs had only known a life in an outdoor pen. They were undersocialized and most of them had never seen a vet. Nicky was especially reserved and unsure of his surroundings, but his whole life turned around when the incredible owner and staff at Pet Companions decided to bring him to their beautiful facility. The folks at Pet Companions taught Nicky how to live again. He was introduced to comforts like dog beds, toys, and treats that he had never seen before. Nicky was fawned over and eventually placed into an adoptive home where we thought his "happily ever after" was a done deal.

47 Days on the Run

Sadly, within the first few days of getting to his new adoptive home in rural New Hampshire, Nicky escaped through a faulty area of his adoptive family's fence.

The volunteers from Pet Companions and PAWS immediately sprung in to action and organized search parties, flier postings, and set up a "Have a Heart" humane trap. After a few days with no success, they sought the expertise of Granite State Dog Recovery (GSDR)- an-all volunteer group dedicated to providing community alerts, guidance, equipment, and manpower to assist in relocating lost dogs.

GSDR set up a feeding station close to where Nicky had been lost and placed a motion detection camera to monitor the site. It wasn't until three weeks had passed, that the team gleefully announced that they caught Nicky on "candid camera!"

For the next two weeks, Nicky visited the feeding station a few times a day. Volunteers from Pet Companions and GSDR traveled two hours each way for nightly "stake-outs" in hopes of being able to catch our elusive Nicky. There were multiple close calls where Nicky would be standing only ten feet in front of volunteers, but he was in a panicked state and ran away each time anyone came too close. Other nights, volunteers were forced to abandon their Nicky search because of bears and coyotes in the area. Nicky was outdoors during the hurricane and endured temperatures of greater than 100 degrees. This served as a constant reminder that Nicky was in danger every night he was out loose.

Finally, the expert at GSDR decided that Nicky would most likely never enter a "Have a Heart" humane trap, no matter how hungry he was. They devised a plan to place a magnetized large net over the feeding station and drop the net of Nicky while he was eating. Volunteers continued on next to no sleep and thousands of miles in the car traveling back and forth to visit the feeding station each night.

The Dramatic Capture

The team arriving on September 5th included volunteers from GSDR and the NHSPCA. Team leader, Holly Mokrzecki, had advised that Nicky not be fed the night before to ensure that he would be starving and likely to make an appearance.

Utilizing a video camera broadcasting live feed over a wireless network and a baby monitor to transmit sound, the team sat and waited in the pouring rain for Nicky to make an appearance. When hours had gone by with no Nicky, everyone was about to pack in for the night- but something made Holly tell everyone, "Let's just give it five more minutes."

Sure enough- their patience was rewarded with a Nicky appearance! He tortured the team by circling around the net for fifteen minutes before finally heading under the net to get something to eat. Holly called out for the net to drop and two volunteers sprinted in to get Nicky.

Nicky, having no idea what was happened, thrashed around and tried to escape- but the volunteers acted quickly and managed to get him into the safety of the car. From the moment he was in the car, Nicky was obviously relieved. He began to lick the face of his rescuers and collapsed into the warm blanket they provided.

The Road to Recovery

Nicky was immediately rushed to the vet where he was found to have an ulceration on his eye and was terribly malnourished. He was a bony, skinny skeleton of his former self and weighed a frightening 37lbs (when he had weighed 57lbs originally).

Incredibly, the vet told the group of volunteers that Nicky was likely to make a full recovery with rest, plenty of food, and lots of love. Nicky's eye is being closely monitored by Dr. Adam Parker at Porter Square Veterinarian to determine if it needs to be removed. Nicky's eye was most likely injured by a branch of in a scuffle with a wild animal. Dr. Parker has graciously volunteered his time and expertise to this case and we are forever grateful to him!

And Nicky has a new home waiting for his. Lizz Cestrone is an employee of Pet Companions and was one of the most dedicated of the volunteers. She made over 10 trips back and forth to New Hampshire to search for him and has not a good night's sleep since Nicky has been missing. We know that Nicky and his new Mom and Dad will finally get the "happily ever" after that he deserves!

How Can You Help?

PAWS New England has been blown away by the expertise and unrelenting support that Granite State Dog Recovery showed Nicky. They were an invaluable asset during this ordeal and provided essential tools like the cameras, trap, and large magnetic net.

We are imploring all our supporters to consider making a donation to GSDR to assist them with operating and equipment costs. They currently are looking to purchase a "net gun" which is a tool that would shoot a large net over a missing dog. The cost of the net is $1,700. If we had had this tool, Nicky would have likely been caught two weeks into this rescue effort.

To make a donation to GSDR, please click here. Show them that you support the incredible selfless work that they do!

You can also help GSDR by "Liking" their page on facebook. One of the most effective ways to help find a lost dog is to spread the word via social networking sites. The more friends they have, the more successful they will be helping lost dogs find their way home.

PAWS Would Like to Thank...

Nicky's biggest cheerleaders, aka the staff at Pet Companions. Lizz Cestrone, Brianne Knox, Kerry Hilderbrand and Jill Reagan. Almost every day, a staff member from Pet Companions would drive two hours in each direction up to the sight where Nicky was lost to look for him. The dedication shown by the staff at Pet Companions was simply extraordinary. PAWS would like to send a HUGE thank you to the lovely, fabulous, and gracious Judy Basteri who never wavered for even one second during this long ordeal. Judy has been countless hours organizing search parties and coordinating this search and rescue from afar.

Everyone at Granite State Dog Recovery, especially Holly Mokrzecki, Anne Manning, Lori Bertrand, Susan Keenan and Anne Woodcock. Simply stated, without the help of Holly Mokrzecki, Nicky would still be lost. We are in awe of Holly and the phenomenal dedication she shows (not to mention this woman's unbelievable ability to operate on no sleep!) to missing dogs. She is a true modern day hero!

PAWS volunteer Christine Metcalf who aided in the search many times and never stopped believing that Nicky would be caught!

And finally, we would like to thank Steven Sprowl of the NHSPCA for his incredible support, the Berg family for the daily checks of the trap and food, Brian From Boston Animal Rescue League, Dr. Adam Parker from Porter Square Veterinarian for all the free care he has provided Nicky, and all of the people who shared Nicky's story, went out looking for him, and worried about him whose names are not mentioned here.

Holly said that "it takes a village to bring home a lost dog" and her words could not be more true. We hope to be able to write equally wonderful endings to the other two PAWS dogs that are currently missing and that we give hope to other dog owners missing their pets. Please consider making a donation to help bring these other dogs home!

Source: http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=0c705fc71db1e2d4d6f5f4ba3&id=338c521fed&e=32134a3c9c

Leia, schnauzer

Dog found in Denver 700 miles from home
Sep 19, 2011


DENVER - If your dog went missing for more than two years, you might give up hope, thinking the dog would never be found. You probably wouldn't expect it to show up in a neighborhood more than 700 miles from home.

Leia disappeared from her home during a monsoon rain in El Paso, Texas in June 2009.

This weekend, more than two years later, she showed up in Denver neighborhood.

Annmarie Anderson found Leia tied up near her home. She looked at her rabies tags and noticed it had an El Paso phone number on it.

Within 10 minutes, she had made contact with the owner who said she's still been putting up posters through this past June.

Anderson says Leia was hungry and needed a bath, but is otherwise doing just fine.

"We can only guess what this dog has been through. But the fact she has the original collar and it's tattered and torn, I have to guess that she walked all this way," Anderson said.



The owners were ecstatic to hear Leia had been found. They're coming from El Paso this Friday to bring her home.

"A lot of emotions running through the family. We're just excited and happy that she's safe and that we're going get her back. She's coming home. We're thrilled. It's overwhelming. It's kind of hard to put into words," Leia's owner, Alma Saldana, said.

Source: http://www.9news.com/rss/story.aspx?storyid=219992

Jump to March 20, 2013 for an updated and longer video of this story.

Seymour, terrier

Texas Dog Found in Madera County
By KSEE News
September 16, 2011

A dog found running loose in north Madera County has been identified through a micro chip as belonging to a soldier stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, near El Paso.
The dog's owner, infantry Specialist E4 Ryan Rivera, 22, would like to have the dog back - no questions asked


http://www.kmph.com/story/15485102/dog-found-in-madera-county-owner-lives-more-than-1000-miles-away?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6263061

The white, wire haired, 40 pound neutered terrier named Seymour, was recently brought into and scanned at the Madera County Animal Shelter, where the micro chip and the name and phone number of Rivera came to light.

Seymour was dirty, sore and full of stickers, but otherwise in good condition according to officers.
The Friends of the Madera Animal Shelter volunteers are hoping to raise enough money to fly or get the dog home to his active duty owner. The dog has been placed in a local foster home until he can be reunited with Rivera.

Rivera said his mother was caring for the dog when he was on local training deployments at Fort Bliss, Texas.

"I adopted Seymour from an animal shelter about a year ago. They said he came from a pet store that had closed. When my mom became ill and she couldn't take care of him. She wasn't doing too well with the chemo and I was spending time with her, and in the field. She had placed Seymour with a family in the neighborhood while I was out in the field," Rivera said.

Kirsten Gross, director of Madera County Animal Services uses a hand scanner to check a lost dog for micro chip identification recently at the shelter. The dog, named Seymour, was found to be registered to an active duty soldier in Texas, who was looking for him

Rivera said he didn't know the family looking after Seymour, and they moved away before he could cope with his mother's illness and contact them, to try and reclaim the dog.

"I had also gotten a couple other calls from the micro chip company about Seymour being found loose at another location or two (in Texas), and I was wondering what was going on with that. But I guess the family found him somehow and got him back," he said.

Rivera said he wasn't sure how much the airfare would be but estimated it was was somewhere between $200 and $375 dollars, possibly more to fly the dog home. He said was trying to save up the money but had other bills to pay.

Just over 1,000 miles separate Madera from El Paso, Texas but Rivera said he had thought about getting in his car and driving non-stop to pick up Seymour.

"I wish I could just get in my car and drive up and get him, but it's kind of far for a weekend trip. I would really appreciate any help to get him home to me."

Rivera said he was returning to his hometown in Georgia at the end of his enlistment term in early December, but was planning on staying in the Army Reserves.

"My mom is better now. I am hoping to go home and go to college when I get out. I really love and miss him. I was really sad he was gone, and I want to take him back home with me now," Rivera said.

Animal Control officer Cindy Avila said micro chips have greatly increased the rates of return for lost pets, especially for those coming into animal shelters.

"It saves their life. And it really helps us locate their owners - if their info is kept up to date. We find quite a few animals with them now," Avila said.

She said the shelter has previously found animals missing from other states but Seymour, from Texas, may be the farthest.



Avila said the Pet Watch micro chipping service is available to the public for dogs and cats at the animal shelter during regular business hours for $20 as long as the Rabies vaccination and dog licensing was current. Avila suggested pet owners call first to avoid furlough closure days or a long wait due to high customer traffic times at the shelter.

The micro chip is tiny - the size of a grain of rice, Avila said, and is inserted under the skin of a dog, cat or other animal and provides a permanent identification number. The hand scanner displays the ID number registered to the animal and a phone call to the micro chip company reveals the name, address and phone number of the owner.

Donations to help reunite Seymour with his owner can be dropped off at the animal shelter at 14269 Road 28, or mailed to The Friends of the Madera Animal Shelter at P.O. Box 923, Madera, CA 93639.

Source: http://www.ksee24.com/news/local/Dog-Found-in-Madera-County-Belongs-to-Texas-Soldier-129979378.html
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Another version of the story is at http://www.ksee24.com/news/local/Soldier-Dog---AAS-129999968.html

Katie, boxer

We Found Katie!!
seattle craigslist > tacoma > community > lost & found
Date: 2011-09-16, 1:50PM PDT

Don't know if anyone remembers but we lost our boxer in 2008 in Graham at the Classic golf course. I posted for months trying to find her.

I received a call from our vet on Wednesday that someone had contacted them about having our dog and they took her in and had her scanned for a chip which led them to our vet.

Unbelievable, missing for 3 years! Turns out the person that had her has had her almost the entire time.

They were moving and need to get rid of all their dogs so had her scanned for the chip.

I'm not sure how I feel about this person. I go back and forth between being angry that he had her nearly 3 years and never once had her scanned until he needed to get rid of her...then I am overjoyed that he did have her scanned and did not just dump her off somewhere.

The moral is chips work! If you have an animal please get them chipped.

If you have lost an animal do not give up hope...miracles happen!

Thank you to everyone that helped us search, sent encouraging emails and kept us in their thoughts!!

Original location of this post: http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/laf/2602271330.html


PS I have to share a story that was provided by comment where this story was shared. Unbelievable!

We had the same thing happen (months not years!) with a beagle, Jip, when I was a kid! The beagle snuck out of the fence when my Dad was taking the lawn mower to the front yard. Jip was fast and sneaky! We searched, and he had his collar... with tags on it, so we figured someone would call soon....but they never did. Then about 6 months later we got a call from a woman who DEMANDED we come get our dog IMMEDIATELY because he chewed something in her house. She admitted she thought he was cute and decided to keep him (despite the tags!), but he was such a chewer, after 6 months she had had enough and wanted to give him back.

Missy, mastiff

Missing Canterbury dog found after nearly 2 weeks
By Robin Cassella, The Bulletin
Sep 15, 2011

Missing dog Missy was found Wednesday afternoon on Cornell Road in Plainfield after a massive search.

Plainfield, Conn. — After nearly two weeks, and countless hours of searching by dozens of volunteers, lost dog Missy has been found.

Missy, a 3-year-old mastiff, went missing after her owner, Ronald Morton, of Canterbury, was involved in a serious car accident Sept. 3. Morton’s Suburban SUV flipped over after it was struck by a pickup truck on Black Hill and Exley roads in Plainfield, and Morton was ejected from the car.

Missy and another mastiff, Rasha, ran into the woods after the accident. Rasha was found the next day.

Family friend Jeff Decoste, of Griswold, who headed the search for Missy, found the dog Wednesday afternoon in the woods on Cornell Road in Plainfield.

“I crossed through someone’s backyard and heard her crashing,” Decoste said. “She was running from me, but she got hung up on a vine, and that’s how I was able to catch her.”

Besides having a few scrapes and carrying some ticks, Missy was in good health.

Morton’s wife, Theresa, was beyond words when she heard that Decoste had found Missy.

“I was shocked, because I had doubts. I was losing hope that we would find her,” Theresa Morton said.

A Facebook page, “Help Find Missy,” was set up shortly after the accident and accrued more than 900 “likes.” Facebook users were able to donate money to an account that was going to be used as a reward for whoever found Missy.

“We raised just over $1,000,” Theresa said. “I’m not sure what we’re going to do with it; maybe donate it to a mastiff society.”

Theresa said her husband is still at The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, but is doing better and that his “face lit right up,” when he heard Missy had been found.

Source: http://www.norwichbulletin.com/newsnow/x1587955555/Missing-Canterbury-dog-found-in-good-health#axzz1YA1BYElv

Molly, cocker spaniel

Brentwood dog owners reunited with pooch stolen in daylight theft
by Ian Weinfass, Reporter
Sunday, September 11, 2011

A disabled dog stolen by heartless thieves in broad daylight from a Mountnessing field has been reunited with its owners – and followed the reunion with a national TV appearance.

The chocolate-coloured Cocker Spaniel named Molly was being taken for a walk in a farmer’s field near Padhams Green Lane on Bank Holiday Monday by joint owners Ray Emerson and Jackie Nixon.

Molly is deaf and has a neurological problem causing one of her eyes to tilt and her head to tilt to the right.

Mr Emerson said: “We were walking our dogs, five or six of them, and we heard a vehicle coming down behind us and thought it was a farmer’s vehicle so we whistled to get them back. They all came back except Molly as she can’t hear so works by hand signals.

Returned

“They got her straight in a vehicle and away she went.”

Ms Nixon said: “I can’t tell you what those days were like. I haven’t got the vocabulary to describe it, it was just awful.”

But Molly was safely returned to the pair on Sunday after the thieves dropped her off in Ingatesone High Street.

Mr Emerson, 64, said: “I think they picked the wrong dog. They didn’t realise it was such a poorly little thing. They probably thought they could use her as a shooting dog. The main thing about it was that so many friends and people here rallied round.

“There was an advert on doglost.co.uk, people were taking that and putting it on their Facebook pages, which meant it was seen by a lot of people – if someone has a hundred friends on it and it goes to their friends the amount of people is a thousand very quickly.”

Friends printed posters, and Essex Farm Watch and hunting groups helped spread the word about Molly.

Mr Emerson is hoping the publicity will warn others to the threat of dog-napping.

Fame

And Molly got to enjoy her 15 minutes of fame too, appearing with Ms Nixon on ITV1’s The Alan Titchmarsh Show on Tuesday.

DogLost.co.uk says Cocker Spaniels are the number one type of dog targeted by thieves.

Source: http://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/brentwood_dog_owners_reunited_with_pooch_stolen_in_daylight_theft_1_1017227#
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Walter, English bulldog

It's a Ruff Life: Why I Say 'I Do' When It Comes to Microchips
Katie Wright
9/14/2011

When my dog went missing on our wedding day, I became a firm believer in the microchip.

It was an eventful day, but he made it down the aisle.

The text read: OUR RINGBEARER IS MISSING.

If I am honest, I had become the typical self-absorbed bride that day. I was worried whether my divorced parents would get along, if it were going to rain, and whether my husband knew better than to smash the cake in my face.

Tristan wasn't much better. He was downtown at the shave shop with his groomsmen getting pampered, knocking back a few Jack & Gingers and reminiscing about his single days, I'm sure.

Nobody was focused on Walter. After all, we had left him under the watchful care of the caterers, the wedding planner, and the DJ. I think you know where this is going.

Walter displays more of a saunter than a sprint, so I knew he couldn't be far. An hour prior to our big ceremony the text messages started flying. Chaos ensued as our 15-person wedding party frantically assembled a search and rescue team.

I tried to remain calm and on schedule, but let's admit it; this is an owner's worst nightmare. Halfway into our search my husband-to-be received a call from the Bucks County SPCA.

Our curious English bulldog had been found sitting in the middle of Owen St., four blocks from where he’d last been seen. The police officer described the crime scene as peaceful and the perpetrator as “lethargic, making no attempt to escape.”

I tell this story because it has made me a firm believer in microchipping our dogs. Even if you’re religious about your dog’s collar and tags, they can fall off, or worse yet, be taken off.

In our case, Walter’s collar never made it on that morning. Thankfully his microchip served as a permanent form of ID. The chip is about the size of a grain of rice. It’s inserted under the skin between the shoulder blades using a needle and syringe, similar to the process of giving a shot. In fact, it will take longer to do the paperwork than it will to implant the chip.

Once in place, the microchip can be detected with a handheld scanner, common to most vets and shelters, which produces a code unique to your dog. When entered in a database, so long as you’ve registered the microchip with the provider, the system will locate the contact information of the owner.

The microchip costs approximately $50-$75 and lasts the life of the dog. I recommend a company called resQ. There are no registration or annual fees once you’ve paid for your vet to implant the chip.

I laugh whenever I come across Walter’s discharge papers dated 9/18, but I thank my lucky stars that he was microchippe.

Source: http://oldtownalexandria.patch.com/articles/its-a-ruff-life-why-i-say-i-do-when-it-comes-to-microchips#c

Nina & Troy, yorkie & poodle

Lost dogs found, reunited with owner in the Valley
By: Tim Vetscher
Posted: 07/25/2011

PHOENIX - Two of three dogs that went missing while in the care of a Valley groomer have been found and reunited with their owner.

Their owner Shannon Bost could barely contain her emotions seeing her two dogs, Nina and Troy, Monday night for the first time in days.

The dogs escaped from A Family Affair near 16th Street and Thomas Road where Bost dropped them off Saturday afternoon for grooming.

Two good samaritans, Jason Scott and Keri Amrhein, spotted the dogs running down the street and scooped them up.

Scott and Amrhein spotted Bost's lost dogs flyer and called her to make the reunion happen.

"It was amazing," Scott said of the reunion. "We'd feel the same way if our dogs were missing as well."

"When I saw them I knew it was them," said Bost. "I was really happy, probably the happiest I've ever been in my life."



However, the groomer lost Jennifer Ankrom's pet as well.

Unlike Bost's dogs, her 1-year-old Carin Terrier named Sonny remains missing.

"[It's a] little bittersweet," said Ankrom of the reunion between Bost and her dogs. "But this is a wonderful reunion. I can only hope it turns out well for me."

Source: http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_phoenix_metro/central_phoenix/lost-dogs-found,-reunited-with-owner

Previous news story, before the dogs were found:

Winston, westie

Missing pooch Winston reunited with owners on 9/11 who feared he was dog-napped last month
By Jennifer H. Cunningham, Daily News
Monday, September 12th 2011, 3:51 PM

Westie terrior Winston was happily reunited with his owners Kumiko Masaoka and Michael Reinhardt.

A Brooklyn doctor's search for his missing pooch ended with elation Sunday - and some biting criticism of a cop who found the dog and may have pawned it off on strangers.

"It was so awesome," Michael Reinhardt recalled of the moment when a Brownsville family returned little Winston to him on the 10th anniversary of 9-11.

"We've been so stressed out. It was a nice thing to happen on such a solemn day."

Reinhardt, 30, a psychiatry resident at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, had been searching for Winston since the West Highland Terrier got spooked and bolted through Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza early last month.
He and his girlfriend papered the area with fliers. Their shoe-leather search eventually led them to a beat cop from the 77th Precinct in Crown Heights, who told them he had found Winston and given him over to three women riding in a black sedan with Virginia plates.

The officer said the women had approached him and said they owned the pooch, Reinhardt said.

But the family who came forward and returned the dog to Reinhardt after seeing one of his fliers told a far different tale.

"They described the officer approaching them with the dog and asking if they wanted a free dog," Reinhardt told the Daily News. "The cop was walking around trying to give Winston away."

Reinhardt said the family who returned Winston gave a physical description of the cop that matched the officer he had initially spoken with. They were also able to describe a makeshift leash the cop told Reinhardt he had attached to Winston's red collar.

Police sources told The News before Winston's safe return that officers were reviewing surveillance footage in an attempt to find the alleged doggy-nappers.

Reinhardt said that since Winston's return he has yet to speak with the police liaisons whom he had earlier met at City Councilwoman Letitia James' office; he said the liaisons had assured him cops were working the case.

Now he feels like the beat cop is getting away with a lie.

"It's sickening. I don't want it to be true, but it's hard to believe [the officer's story] with all these people saying otherwise," Reinhardt said. "If this is true, there has to be a review and some action taken. It's a clear abuse of power."

He said the Brownsville family drove a black four-door sedan with New York plates - not ones from Virginia - when they delivered Winston to him at a reunion in Fort Greene Park.

"They took nice care of him," he said of the family, noting they bought the pup new toys. "Their little boy was sad to see Winston go."

Reinhardt said that he at first he thought the family's Sunday phone call to him was a scam - but now that he's been reunited with Winston he's glad to pay the $1,500 reward he had promised.

A scammer had previously claimed to have found Winston and used generic photos of a West Highland Terrier when she asked for the reward to be given to her on a prepaid Visa card, Reinhardt said.

The NYPD did not immediately respond to a request to comment on the actions of the cop who found Winston.

Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/09/12/2011-09-12_missing_pooch_winston_reunited_with_owners_on_911_who_feared_he_was_dognapped_la.html

DJ, golden retriever

Dog lost on Hatteras during Irene found
Couples public plea leads to dog's return
Updated: Tuesday, 06 Sep 2011

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - Virginia Beach residents Matt and Betty Ann Desroches posted a plea for help on YouTube after one of their three Golden Retrievers disappeared from their beach house in Hatteras Village.

"There were some kids lighting fireworks on the beach so we're figuring he may have gotten spooked and ran off. Ah, but what happened to him after that we don't know," Matt said.

D.J. was last seen on August 23 and three days later the Desroches were forced to evacuate the island, with Hurricane Irene heading straight for the Outer Banks.

"We were afraid that someone from New Jersey or Pennsylvania who was vacationing there had taken him off and it was going to be extremely difficult to find him," Betty Ann explained.

Their online plea touched the hearts of people miles away from their North Carolina home.

A woman who rescues labradors contacted them from another part of North Carolina.

"...she was notified about DJ being missing by someone who saw the video in Australia," Matt said.

Nine days later, the Desroches received the phone call they had been waiting for. DJ had returned to their Hatteras home.

"His hair was dirty and matted as if he'd been living in the marshes and woods for days. They had figured he weathered the storm outside by the condition he was in," Matt added.

But the condition of Highway 12 after the storm made a reunion impossible.

Until the SPCA in Manteo, North Carolina stepped in to retrieve the wayward retriever and reunite him with his family.

10 days and one hurricane later, the family was back together again.

Social media helped with the search, but Betty Ann believes something greater helped DJ find his way home.

Watch the whole home video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAg4byW9-bI&feature=youtu.be

A lot of people prayed for us and we did too. And I think that's what made the difference," Betty Ann said. "I really feel like it's a miracle that we have him back."

Source: http://www.wavy.com/dpp/weather/hurricane/dog-lost-on-hatteras-during-irene-found

Stolen Female Yorkie

Detroit man gets back stolen dog
Suspect arrested for trying to collect ransom
By: Mary Conway
Posted: 08/31/2011

(WXYZ) - Lola, an adorable Yorkshire Terrier, is back home with her owner, John Cromer.

A thief broke into Cromer's west side home and stole his computer, two cameras, jewelry and his precious dog. After Cromer posted a message about a poosible reward on Facebook, a woman called and offered to sell back the dog . According to text messages on Cromer's phone, the woman and her boyfriend wanted $300 or $250 and some "weed."

Cromer called police and they arrested the man when he rode up on a bicycle to pick up the ransom.

Cromer says, "They arrested the alleged boyfriend, the person who was supposed to bring the dog to my car." Cromer says the police tell him that the suspect will be charged with extortion, although no charges have yet been filed.

John Cromer is an ex-convict who now helps others by finding them jobs and mentoring. What offends him most is that he believes that one of the young men he mentors set him up.

"I will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law," says Cromer. "I want to send the message that it is not ok to break into people's homes and steal."

Source: http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/wayne_county/detroit-man-gets-back-stolen-dog
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Lola, golden puppy

Puppy taken during burglary is reunited with owners
Published: 03/09/2011

Lola with Summer Turner

A puppy which was stolen in a burglary has been reunited with its owners – after it was handed in to a veterinary surgery around 30 miles away.

Lola, a 17-week-old Golden Retriever bitch, was nabbed when thieves smashed their way into her owner’s home in Queen Adelaide, near Ely.

Richard and Cindy Turner, together with their four children, were devastated when they discovered Lola had gone and through the News, pleaded for anyone with any information about her whereabouts to come forward.

But on Thursday (September 1), the Turner family were reunited with Lola, after she was handed into a veterinary surgery in Thurston, near Bury St. Edmunds, by a man who said he had found her.

Because Lola is microchipped, the vet was able to contact the family and she is now back home safe and well.

Mr and Mrs Turner, who live in Prickwillow Road with their children, Joshua, 18, Holly, 16, Summer, 9, and Max, 7, said they were "speechless" when they heard the news that Lola had been found.

Mrs Turner, 40, who works as a home-based hairdresser, said: "We honestly never thought we’d see her again and we still can’t believe we’ve got her back.

"She was a little bit skinny but she’s settled in again and is enjoying digging up my garden.

"We still can’t believe somebody took her – we believe somebody read the article and felt guilty about what they’d done.

"To steal a puppy is sick and it had a massive effect on our children."

As reported in the News, the Turner’s home was one of four properties in the Ely area which were burgled during broad daylight on Monday, August 22.

As well as the dog, they also stole more than £2,300 in cash, the keys to Mrs Turner’s Landrover Discovery, her jewellery box containing jewellery worth around £4,000, a Playstation 3, a Wii games console and other computer consoles and games.

On the same day, properties in Gravel End, Coveney, and Station Road, Fordham, were also raided.

A spokeswoman for Cambridgeshire police said four people had been arrested in connection with the raids.

Two boys aged 15 and two men, aged 18 and 21, have been arrested on suspicion of burglary and have been bailed to return to Parkside police station on October 25.

Source: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Puppy-taken-during-burglary-is-reunited-with-owners-02092011.htm?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

Charlie, English bulldog

Lost Family Dog Found
Posted: Sep 08, 2011

CORPUS CHRISTI (Kiii News) – An happy ending to the story about the missing family dog, Charlie.

Andrea Johnson's family was heartbroken after the family's pet dog Charlie went missing. The 8-month-old pup is actually a service dog for Andrea's 7-year-old daughter Eva, who has Asbergers disease, a high functioning form of autism.

Andrea made a tearful plea during a 3 News broadcast on Wednesday, September 7, 2011, And later that evening Charlie was found. 3 News received a call from a guy named Larry Guerrero. He found Charlie near a restaurant by the Crosstown Expressway.

Guerrero cares for lost dogs, often finding them new homes. When he saw are report earlier this evening, he says he jumped at the chance of reuniting the family: "It just gets you all over man. It's a good thing. As long as we do one good thing every day. That's all we need."

Johnson says, "oh, I'm so happy she is back home. She is back where she belongs. I can tell she missed us. Even if it was that little short of time."


As you can imagine, in the future, the Johnson's say they plan to keep an especially close eye on Charlie.

Source: http://www.kiiitv.com/story/15421670/lost-family-dog-found

Winnie, black lab

Doddington dog reunited with owners after three weeks missing
East Kent Gazette

Wednesday, August 31, 2011
A MICROCHIP has once again been credited with helping a dog be reunited with its relieved owners, after it had been missing for three weeks.

Winnie the 18-month-old black labrador was picked up by Swale Council dog warden Tim Oxley after he received a call on Friday, August 19.

​Champion chip: A relieved Sophia Dixon, pictured with dog warden Tim Oxley, is reunited with Winnie after the pet's microchip was scanned.

The caller had found a dog but said it was causing problems, so wanted the council to take it away.

Mr Oxley, who clarified that finding a dog and keeping it is a criminal offence, collected the dog, found a microchip and used it to trace its owners, William and Sophia Dixon, from Doddington, who had reported Winnie missing on July 30.

A delighted Sophia said: "I was shocked and over the moon when I got the call. She got out of the garden and within five or ten minutes had disappeared.

"We continued to search every day for a week, but after that I presumed if anyone had picked her up they would have taken her to a vet and she would have been scanned for a microchip. We had pretty much given up hope.
"It was brilliant news when we found out she had been found, and I went straight away to pick her up, even though I was supposed to be at work."

Mr Oxley said reuniting Winnie with the Dixons was a victory for microchipping.

He added: "This reunion demonstrates perfectly that if you have your dog microchipped then you always have hope that they can be found, as any dog warden or vet will be able to check if the dog is chipped.

"I firmly believe that microchipping your dog is all part of being a responsible dog owner. And because of the decision these owners took to have Winnie microchipped, this story turned out to have a happy ending.

"Winnie is a beautiful dog and we were thrilled to play a small part in returning her to her delighted owners."

Source: http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/Doddington-dog-reunited-owners-weeks-missing/story-13236459-detail/story.html

Rusty, labradoodle

Rusty the Lost Dog Reunited with Owner
By Marina Cracchiolo
September 2, 2011

Some good news, Shelby and Utica! A weeklong search for Rusty the Labradoodle has come to a happy ending.


Rusty, the 20-pound runaway Labradoodle that has been missing for more than a week after running out an open door at Shelby Township Groomer Wag 'N' Tails Dog Activity Center, has been reunited with his family.

A couple leaving for vacation early Friday morning spotted Rusty outside their home on 28 Mile and Campground roads and called his owner, Sally Williamson, and the grooming center.

Williamson, the search team and a nearby neighbor took her beagle for a walk in the area where Rusty was spotted and the beagle was able to sniff Rusty.

Rusty was found playing and immediately ran into Williamson’s arms, according to Wag 'N' Tails owner Christine Fox.

More than a dozen volunteers had joined Fox in the search for Rusty.

There have been several sightings of the dog. He's even been seen playing with deer in a field near 26 Mile and Mound roads. Fox had sent search and rescue dogs and even a psychic into subdivisions and the area.

“We couldn't have done it without our team and the community,” said Patti DeBono, director of training at Wag ‘N’ Tails.

Rusty escaped the day center last Friday when a deliveryman opened the door.

“In the 20 years I’ve been training and caring for dogs, Rusty is the first to ever make it past our doors. He was so startled, no one was going to stop him,” Fox said.

Fox said this incident has inspired her to start a free workshop for the community called Rusty’s Rules.

“We want to help other dog owners with skittish or easily frightened dogs to never have to be worried about them running away.”

Source: http://shelby-utica.patch.com/articles/rusty-the-lost-dog-reunited-with-owner#c

Bella, black lab

Missing dog of wounded soldier found
Written by Christina Dickinson
Aug 31, 2011
 
KIOWA - An injured soldier from Fort Carson can rest assured knowing his best friend is back at home waiting for him.

Eric Bakken's black lab, Bella, went missing on Aug. 21 while he was deployed. Bakken is recovering in a hospital after being injured by an explosion in Afghanistan.



His friend Chad Steiner, who also owns a lab in Kiowa, was watching Bella while Bakken was overseas.

Steiner says the two dogs were playing out in the fields on the 21st, and for some reason, Bella never returned home.

After 9NEWS aired the story Tuesday night, a viewer thought he saw a similar dog at a shelter in Elizabeth.

Sure enough, the Elbert County Animal shelter discovered they had Bella.

On Wednesday morning, one of Bakken's friends picked the pup up.

The shelter says they are waiving the $125 boarding fee and the sheriff's office is waiving the $75 impound fee.

Source: http://www.9news.com/rss/story.aspx?storyid=216444
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Theo, poodle

Theo, the lost dog who found his own way back home
Amy Rossi, Philadelphia Animal Welfare Examiner
September 4, 2011

Every day we read horror stories about animals and their sad outcomes, and Theo's story certainly started off as one. But sometimes happy endings do prevail.

Theo was lost in Philadelphia, but found his way back to the home he knew.

Trust me, you're going to love this one.
Jessica Zinskie and her boyfriend, Rich, were attacked in Philadelphia on Friday around 6:30 p.m. Jessica, after threatening to call the police, was punched in the temple twice. Theo, terrified by all the commotion, darted from the car and took off running.

Jessica and Rich drove all over the area looking for Theo, and lots of people reported having seen the little white dog running around. But despite trying to grab him, Theo remained elusive. One young boy mentioned chasing Theo through the park so he could keep him for himself. This is when Jessica became very afraid that she'd never see her dog again.

"Thankfully, my adrenaline was going and I didn't feel any pain from the attack," said Jessica. "All I was focused on was getting Theo back."

When they couldn't find Theo, Jessica turned to flyers, phone calls, and social media for help. She posted about 300 flyers all over Philadelphia, called all the local veterinarian offices and shelters, and emailed all her friends and students about Theo.

Many people on Facebook shared Theo's flyer and hoped for his swift return.

Here's the part you'll love.

You see, Theo had a plan of his own. This resourceful little dog was anything but helpless in this situation.

A man Jessica had met during frequent walks with Theo called and said the dog was just seen about a block away from Jessica and Rich's old apartment. She drove there and took off running toward her old apartment. Just as she reached the backyard, another man walked out holding Theo. This smart little dog had gone back to the only place he really knew.

"I was speechless and holding back tears," said Jessica. "I must have thanked him a millon times. It's one thing to hear someone else's lost dog story, but it's totally different when your dog is the one missing."

Because Theo is mostly an indoor dog, his foot pads are a bit worn from running so much on the hard ground. But he ate and drank a lot, and is at this moment taking a long nap.

"It's a weight off our shoulders," said Jessica. "Luckily, Theo was microchipped, which made this whole situation much easier to deal with."

Jessica had immediately called HomeAgain, which sends an email to every vet, shelter, and pet owner that's participating in the program with Theo's picture and information. They also offer "Missing Dog" flyers to print out with rip-off phone number stubs.

"If it came to the point where someone had rescued Theo, and they'd taken him to a vet, he would have been scanned and it would have said 'missing,'" said Jessica. "Microchipping is absolutely worth every dollar and I advise every pet owner to utilize it."

Maybe this is also a testament to walking your dog. If the dog is familiar with his surroundings, he'll know how to get back there on his own.

As much as Theo is the love of Jessica's life, apparently Jessica is the love of his.

Now they are reunited, thanks to one smart little dog.

Of course Jessica would also like to thank the wonderful people in University City for helping to bring him back to her. Also, a huge thank you to all who shared Theo's flyer on their Facebook walls! You might have had a part in bringing him home.
 
Source:
http://www.examiner.com/animal-welfare-in-philadelphia/theo-comes-home-on-his-own

Lexie, cattle dog

Connecting the Dots to Find Lexie
Told by Nancy Despeaux
September 1st, 2011

This is not a typical story of the type that I post to the Lost Dogs Found on most days. I usually find stories on the internet and share them. Only rarely do I write up stories myself. I'm not much of a writer, and there are too many stories out there to find for me to need to write them myself. In Lexie’s case, I’m writing the story, in part because I don’t think the story will get passed on if I don’t, and then because I find the chain of events that occurred to be interesting.  This story is, without a doubt, representative of so many, many stories out there that we never hear.

Amanda Williamson’s Blue Australian Cattle Dog was lost on Thursday August 25th while in the care of Star Dog day care in Charlotte NC. She is called Fee Fee, short for Felicia, and also answers to Phoebe. As of this writing (early Sept, 2011), Fee Fee is still missing in the Charlotte NC area, with enough sightings to keep the team energized. Hopefully Fee Fee will be found soon.

When Fee Fee disappeared, Amanda’s friends and family established a search team right away. Among many other efforts, posting heavily to Craigslist in Charlotte began from the start and continues, and a Help Find Fee Fee Facebook page was established. Followers can get regular and frequent updates on that page.

Kimberly McSwain is Amanda’s cousin, and she is a significant player on the search team working to find Fee Fee. Among other things, Kimberly participates in posting ads Craigslist, and updates on the Help Find Fee Fee FB page. Kimberly received an email in response to one of the many Craigslist ads posted, from someone in Greenville NC, that found a female cattle dog there. The email included three photos of the dog, and it was easy to see that the dog was not Fee Fee (never mind that Greenville is more than 4 hours west of Charlotte). But, knowing that sharing ANYTHING with supporters wanting updates is important, Kimberly then reported on the Help Find Fee Fee page that she had recieved photos of a cattle dog found in Greenville. While cleverly managing to keep the focus of the update on finding Fee Fee, Kimberly stated that if anyone wanted to see the photos, she had them handy to forward by email.

Debra Kosch is founder and administrator of the Lost & Found Dogs - NC Facebook page (and sister pages for Virginia and the DC Metro Area). Debra’s quest is to keep dogs out of shelters, and she focuses on doing this by helping reunite lost dogs and their people - before they get to a shelter if possible, or from the shelter if they make it there before being found by their families. Debra works tirelessly (or, more likely, she exhausts herself!!!) to share information about and photos of specific lost, found and sighted dogs; educating people on how to search for lost dogs and for owners of found dogs; and to make matches herself using whatever information sources she can find.

Lexie's photo taken by the good Samaritan that found her

Debra saw Kimberly’s update on the Help Find Fee Fee Facebook page within no time of its posting, and immediately responded by comment with a request that Kimberly post the photos of the found cattle dog to the Lost &Found Dogs - NC Facebook page. Kimberly did this right away, and the pictures were up on the Lost & Found Dogs NC wall within 6 minutes. Debra shared the post immediately, which means that it went out to the hundreds of FBers that Like the page. She tagged the Huricane Irene Lost & Found Pets FB page, as well, so the information and photo that Debra posted could also be seen on that page right away.

Paige, of Paige 'n' All Dogs, is a pet groomer in Winterville NC, a suburb of Greenville, and she may have stumbled on to the Lost & Found Dogs NC Facebook page (or possibly the Hurricane page) when the photos of the found cattle dog were posted. Since Paige typically posts assorted items of general interest to dog lovers on her Facebook wall, she shared the Found Cattle Dog photo on her own Facebook wall within an hour of its posting on the Lost & Found Dogs NC page. It made sense given that the dog was found in her area.

Heather Brown is a pet sitter/dog walker in Winterville NC; she owns Crazy Mutt which serves Pitt County. Heather and Paige are friends, so Heather may have seen Paige’s post either while reading her own wall or while on Paige’s wall. She immediately responded (excitedly, I might add!) via a comment that she knew the dog in that photo. This was about three hours after Paige had shared it on her wall.

Three weeks earlier (so around August 10th), a client dog of Heather’s had escaped during a storm – a female cattle dog named Lexie, who belongs to Terri & Linn Moore. Although frantic and desperate to find their dog, Terri and Linn’s efforts had not connected them directly to the good Samaritan that found Lexie.

Shanna  Daniel found Lexie, in Greenville, and she kept her safe while she searched on Craigslist for lost dog ads. She saw the ads in search of Fee Fee. Since Charlotte is over four hours west of Greenville, Shanna probably extended the search beyond the local Craigslist, which should have been East Carolina Craigslist. Fee Fee’s ads in Charlotte Craigslist couldn’t be missed! Lexie's good Samaritan Shanna is certainly to be commended for conducting so exhaustive a search for the found dog's family!

So you can see that each cog in the wheel was critical. Try eliminating any one of them, and there would likely be no reunion. This happens all the time with reunions of lost dogs, so there are lots of unsung heros out there. But at Lost Dogs Found, we are singing your praises -- Kimberly and HFFF, Debra and L&FD NC, Paige N All Dogs, Heather and Shanna!