Prince & Raider, pit & GSD

Family finds lost dog one week after tornado lifted it away
Ken Smith
Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Fayetteville, N.C. — A Fayetteville family was reunited with their German Shepherd one week after it was picked up and blown away in the tornadoes that ripped through the state April 16.

The Alfonzo family was out of town when they heard the news that their home on Decatur Drive had been demolished and that their two dogs were missing, Meagan Alfonzo said.

"The house is replaceable, but my dogs aren't," Alfonzo said. "They're a big part of our family. We love them very much."

Prince, a 4-year-old pit bull, and Raider, a 1-year-old German Shepherd, were in the shed behind the home when the storm hit.

Teresa Esparza, 14, the Alfonzo couple's niece, was house-sitting at the time and said she watched both dogs get sucked up into the funnel cloud and lifted away.

"The shed like flipped away," Esparza said. "I was really scared because I didn't think I would ever see them again. It was terrifying to know they were going through that."

On the Tuesday after the storm, Esparza visited the Cumberland County Animal Shelter and found Prince there.

But there was no sign of Raider.

One week to the day after the storm, two Fayetteville police detectives noticed a dog that kept returning to the site of a demolished home on Decatur Drive.

"Three separate occasions when we'd come by, the dog was in the living room, even though there was no wall," said detective Stig Larson.

When they tried to corral the German Shepherd into the police car, the frightened animal ran away.

"I have a pet at home," said detective Glen House. "Our pet is like another child to us, so we wanted to get the pet back with the owner."

The detectives followed the dog until it disappeared into a wooded area. After talking with neighbors, they learned that the Alfonzo family had lost a German Shepherd in the storm.

They contacted Alfonzo who was out searching for Raider with Esparza. Together, they walked to the tree line and called for Raider.

The dog came limping out from the woods at the site of its owner.

Alfonzo said she was overjoyed to find Raider and to reunite the dog with its best friend Prince.

"Now they get slobber all over me and I don't tell them to stop. (To) see them together was amazing. They're biting ears, biting tails and rolling all over the floor," Alfonzo said.

Raider is nursing a slight injury to his hind leg, but is otherwise okay, Alfonzo said. The family is staying with relatives until they decide what to do next.



Source: http://www.wral.com/weather/story/9510823/

Chance, boxer

Lost dog found almost 2 weeks after I-26 wreck
By Jason Old, New Media Content Director
Updated: Apr 25, 2011 8:09 AM CDT

PEAK, SC (WIS) - A dog that escaped from a car that wrecked on Interstate 26 almost two weeks ago has been found in good condition.

On April 10, Chance, a white boxer, jumped out of a car his sitter wrecked near mile marker 99 on I-26. Another dog, named Lily, was killed in the crash.

Chance's owner, Summer Slaughter, believed her dog was running loose in the woods near the accident site. She was right! The dog was found Friday, just a couple of miles from the interstate. "Some how he survived being outside in the wilderness going under the interstate and going all the way to Marina Road," said Slaughter.

After Chance's disappearance, a search immediately began for him. "So many people were going on their own time out there looking for Chance, calling for Chance," said Slaughter.

Signs were placed everywhere. Facebook and e-mail alerts were sent out, and it all paid off.

An eight-year-old boy sitting on his front porch on Marina Road in Irmo saw Chance in his yard. Remembering seeing flyers for the missing dog, he called for his mother and they were able to get in touch with Slaughter.

Summer and her friends rushed to the area and after several minutes chasing the dog in the rain, they were able to catch Chance. "I mean, he's alive, and I just can't believe it," said Slaughter.

The group took the boxer to the veterinarian with what looked like a broken leg. Dr. Debra Breland checked him out. "He is one lucky dog, very lucky," she said.

Slaughter added that Chance was in good spirits. "This is definitely a very 'Good Friday,'" she said.

So Chance is back home Friday night, safe and sound. It was all thanks to eight-year-old Garrett Porter who found Chance almost by luck. "He looked pretty happy to being back again," said the boy.

Garrett's mom, Cheryl, said he saw the posters. "He said wouldn't it be neat if we could find the dog," she said, "We need to be looking for the dog."

But Chance kind of found them, practically on their door step. "She said that I made her the happiest woman in the world, and then I wish she didn't hug me," said Garrett.

Source: http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=14498928
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Pinto, chihuahua

2.5 yrs later, 100 miles away! Shes Home!
Posted By: Marrissa Ruacho, Palmdale, CA
4/23/2011

My mom works for High Desert Animal Care Hospital in Palmdale, CA. She had my dog microchipped by HomeAgain. Someone stole her over 2 years ago. I cried day and night. I eventually gave up hope in finding her.

On April 22nd, I got a weird number on my phone. They left a message, and it was HomeAgain! Apparently, a very nice lady by the name of Jewel in Playa Del Rey found my 2.5 lb Chihuahua and did the right thing by taking her to a vet to be scanned!

We drove over a 100 miles at 7pm and got her! She didn’t remember me at first, but then she did.

I love her! Thank you HomeAgain, Jewel, & High Desert Animal Care Hospital!

She was not taken care of because she is only going to be 7yrs. old and has no teeth, her breath is rotten and she has bone loss in her jaw so she cannot keep her tongue in her mouth. Her muzzle is very gray from stress and being away from me.

Thank you everyone! I love my Pinto! This is the best day of my life ever!

 NEVER GIVE UP HOPE ON YOUR LOST PET! People please, when you find an animal, have it scanned and post flyers and ads. There are owners out there that miss their pets. ID Tags & microchips are the only VOICE your pet has to get back home.

Source: http://foundpets.homeagain.com/2.5yrs-later,-100miles-away!-shes-home!.aspx

Manny, terrier-pug mix

Missing Disabled Dog Found After Three Days
Posted: Apr 26, 2011

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. - After three days of tirelessly searching for a disabled dog, Manny is back home, safe and sound, with his family Tuesday night.

The three-year-old terrier-pug mix turned up at SCRAPS in Spokane Valley after his family said he snuck out for a walk around the neighborhood on Saturday and didn't return.

Manny's owners, the Beechings, told KHQ that Manny has a neurological spine disorder that causes him to have a hard time walking and that's why they were so eager to find him.

Earlier Tuesday, family and friends set up a "search party", with around 30 people handing out flyers and canvassing the neighborhood in search of Manny.

Drew Beeching said he had some scratches and few bite marks on his body but was otherwise okay.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42774320/ns/local_news-spokane_wa/
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Harry, chihuahua

'Harry' reunited with owner
Jill Pengelley, The Advertiser
September 29, 2010

REUNITED: Kylie Sunman and her beloved chihuahua Harry yesterday.

IT'S been a big fuss for a small dog. Harry the chihuahua is in all kinds of debt to his owner after being reunited with her at Sturt Police Station yesterday.

Kylie Sunman posted a $5000 reward - that's about $1250 per kilogram - after the champion show dog disappeared from his cage at the Royal Adelaide Show three weeks ago.

On Monday, two people told her where she could find her prized chihuahua and they will receive the reward.

Police collected two-year-old Harry from a Northfield address yesterday and took him back to the station but there was a delay in reuniting the pair. "Apparently they tried to get him out of the box to take photos of him and he was not having a bar of that," she said.

"So they called me in and I ran up there and once he saw me, he was crying and jumped into my arms.

"He's a bit skinny and he's lost a fair bit of coat but he's OK."

Miss Sunman, of Two Wells, owns six chihuahuas, including Harry, who she said was the worst dog to steal because he was not sociable with strangers.

Since his disappearance, she has made posters, issued public appeals and contacted quarantine authorities. "We would never have given up - never," she said.

No charges have yet been laid.

Source: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/harry-reunited-with-owner/story-e6frea83-1225930850876

Bors

Missing dog reunited with owner after town-wide search effort
Kevin Zimmerman/Staff Reporter
Thu, Dec 10, 2009

As the song goes, “And they call it puppy love.”

Bors, the dog missing for more than two months, has been reunited with his owner Charles after a little help from Cupid.

Apparently, Bors fell in love with a dog named Hope and followed her back to her owner’s home on Hornbeam. Hope’s owners let the two dogs alone. They got comfortable with each other to the point that Bors followed Hope into the house one day.

Kristen Dineen, who helped organize the search, said Bors was tired but happy to see Charles when he came to pick him up.

“I can't thank everyone enough,” said Dineen. “Bors is not my dog, but I am always amazed how people will come together to help animals. Everyone was so helpful, and so nice. I am honored to have been a part of this, and what appropriate timing with the holidays here.”

According to Dineen, Charles rescued Bors more than a year ago from a shelter in Ohio. Then, this past October, Bors got spooked while being watched by Charles’ sister and took off.

“I came across the situation and wanted to help,” said Dineen. “I have four of my own rescued dogs and could not imagine if one went missing. So we all started a crusade. I have had a lot of luck helping people find their missing dogs and tried to help on my free time.”

A small army of volunteers placed more than 300 posters around town. The group was able to track the neighborhoods Bors visited. They set up cameras and traps. Sometimes Bors would be right in front of a volunteer, but couldn’t be caught.

Dineen said she and the others were out before dawn, late at night, during a rain storm and in the cold hoping to find Bors.

“We made a lot of friends along the way,” said Dineen. “I have over 30 people I put in my phone by addresses and first names that would call daily and weekly to check on our progress and offer to help.“
Now that Bors is home, after a checkup and a good bath, Dineen expects he’ll go back with Charles to visit Hope soon.

“I fell in love with Bors along the way of this crusade,” said Dineen. “I never slept much with this cold weather here and the storm coming and to have him home last night before today’s weather is the best gift I could of gotten for Christmas. Charles has served our country and given up so much for us, I wanted him to have his dog home more then anything. I guess it all comes down to one thing; never give up Hope."

Source: http://chelmsfordmassnews.com/missing-dog-reunited-with-owner-after-townwide-search-effort-p585.htm

Charlie, white dog

Barefoot Walkabout Brings Lost Dog Home
Life with Dogs
Apr 21 2011

A five day search that led to no sign of her lost dog Charlie prompted Annika Schlemm’s mother to think outside the box – leading to a unusual solution that eventually brought her wandering friend home.
The 15 year old school girl feared she would never see her seven year old terrier again. She and her family put up posters and spent days scouring the countryside to no avail. As the fifth day of searching turned up no result, Annika’s mother Marie-Louise came up with an unusual if brilliant suggestion.

She told Annika to walk in areas where Charlie had last been sighted, and to walk home from there – while barefoot. She reasoned that Charlie would have a better chance of picking up a scent without shoes to get in the way, and that he might just follow the scent trail home.

Annika obliged, spending hours wandering the countryside, foot paths and country roads of a nearby town before making the five mile walk home, feet battered by her journey, a sore ankle acting up.

“Annoyingly I stepped in some nettles and one of my ankles really hurt, so at times I would hobble and limp down this country lane, probably looking extremely odd,” she said. “The thought that this was for Charlie and that this could finally get him home kept me going.”

Her determination paid off. The following day encouraging calls came in mentioning Charlie sightings in town. She went to bed that night exhausted after another day spent searching and yelling for Charlie repeatedly.

“The next morning, a week after he went missing, I woke up before my alarm and an impossible miracle happened. My dad opened the door and in tiptoed Charlie, with his tail wagging. He had got in through the cat flap. I gave him lots of cuddles and I must confess tears were in my eyes. I was just so happy. We haven’t lived in our house very long so I’m sure he wouldn’t have known the way home unless he had followed the scent trail.”

A creative act of love and desperation has reunited the family, who say they are now keeping a very close eye on the beloved dog they adopted from a shelter more than six years ago.

Source: http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/2011/04/barefoot-walkabout-brings-lost-dog-home/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LifeWithDogs+%28Life+With+Dogs%29

Max, schnauzer

72-Year-Old Mesa Man Reunited with Missing Dog
Tuesday, 19 Apr 2011

MESA - A dog that went missing more than a week ago is reunited with his owner, thanks to a Mesa family who saw the story about Max on FOX 10.

Bill Lorimer of Mesa has been reunited with Max, a purebred miniature schnauzer, Monday, April 18, 2011. Max was trapped inside Lorimer's SUV when it was stolen.

Max's owner is a widower with congestive heart failure. For the past three years, Max has been Bill Lorimer's best friend. You can imagine how happy Max is to have his buddy back.

72-Year-Old Mesa Man Reunited with Missing Dog: MyFoxPHOENIX.com

"I'm so glad to have him back, its unreal," says Lorimer through tears.

The 72-year-old and his miniature schnauzer Max are making up for lost time after a week spent apart.

Max went missing after Lorimer left him in the back of his vehicle while he ran inside a convenience store. Someone stole Lorimer's SUV with Max inside. The SUV turned up a few hours later, but Max was gone.

"I was sick I hadn't slept."

Lorimer has spent every waking hour this past week searching for Max.

"Every day every day I mean all day long," he says. Then Lorimer got a call Monday. "I got goose pimples on my arms."

A construction worker had found Max and took him home. He had seen the story on FOX 10 about Max missing, and knew who he belonged to.

The family called Lorimer and dropped off Max only about a block and a half away.

"He just he jumped literally jumped right up in my arms knocked my glasses right off I was so happy I couldn't see or nothing," Lorimer says. "I thanked them I hugged them we were all crying up there yesterday when I got my dog back."

Lorimer got Max back just in time to celebrate -- today is Max's 3rd birthday. Lorimer is taking Max to Sonic for some chicken nuggets.

"I got a lot of thoughts about people. There are good people out there and I got my dog back I thought he was gone forever I did really."

Source: http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/pets/man-reunited-with-missing-dog-4-19-2011
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Original Story:

SUV Stolen with Dog Inside: MyFoxPHOENIX.com

Knuckles, miniature schnauzer

Couple reunite long-lost dog with owner
By Eddie Jimenez / The Fresno Bee
Posted at 11:06 PM on Tuesday, Apr. 19, 2011

Thanks to a couple's compassion for animals and a microchip, a former Fresno woman will be reunited with her dog, who had been missing for more than a year.

A Fresno couple found Knuckles, a miniature schnauzer, last weekend and took him to an animal clinic to check for an identification microchip.

Knuckles, a miniature schnauzer, got away from his owner almost a year ago in Fresno. He was found and will be reunited with his family this week after a long flight to Florida, where the family has relocated.

Sure enough, employees at the Animal Hospital & Bird Clinic in northwest Fresno discovered the identification device in Knuckles and contacted his owner Monday. She has moved to Florida.

"She was overwhelmed with joy," said Jaclyn Mendoza, a clinic employee. "She had given up hope."

Knuckles became lost about 14 months ago, before his owner moved away, Mendoza said. The owner did not want to be identified. Much to Knuckles' good fortune, he crossed paths Sunday evening with Kristine Perez and Jason Hunt, who rescued him from the streets on Palm Avenue south of Herndon Avenue.

The couple had just left their home in the area about 6 p.m. to run errands when they came to a stop sign at Palo Alto Avenue and Palm.

Knuckles was running around wildly. They feared he might be hit by a car, so they picked him up.

"He was really scared, shaking and nervous," Perez said.

Perez and Hunt contacted neighbors and placed an ad on Craigslist, but could not find the dog's owner.

The couple, who have two cats with identification microchips, took care of the miniature schnauzer overnight Sunday before going to the clinic Monday morning.

A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and is injected between an animal's shoulder blades, said Daphne Hill, a veterinarian with the Fresno animal hospital.

"A collar and a name tag with telephone number can be removed or lost, but the implanted mircochip remains to identify your pet," she said.

Knuckles is scheduled to fly out of Fresno to Florida today, Hill said. His owner will pay for her pet's medical care and the flight, though the clinic's staff is donating some of its time for costs. Perez and Hunt's reward is knowing they helped reunite a dog and his owner.

Said Perez, "A man who was in the clinic when we took the dog said, 'You really did your good deed for the day.'

Source: http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/04/19/2357270/couple-reunite-long-lost-dog-with.html

Bori, yorkshire terrier

Story on websites helps reunite Stamford dog with owner
Monday, April 18, 2011

This dog was found wandering northbound on Post Road in Darien on Friday, and was spotted as far south as the exit 9 interchange of Interstate 95 in Stamford.

DARIEN -- Two days after finding a stray dog wandering along Post Road, Kristin Calve decided to take to Twitter in hopes of finding the dog's owner.

Calve, a real estate agent from Darien, had contacted animal control officials about a small, Yorkshire terrier named Bori that had no tags and no microchip. But Bori's owner hadn't come forward as of Sunday night., and Calve began to worry.

"I started to think `do I own this dog now," she said. That's when Calve posted a photo of the dog on her Twitter page, along with a plea for help.

The tweet, it turned out, paid off. Calve said the neighbor of Bori's owner, who lives in Stamford, saw the story, which had been posted online by the Darien News and The Advocate, and called Calve's cell phone number to claim the dog. At 9:55 a.m., Calve tweeted the good news. "Thanks to @StamAdvocate!" she tweeted. "Your story helped us find the dog's owners! I just dropped him off."

Calve was driving along Post Road on Friday when she saw the dog, which had no owner in site as it wandered north on Post Road near Hollow Tree Ridge Road.

Calve got out of her car and picked up the dog at the intersection of Post Road and Hampton Road at around 4 p.m. on Friday.

When she picked up the dog, she said she was approached by a woman who told her she had followed the dog from Stamford, near exit 9 on Interstate 95.

Calve took care of the dog until Monday morning, when the owner was alerted to the story and came forward, prompting Calve to drive to Stamford to drop the terrier off.

Source: http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Tweets-story-help-reunite-lost-dog-with-owner-1341450.php
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Sandy, chihuahua terrier mix

Happy reunion - Dog missing since last week shows up at owner's work place today 20 miles away
Steve Adamson - Source: KSBY News
Updated: Apr 4, 2011 9:48 PM

Last Thursday when Janine Elich went to visit her daughter in Grover Beach, something happened she wasn't expecting. Her dog jumped out of the car while it was parked in a driveway. The window was down far enough whereas the dog was able to jump out. While inside her daughter's home, the dog pulled a disappearing act.

Soon the search was on, as signs went up in the Grover Beach neighborhood in the vicinity of 4th Street and Trouville Ave. The weekend came and went and no signs of "Sandy," the six year old Chihuahua-Terrier mix that Elich has had since she was a puppy.

Then this morning, something totally unexpected happened. At around 8:15am, Sandy came prancing through the doors of the Apple Farm restaurant in San Luis Obispo....about 20 miles from where she jumped out of the car back in Grover.

Aubree Charlesworth was the hostess working this morning when it happened. "Well, I was standing right outside the door and I was just getting some fresh air because it was a bit hot in there, so I turned and I went back inside and as I turned around to see if there were any customers waiting, the dog was just standing there right behind me."

After checking out the dog's tags, she called the number on them and spoke to the veterinarian's office where the tags came from. They gave her Janine's number and she called her. The story gets more interesting because of what happened next.

"And I call her up on the phone and I said I have your dog and she asks where we are and I told her we're at the Apple Farm and Janine says, well I work there....And I say who's this? And then Janine's daughter Kaylee came out and said that's my mom's dog!"

Turns out, that the dog found her way to the place where her owner worked. Her daughter works there too and just happened to be working when the dog arrived. It all led to a happy reunion once Elich made it in for her shift.

Elich said, "She's a hound dog, she found her way...She didn't want to give up the friendship, that's for sure. She came looking for me." Elich said the dog had been to the Apple Farm before, but only briefly on a couple of occasions when she stopped in when she wasn't working.

A happy ending to a story that could have turned out much different.

"Sandy was a bit weathered from the four-day, 20 mile journey. About a hundred ticks had to be pulled off her and she lost a couple of pounds. Still, all things considered, in pretty good shape and in very happy spirits to be reunited with her owner again. Elich was planning on bringing Sandy to her vet for a check up to make sure all else was ok with her.

Source: http://www.ksby.com/news/happy-reunion-dog-missing-since-last-week-shows-up-at-owner-s-work-place-today-20-miles-away/
Video: http://www.ksby.com/player/?video_id=10319

Hobo, yellow lab mix

LIRR Dog Reunited With Owner
By Lindsay Christ with Rashed Mian
April 16th, 2011


The runaway dog that was found riding a Long Island Rail Road train Tuesday night is back home.

This 85 lb yellow lab mix, dubbed Hobo, rode the LIRR for 2 stops before being busted

A person who picked up the phone at the Town of Babylon shelter said the pooch reunited with his family on Thursday, the same day the dog was taken to the shelter. He said the dog lives about 500 yards from the railroad and the family called the shelter even before the news of the lost dog was all over the Internet.

MTA police officers found the yellow lab mix when the train stopped in Farmingdale. According to riders the dog had gotten on two stops earlier in Wyandanch.

 “Hobo,” the name they affectionately gave the 85-pound dog, probably bolted during the thunderstorm, authorities concluded.

“There must have been a huge clap of thunder and he just bolted. A lot of dogs get frightened with the thunder,” Pat Rosen of Long Island Veterinary Specialists in Plainview said. Hobo was brought to LIVS after he was found, and immediately stole the hearts of the staff.

“He’s a very friendly and affectionate dog who loves to be pet and give kisses,” Rosen said. “Everybody here fell in love with him.

Source: http://www.longislandpress.com/2011/04/16/lirr-dog-reunited-with-owner/

Video at: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/category/video-on-demand-news/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=5757806

Duke, yellow lab

Dog food lures lost Duke, ends two-week chasing tale
Elusive yellow Lab is back with family
Ron Devlin , Reading Eagle
Originally Published: 2/7/2011

Two weeks after slipping out of the Spring Township Petco and living on the lam, Duke, front, reunites with owner Shawna Beidler, left front, and her parents, Todd and Sheila Bubbenmoyer of Richmond Township. Sheila is holding Dukes best friend, Chloe, a chihuahua.

Duke, the missing dog who was the subject of an intensive manhunt, was back home Sunday night with his family in Richmond Township.

After two weeks on the lam, the 2-year-old yellow Labrador curled up on a cushion next to his master, 19-year-old Shawna Beidler.

"Our prayers were answered," said Shawna, gently stroking Duke's head.

Duke's long journey home ended just in time for his third birthday, which is today.

Shawna and her parents, Sheila and Todd Bubbenmoyer, haven't had a restful night since Duke bolted from the Petco store in Broadcasting Square on Jan. 23.

Duke was being sized up for a new collar when, spooked by a stranger, he darted from the Spring Township store and fled to an open field across Broadcasting Road.

"He had never done that before," said Sheila, who owns Tidy Cleaning Co. in Richmond Township.

Duke proved a resourceful escapee, eluding a cadre of searchers for 14 days.

Though he had been spotted numerous times in the area near where he escaped, Duke avoided capture.

Todd, 43, who works night shift at a Boyertown foundry, tromped through snow-covered fields in pursuit of the errant animal.

Even the family's German shepherd, Hope, was unsuccessful in luring her canine companion. Todd had taken her to the area where Duke had been seen, thinking he would respond to her familiar scent.

A group of animal advocates finally lured Duke into a trap Sunday with a generous helping of dog food, wet and dry. Most of the searchers didn't know Duke or his family.

"A lot of people came together over this dog," Todd said. "We're so very thankful to them."

Nadine Essick of Womelsdorf, who spent days searching for Duke, said she was driven by a love of animals.

"If I know about an animal in distress, I have to do something about it," she said. "I have to know in my heart and mind that I did all I was capable of doing."

Essick, part of a group of searchers from Peacock Bridge Kennel in Bern Township, said the Humane Society of Berks County lent them a trap.

Once, Duke managed to go in the trap, eat the food and get out without triggering the gate. He wasn't so lucky the second time, and was captured Sunday afternoon.

"He dropped a few pounds and didn't smell very well, but he's healthy," Sheila said.

"We're so thankful and relieved," she said. "For the first time in two weeks, we'll get a good night's sleep."

Source: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=284777

Bill, viszla/lab mix

Catching Bill
Kat Albrecht, Pet Detective Blog
April 16th, 2011

Sometimes, recovering a lost dog is as easy as driving down to the local shelter or posting a LOST DOG Ad on Craig’s List. However, when the dog has a skittish temperament and is so panicked that he is running from everyone, including his own family, things change. Suddenly it’s not so easy. In fact, it can be downright hopeless. Many of skittish dogs that escape from their families are simply never recovered because theses guardian typically don’t have the knowledge, the proper equipment, or the support they need. The story of Bill is case where a family (a foster family at that) refused to give up, even when the recovery took them close to one year!

Bill Relaxed at Home

Bill, a Vizsla / Labrador mix, somehow ended up in an animal shelter in early 2010. He was rescued and ended up in the hands of Don and Marianne Blackwell from Ft. Collins, Colorado. The Blackwell’s fostered Bill for six weeks for the rescue group they volunteered for. Here’s how Marianne described life with Bill (before his escape):

“Bill quickly became part of our family and was a real sweetheart. My husband Don walks/runs our 3 Vizslas in the back field and was eventually able to take Bill without a leash; Bill stayed near the rest of the pack and to Don.”

Well, as fate would have it, an adoptive family was found for Bill. However, there was a problem. Bill hated crates. But the rescue group felt that Bill needed to be crate trained for his new family. So Bill was moved out of the Blackwell’s house and in with another volunteer who knew how to crate train dogs. As Marianne told me, “With a great deal of sadness, we let them take Bill from our home. We were miserable.” Marianne and Don were miserable because they loved Bill and knew how much this gentle dog hate, hate, HATED crates! When Marianne called the fellow rescuer a few weeks later to find out how Bill was doing, she learned the crushing news. Bill had jumped a fence and ran away from the other rescuers house a week before. Marianne and Don were heartsick! They immediately launched an extensive search (shelter checks, posters, advertisements, etc.) for Bill. They kept this up not just for weeks, but for MONTHS. However, eventually all leads and sightings diminished down to nothing. It seemed that Bill had vanished from the face of earth.

Then, eight months later (in January 2011), Bill was sighted by the same rescuer he’d escaped from. He was seen running near a drainage ditch not far from his home. Marianne and Don jumped back into recovery mode. They posted more flyers, talked to people in the area of the sighting, and ultimately after great gumshoe work they discovered where Bill was living. He had found an abandoned house with a hole big enough for a Viszla mix to crawl into. Don and Marianne began to put food out there and would catch glimpses of Bill as he took off in terror from anyone who tried to approach him.

That was when I came into the picture. Marianne surfed the Internet for information on how to catch a hard-to-catch dog. She found Missing Pet Partnership’s web site and was encouraged by the story of how MPP volunteers caught Sophie, a skittish Bernese Mountain Dog after a 7 week effort. Marianne emailed me on February 27, 2011, explained Bill’s story, and ended her email like this:

“What can we do next? We have been looking for our dog for almost 9 months and will not ever give up on him, but we don’t know what to do to bring him in. He is obviously a survivor and eats garbage and whatever else people have set out for him. There’s flowing water nearby. He looks fairly healthy, but is very people-adverse. We need to bring him home. Can you help with any ideas or game plans?”

I immediately advised Marianne to purchase a digital wildlife camera in order to monitor Bill’s activity, especially if they planned to use a large dog humane trap (which I also recommended they get). I then referred her to Jim Branson, Missing Pet Partnership’s secret weapon for recovering hard-to-catch dogs. Jim consulted with Marianne (then and over the next several weeks), sharing MPP’s experience in using humane traps, wildlife cameras, and the very rare cases where traditional trapping did not work and other techniques were needed.

Marianne and Don bought a wildlife camera and set it up by the food dish. Immediately, they began to monitor Bill’s activity by looking at the pictures that were snapped of him every day.

Bill Sitting By His Hidey-Hole-Home

They contacted the Larimer County Humane Society Animal Control who set up a humane dog trap. However, Bill would not go into the trap. So they put out the largest size dog trap available but just like Sophie who was just too afraid to enter a dog trap, Bill would not go into a dog trap.

Bill Too Afraid To Enter Humane Trap

This is the value of using wildlife cameras in capturing skittish dogs and cats. Wildlife cameras provide useful information. They confirm that the animal is still in the area. And like the case of the skittish dog Vivian Irene and Buddy the skittish cat, wildlife cameras can inform rescuers that yeah, a baited humane trap IS attracting the animal you’re trying to catch but the trap ISN’T going to catch them!

And that’s what happened with Bill. Don and Marianne spent the next several weeks trying to catch Bill. They put a sedative in his food, thinking it would make him calm enough to enter the trap. That didn’t work. Ultimately, after 8 weeks of effort they decided they needed a new plan. They contacted the Larimer County Humane Society Animal Control again and they offered to dart and capture Bill.

Bill...captured at last!

It took a team of three animal control officers plus Don and Marianne who knew where Bill would run (which he did) after he was darted. Ultimately after a dart, a foot chase, another dart, another foot chase, and a THIRD dart (because darted dogs will run!) they were able to corner the groggy Bill and capture him with catch poles. Bill was immediately transported to the emergency vet where he was given a thorough check up and a bath. He was de-wormed, given flea and tick treatment, and had blood work done for heart worm and internal organ testing. Amazingly, Bill was pretty healthy.

Marianne, Don, and Bill (at the emergency vet)

So, do you want to know how the story ends? If you’re like me, you’re a sucker for a happy ending. Remember that Marianne and Don were not even Bill’s owners. They were simply a foster family who fell in love with Bill and felt compassion for him to the point where they refused to give up on him. Don wrote a story about Bill’s recovery that Marianne e-mailed to me (and gave me permission to share). So I will let Don tell you, in his own words, what ultimately happened to Bill after he left the emergency vet:

“Finally, after 11 months away out in the cold and by himself, Bill was home. When Bill woke up to three dogs and his former foster family, he decided life was good. It was just like he was never away. Bill decided he doesn’t like being alone. Bill follows Don everywhere he goes. Bill and Don decided that was OK with both of them. Also, everyone decided that this was never really Bill’s foster home. This was Bill’s forever home.”

Source: http://katalbrecht.com/blog/?p=978

Bella, golden retriever

Wayward dog is back in its San Jose home
Owners threatened to sue when humane society let golden retriever be adopted
By Alan Gathright, Chronicle Staff Writer
January 22, 2004

Niki Karanastasis hugs Bella, who has just returned home

A looming canine custody lawsuit was avoided Wednesday when a wayward golden retriever who'd been the subject of a hotly disputed animal shelter adoption had a tail-wagging, face-licking reunion with her grateful owners.

For days, irate talk-radio callers and Internet chatterers had been debating the fate of Bella, whose San Jose owner had finally found the pooch at the local animal shelter -- only to learn that she was too late.

Hours earlier, Bella had been adopted by a Los Gatos woman as a birthday present for her 10-year-old daughter.

What ensued was a battle that sparked a modern-day morality play. Bella's owners, Niki and Pete Karanastasis, contend they repeatedly visited the Humane Society Silicon Valley shelter without finding their dog until Jan. 8. By then, however, the shelter's five-day deadline for owners to claim pets had passed, and the dog was put up for adoption.

Niki Karanastasis says her friend had a brief telephone conversation with the unidentified woman who adopted Bella for her daughter. The friend offered on the Karanastasises' behalf to buy a puppy for the girl in exchange for Bella, but the new owner refused, because they had already "bonded" with Bella.

Humane society officials, however, say the dog tale was far shaggier than clear cut. They say the adopting family offered to buy the Karanastasises a puppy. The family resisted returning Bella because they were skeptical about whether the couple were the dog's true owners. Bella was found by the Humane Society on Jan. 2 -- the day the Karanastasises say she went missing -- without a collar or identifying tags.

If the dispute hadn't been resolved, Bella's owners had planned to sue the humane society today to reclaim their retriever.

"It was very clear at that reunion that Bella recognized them and was very happy to see them," said Christine Benninger, president of Humane Society Silicon Valley in Santa Clara.

Niki Karanastasis' attorney, Christopher Schumb, says humane society officials tested whether Karanastasis, who'd trained the dog to respond to commands in her native Greek, owned Bella.

"They made her call the dog and speak to her in Greek," Schumb said. "That was sort of silly."

However, he added, "My client is ecstatic. If you can imagine a dog smiling, Bella was smiling. The dog just curled up in her lap."

Source: http://articles.sfgate.com/2004-01-22/bay-area/17408795_1_dog-tale-animal-shelter-adoption

True D, Australian shepherd

Dear Fido Finder,

Thank you SO VERY MUCH for finding my sweet dog, True D.

She is an old girl that never leaves our side. This morning she chased out of the yard after some deer and got disoriented. We were out posting signs, emailing neighbors and searching for her for 8 hours today. I decided to post on your website in case she had traveled further than we expected, outside the radius of our signs.

Right before I was going to bed tonight, I got an email from you that someone may have found her. I called the number to find a student at the local college had found her and been taking care of her all day.

True D had wandered into an inter-mural practice about 4 miles from home. The girls took her home, fed her and played with her all day.

Thank you so much for creating this site and for helping us locate our sweet dog. We will all sleep better knowing she is safe at home!!

Best,
Kylan
Chapel Hill, NC

Dakota, Siberian husky

Family pet returned to owners after 3-month absence
by Alex Hinojosa \ El Paso Times
Posted: 04/10/2011 12:00:00 AM MDT

After being lost for three months on a journey that took her across the nation, Dakota, a Siberian husky, is back in her New Mexico home.

On Friday, the female husky was reunited with her owner Audra Roberts. The reunion comes just two weeks before her husband, Rick, returns from deployment in Afghanistan.

"This is Christmas before Christmas," Roberts said. "I'm just glad I had her micro-chipped. Without it she wouldn't be here right now. It's the best thing I did for her."

In December the energetic husky went missing from her home at White Sands, NM.

Roberts called the police, searched the neighborhood, put up fliers, searched the desert and sent messages on Facebook -- without any luck.

It wasn't until late March that the 1-year-old husky was found outside of Fort Bragg, NC, 1,800 miles away from her backyard. Animal Services in that area scanned her and found that she was microchipped, said Amy Eury of HomeAgain Pet Recovery Service, based in Summit, NJ.

"I started crying when I heard she was found," Roberts said. "My friend Ashley (Aliberti) actually got the call (from Animal Services) and let me know the good news. I was at the sink washing bottles, and I started shaking. I just couldn't believe she had been found."

Roberts was unable to drive or fly to North Carolina, so the HomeAgain Pet Recovery Service paid for Dakota's flight to the El Paso International Airport.

As the minutes ticked by Friday night, Roberts clasped her hands together and patiently waited for her dog's return outside the airport's Delta Airlines cargo area.

An hour after Dakota's flight landed, airport officials brought a tan dog kennel to the cargo area with a tired-looking black and white husky inside.

"Dakota," Roberts called.

Immediately the Husky's sleepy brown and blue eyes turned toward Roberts. The recognition was instant, and Dakota began to whimper and paw at the cage. As soon as the kennel door opened, Dakota leaped on her owner and licked her cheek.

"She remembers me," Roberts said crying. "She's going to sleep with me tonight. I'm going to spoil her rotten. After everything she's been through, I think she deserves it."

How did Dakota make it to all the way to North Carolina? Dakota isn't saying.

Source: http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_17806293
Reunion video at: http://bcove.me/pkvun30n

Oliver, springer spaniel

Springer spaniel survives five weeks lost

by Lianne Wilkinson on April 8, 2009

Springer spaniel Oliver survived just over five weeks in the hills of Scotland.

12-year-old and partially deaf Oliver ran away from his owners and the three other family dogs during a walk close to Glen Etive in Scotland on the 24th February but was happily reunited with his owners on the 2nd April.

Oliver’s owner, Deborah Wyton told the BBC they had given him up for dead after hours of fruitless searching and had worried he may have run away to die because just twelve weeks earlier he had suffered a stroke and the vet had said he may not have long to live.

She said: “He is my wonder dog. We thought he had gone off to die because 12 weeks earlier he had a stroke and the vet wasn’t sure how long he would last.”

Oliver was found curled in a shed over eight miles away as the crow flies. A local man discovered him, fed him food and water and wiped the mud from his dog tag to find the owner’s number.

Mrs Wyton said: “I think I almost deafened the man when he told me he had found Oliver. I screamed. I was so happy.”

It was only the other day we told of the amazing story of the cattle dog who survived swimming six miles in shark infested water and four months living on a desert island, and it is stories such as these that prove how resilient our beloved dogs really are.

Source: http://www.dreamdogs.co.uk/springer-spaniel-survives-five-weeks-lost-1078.html

Hurley, Bernese Mountain Dog

Family 'whole again' after reunion with lost dog
Darcy Wintonyk, ctvbc.ca
Fri. Apr. 8 2011 5:44 PM ET

A North Vancouver, B.C., family says they are whole again after being reunited with their missing dog, who spent more than two weeks wandering the North Shore mountains lost and hungry.

Hurley, an 18-month-old Bernese Mountain Dog, was saved by search crews in a dramatic long line helicopter rescue just south of Capilano Lake on Thursday.

The dog was spotted by a fellow Bernese owner, who was among the hundreds of volunteers and community members who have given their time to search for the beloved pet.

"We couldn't be happier, our family really wasn't complete without Hurley and we were feeling that, all of us," Darwin Schandor told CTV News from his home just hours after he brought the dog home to his family.

"We now know what he means to us, our family. He's one of us," his wife Tracie said.

It has been an emotional two weeks for the Schandor family.

The couple and their two children, Hudson and Kiana, were on vacation in Maui for spring break when their pet sitting service called on March 24 to say that Hurley had wandered away during an outing on the Baden Powell Trail. The dog was supposed to be outfitted with a GPS collar, but the agency, Embark Dog Centre, decided not to use it because they felt the dog was well behaved.

That was the last time Hurley would be seen for two weeks.

The family spent up to 15 hours a day searching the rugged terrain near their home for any clues, but to no avail. A Facebook group, now 600 members strong, was launched for community members to report any possible sightings, and to tell others where they were searching.

"What kept us going was how many people volunteered their personal time to help find this member of our family. Even complete strangers," Darwin said.

"We may live in a big city but this is a small community."

The family even commissioned a helicopter to scour the area by air as a last-ditch effort. Tracie said her children, aged eight and 10, cried every day that Hurley was missing.

"We did start preparing them, and telling them there's a possibility he might not come home and those are some pretty tough conversations to have," she said.

The dramatic rescue

Members of North Shore Rescue quickly launched into action Thursday afternoon after receiving word the dog was spotted on a trail near Mosquito Creek.

Tim Jones said he had a hunch the dog would be near the water.

"When you can't find a person in a ridgeline or a trail system, they're in the creek," he said. "We felt the best way to get it out safely was through a long line rescue."

Two members were flown into the area by chopper, slowly lowered down into the rocky gully by a 200 foot long cable.

Rescuer Jeff Yarnold said Hurley wasn't thrilled to see searchers -- at first.

"He's a big dog. Once the leash was on him he was like ‘take me home,' and then he was thrilled," he said.

Hurley survived for two weeks with minimal food but lots of water. The dog is 20 pounds lighter, but otherwise okay, according to a veterinary assessment after his rescue.

Back at their North Vancouver home, Hudson and Kiana described the elation they felt when they saw their missing dog.

"It was so amazing. I just couldn't wait to pet his fur," Hudson said.

"I missed him a lot. It was really sad, but it turned out happy like him too," Kiana added.

Tracie said Hurley has free run of their home now -- and that their family has learned a valuable lesson.

"He's a bigger part of our family that we ever knew he was," she said.


Hudson added: "Never, never, never give up."


Accountability

Meanwhile, Embark Dog Centre said this is the first time it has lost a dog in its care.

Paul Riley, who spent many hours alongside the family searching for Hurley, describes the employee that was with the dog when he disappeared as one of their most experienced.

Riley said staff spent a lot of time assessing Hurley before they deemed it okay to let him walk off-leash.

"A Bernese Mountain Dog is not a flight risk. So for something like this to happen it makes you rethink everything," he said.

A sign posted on the door of the centre Friday said the business would focus on more training in the future.

Riley said they are rethinking their business model after what happened.

"With animals, you can read body language, but accidents like this can happen," he said, adding that he's just grateful the Schandors found their missing pet.

"If I have a business that's great, but if I don't, the kids have a dog and that's the main thing."

The Schandors say Embark has offered to pay a portion of the rescue costs.

Source (includes video): http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110408/bc_hurley_home_110408/20110408?hub=BritishColumbiaHome
Printer-friendly version here

Hurley, Bernese mountain dog

Family 'whole again' after reunion with lost dog
Darcy Wintonyk, ctvbc.ca
Updated: Fri. Apr. 8 2011 5:44 PM ET

A North Vancouver, B.C., family says they are whole again after being reunited with their missing dog, who spent more than two weeks wandering the North Shore mountains lost and hungry.

See more photos at: http://www.cvfaf.org/Hurley.html

Hurley, an 18-month-old Bernese Mountain Dog, was saved by search crews in a dramatic long line helicopter rescue just south of Capilano Lake on Thursday.

The dog was spotted by a fellow Bernese owner, who was among the hundreds of volunteers and community members who have given their time to search for the beloved pet.

"We couldn't be happier, our family really wasn't complete without Hurley and we were feeling that, all of us," Darwin Schandor told CTV News from his home just hours after he brought the dog home to his family.

"We now know what he means to us, our family. He's one of us," his wife Tracie said.

It has been an emotional two weeks for the Schandor family.

The couple and their two children, Hudson and Kiana, were on vacation in Maui for spring break when their pet sitting service called on March 24 to say that Hurley had wandered away during an outing on the Baden Powell Trail. The dog was supposed to be outfitted with a GPS collar, but the agency, Embark Dog Centre, decided not to use it because they felt the dog was well behaved.

That was the last time Hurley would be seen for two weeks.

The family spent up to 15 hours a day searching the rugged terrain near their home for any clues, but to no avail. A Facebook group, now 600 members strong, was launched for community members to report any possible sightings, and to tell others where they were searching.

"What kept us going was how many people volunteered their personal time to help find this member of our family. Even complete strangers," Darwin said.

"We may live in a big city but this is a small community."

The family even commissioned a helicopter to scour the area by air as a last-ditch effort. Tracie said her children, aged eight and 10, cried every day that Hurley was missing.

"We did start preparing them, and telling them there's a possibility he might not come home and those are some pretty tough conversations to have," she said.

The dramatic rescue
Members of North Shore Rescue quickly launched into action Thursday afternoon after receiving word the dog was spotted on a trail near Mosquito Creek.

Tim Jones said he had a hunch the dog would be near the water.

"When you can't find a person in a ridgeline or a trail system, they're in the creek," he said. "We felt the best way to get it out safely was through a long line rescue."

Two members were flown into the area by chopper, slowly lowered down into the rocky gully by a 200 foot long cable.

Rescuer Jeff Yarnold said Hurley wasn't thrilled to see searchers -- at first.

"He's a big dog. Once the leash was on him he was like ‘take me home,' and then he was thrilled," he said.

Hurley survived for two weeks with minimal food but lots of water. The dog is 20 pounds lighter, but otherwise okay, according to a veterinary assessment after his rescue.

Back at their North Vancouver home, Hudson and Kiana described the elation they felt when they saw their missing dog.

"It was so amazing. I just couldn't wait to pet his fur," Hudson said.

"I missed him a lot. It was really sad, but it turned out happy like him too," Kiana added.

Tracie said Hurley has free run of their home now -- and that their family has learned a valuable lesson.

The Schandor family — Darwin (clockwise from left), Hudson, Tracie and Kiana — can’t stop hugging their dog Hurley, after almost giving up hope he would be found.

"He's a bigger part of our family that we ever knew he was," she said.
Hudson added: "Never, never, never give up."


Accountability

Meanwhile, Embark Dog Centre said this is the first time it has lost a dog in its care.

Paul Riley, who spent many hours alongside the family searching for Hurley, describes the employee that was with the dog when he disappeared as one of their most experienced.

Riley said staff spent a lot of time assessing Hurley before they deemed it okay to let him walk off-leash.

"A Bernese Mountain Dog is not a flight risk. So for something like this to happen it makes you rethink everything," he said.

A sign posted on the door of the centre Friday said the business would focus on more training in the future.

Riley said they are rethinking their business model after what happened.

"With animals, you can read body language, but accidents like this can happen," he said, adding that he's just grateful the Schandors found their missing pet.

"If I have a business that's great, but if I don't, the kids have a dog and that's the main thing."

The Schandors say Embark has offered to pay a portion of the rescue costs.

Source: http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110408/bc_hurley_home_110408?hub=BritishColumbiaHome
Printer-friendly version here

Also read the family's
https://www.facebook.com/notes/bring-hurley-home/the-rescue-and-a-big-huge-thank-you/175699819145716

And the recount by the man that went searching for -- and found -- Hurley:
http://www.nsnews.com/life/Hurley+rescue+recounted/4607716/story.html

Pixie, Irish setter

Lost dog reunited 100 miles from home
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home
10 February 2011

A lost dog from Gloucester was reunited with her owner 100 miles from home, thanks to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.

Clodagh Newington-Bridges from Ablington in Gloucestershire adopted Pixie the Irish Setter from the Irish Setter Rescue a week before visiting London to see relatives.

However while in London, 10 year old Pixie became separated from her new owner. Clodagh explained: “I opened the car boot and Pixie jumped out of the car and ran down the road. I tried to follow her and called her name, but she was too fast. Along with my grandchildren I spent hours combing the streets for her, and when we couldn’t find her I feared I’d never see her again, I was so worried.”

Clodagh informed the local London councils that Pixie was missing, in the hope that she may have been found by a dog warden, but there was no record of her. She then called Battersea’s Lost Dogs & Cats Line, who logged Pixie’s details, but were unable to find a match among the dogs recently brought into the Home.

However later that day Pixie was found by a member of the public, and brought to Battersea. Thanks to the Lost Dog Report Clodagh had registered, the charity was able to reunite the pair the next day.

Clodagh said: “I was so relieved to hear Pixie was at Battersea. I had of course heard of Battersea but I’d never visited, and I’m so thankful to everyone who helped reunite us, and to Battersea for being a first class doggy hotel for Pixie. I will now be a friend of Battersea for life, and if I lived nearer I’d love to be a dog walker there.”

Battersea’s Head of Intake & Assessing Liz McWalter said: “We normally reunite dogs with their owners who live within the M25, but as Pixie’s story shows, we are often able to help dogs and their owners from all over the country. Luckily Clodagh phoned us, but Pixie was also microchipped, and I would encourage all owners to ensure their dog is microchipped and to keep their contact details up-to-date. It is also vital dogs wear a collar and tag at all times, to ensure they can be reunited with their owner as soon as possible if they are lost.”

Source: http://www.battersea.org.uk/about_us/media_centre/press_releases/lost_dog_reunited.html

Brady, Boston Terrier

The Emotional Return of Brady, the Boston Terrier
MAY 20, 2010 2:19PM

Kathie Gagne's happy reunion with her Boston terrier, Brady, who went missing at the Dover International Speedway in Delaware last weekend. Brady was reunited with Kathie and her husband, Chris, after a several day search that was aided by the online community.

It was Saturday morning, May 15th, that Kathie Gagne last saw her beloved Boston terrier, Brady.

She and her husband Chris had driven from their home in Manchester, Connecticut, to the Dover International Speedway in Delaware, where they were spending the weekend at a campsite near the NASCAR track with their two dogs.

Saturday morning, the unthinkable happened. In one of those moments that becomes a pet owner's nightmare, Brady slipped his leash after being spooked by a German shepherd. The table his leash had been tethered to tipped over, Brady bolted, and they couldn't catch him. Their hearts sunk as they desperately tried to find Brady.

Almost immediately, Kathie posted messages on the Internet asking for help, and sites like Woof! (a message board for Boston terrier owners) responded generously. Facebook and Twitter joined in the hunt, with pictures of Brady and his description broadcasting online and in the local media as Kathie distributed flyers with Brady's story and description. The racing community joined in the search.

By Monday Brady still hadn't been found, but random sightings of a dog meeting his description near the race track were filtering in, and Kathie held out hope that somehow someone would find Brady, who was not microchipped, and get him to trust them enough to come to them. She knew he was a runner and was likely frightened, and she worried for his safety. Still, she hoped for a happy ending.

The word continued to spread. A Facebook page was set up for Brady's search and rescue effort (Find Brady the Boston | Facebook), and Boston terrier owners and others did their part to do everything they could to bring Brady home.

Wednesday morning, Kathie and Chris got hopeful news. Some crab fishermen who'd been driving near the race track early Wednesday spotted a dog that met Brady's description and called Kathie around 8:30 a.m. Immediately, Kathie jumped into her truck with Chris and her other dog, Lucy, and sped to where they were, but Brady had become frightened and eluded them. After a dramatic chase through a horse farm, under a truck and finally into a ditch, one of the fishermen subdued Brady and returned him to the loving arms of his mother, where he collapsed in a sea of kisses and happy dog licks.

Through the combined efforts of those in the community and online, not only was Brady returned to his family, but also another Boston terrier who'd been reported missing. Kathie reports that 2-year-old Brady is doing well, got promptly checked out by a veterinarian, where he had a few ticks removed and was found to be a little dehydrated, but is happy to be back where he belongs.

She is appreciative to Drew and Mike particularly, the fishermen who returned Brady to her after his big adventure, and to all the others who helped with Brady's rescue, something that became a lot more than they bargained for in a weekend of camping and NASCAR.

Source: http://open.salon.com/blog/kathy_riordan/2010/05/20/the_emotional_return_of_brady_the_boston_terrier

Nike, Siberian Husky

Early Thanksgiving for Tucson dog and owner reunited after five years: Hail the mighty microchip
by Rynski
on Nov. 24, 2010

Siberian husky Nike was reunited with owner Zeluica Sans after five years

A Siberian Husky named Nike may have been a dog gone after he got lost as a puppy five years ago, but he was certainly never forgotten.

Tucson owner Zuleica Sans and her family still kept pictures of the perky pup on their fridge all these years, but they also figured that would be all they would ever see of him.

They were wrong.

More than half a decade after getting lost, Nike ended up last week at the Humane Society of Southern Arizona when someone found him near East 22nd Street and Prudence Road as a stray – but he didn’t stay that way for long.

His microchip info pointed to the Sans family as his owners and Society staff gave them a call. Of course, Zuleica and her mother hightailed it down to the Kelvin Boulevard shelter.

“Nike and Zuleica recognized each other instantly in a beautiful reunion that unfolded with hugs, smiles, a wagging tail, and cheers all around,” noted the news release announcing the turn of events.
“He looks exactly the same,” Zuleica Sans said upon their reunion, “just bigger.”

The family, too, had gotten bigger. Nike was brought home to an expanded brood that now includes a Chihuahua and a Shih Tzu.

Siberian husky Nike was reunited with owner Zeluica Sans (pictured here with her mom) after five years/

Photo courtesy Humane Society of Southern Arizona

No one knows where Nike had been all that time, but he apparently did OK.

He initially got loose after jumping the fence, but now Zeluica and crew live in a home with a more secure yard.

The Sans also got one more added bonus – they didn’t even have to pay the adoption fee to get Nike back, although he did have to be licensed with the county for $15.50.

“Now safe and sound, Nike’s story serves as a great reminder of the importance of properly identifying your pets and the inspiring power of unconditional love,” the release said.

Too true.

Nike is not the only dog gone that was recently reunited with its family thanks to a microchip.

A Weimaraner named Jake was stolen as a puppy from a Michigan backyard seven years ago – and reunited with his owners earlier this year.  The Davis family, of Lake Orion, got a phone call from Kentucky saying microchip info on a now-grown Weimaraner was pointing back to the Davis family.  At first Brad Davis did not believe the call telling him his dog was found. After all, the family got a new dog just three months before and the dog was at their home. But when the caller mentioned the microchip, Brad told the host on his “The Early Show” appearance, “Right then, I knew it was Jake from seven years ago.”

Microchips, which are about the size of a grain of rice, are inserted into the scruff of the dog’s neck between the shoulders. The information on the chip includes a 10-character identification number registered with a service that keeps records on microchipped pets. Hand-held scanners read the info and, voila, you hopefully get your pet back.  Inserting a microchip is quick, painless and relatively cheap – especially compared to those priceless reunions.

Source: http://tucsoncitizen.com/rynski/2010/11/24/early-thanksgiving-for-tucson-dog-and-owner-reunited-after-five-years-hail-the-mighty-microchip/

Sarge, Husky

Siberian Husky lost during vacation is reunited with Norton family
By Kathy Antoniotti, Beacon Journal staff writer
posted by jim on January 7, 2011

Sarge could be a poster dog for the merits of licensing the family pet. In this case, a license was his ticket home.

The year-old stray Siberian Husky was picked up and taken to Summit County Animal Control in October. Without identification to locate his owner, the dog was placed up for adoption and the Decker family of Norton eagerly adopted him.

Two weeks later, on a vacation to a Guernsey County cabin, Sarge ran away.

"We were in the middle of nowhere — no cell phones, no nothing," said Deb Decker.

On their last day at the cabin, Sarge picked-up the scent of another animal during a family outing in the woods. Decker's son, Gabe, 9, let go of the leash when he was dragged through a field of nettles, Decker said.

But when Sarge went AWOL this time, he was wearing a dog license that identified where he came from and to whom he belonged.

The husky was found a short time later about two miles from where he made his escape by a woman who contacted Animal Control after reading his Summit County tag, Decker said.

"That license saved Sarge's life," she said. "It's renewal time and, I can guarantee, I will be licensing him again."

By state law, all dogs over three months of age must be licensed. New Summit County dog owners have 30 days to buy a $14 license that assigns a distinctive identification number to each dog. Licenses must be renewed annually between Dec. 1 and Jan. 31.

Source: http://pets.ohio.com/2011/01/siberian-husky-lost-during-vacation-is-reunited-with-norton-family/

Jazz, licensed dog

Randwick Rangers reunite long lost dog with owner

A dog lost for five weeks has today been reunited with her ecstatic owner by Randwick City Council Rangers.

Found shivering and frightened on a steep cliff in South Coogee, Randwick Rangers worked with Police Rescue to rescue seven-year-old Jazz and winch her to safety.

Randwick Mayor Murray Matson said the dog's rescue and reunion with her owner was made possible because Jazz was microchipped and the owner had registered Jazz as missing with the Companion Animal Register.

"This is such a touching story and it's wonderful when we are able to reunite lost pets with their owners," Mayor Matson said.

"It also shows just how important microchipping is and why all pets need to be microchipped and registered. Even though it is a legal requirement, too many people still don't do it which makes it very hard for happy endings even when the pets are found safely."

Seven-year-old Jazz went missing on December 13 from Bunnings car park in Mascot when her owner Richard Heath stopped to pick up materials for a building job. She was found about seven kilometres away on the coast 39 days later.

Under the Companion Animals Act 1998, owners of cats and dogs must have their pets microchipped by the age of 12 weeks and registered by six months old

Micropchipping and registration is a two-part process that requires cat and dog owners to have their animals implanted with a microchip by the time they are 12 weeks of age and then register the animal with their local council by six months of age.

Mayor Matson said it costs $40 to register your pet with your local NSW council, but for animal lovers it may just be the best money ever spent.

Source: http://www.randwick.nsw.gov.au/Your_Council/Whats_happening/News/Rangers_reunite_long_lost_dog_with_owners/indexdl_8555.aspx

Rusty, husky

Dog Lost for Eight Years Reunited with Family
Rusty was stolen from his family eight years ago
Thursday, Feb 24, 2011

View more videos at: http://nbclosangeles.com/?__source=embedCode.

Eight years ago thieves snatched a Siberian Husky named Rusty, straight from Rosa Pedroza's yard.

The devastated family searched for their beloved family member, hoping the micro-chip embedded in the dog would help bring Rusty home.

But as the days turned into weeks, then months, then finally years, the family lost hope.

Then came a call out of the blue on Tuesday.

A shelter in Downey had found Rusty and identified him using the micro-chip.

The overjoyed Pedroza family quickly brought Rusty home to Lynwood.

Now the Husky is enjoying being the center of attention, hugged and kissed at every turn. Not to mention scarfing down treats and hot dogs.

Finally, after nearly a decade, the Pedroza family is complete once more.

Rusty is back home.

Source: http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Dog-Lost-for-Eight-Years-is-Reunited-with-Family-116793778.html

Harli, Australian kelpie/border collie mix

Autistic boy to be reunited with his lost dog
By ALISON LANGLEY, QMI Agency
Last Updated: July 30, 2010 5:23pm

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. – Enjoying a roll in the grass and a belly scratch at the Niagara Falls Humane Society, the little dog was blissfully unaware of how she had captured the hearts of local residents.

Harli, a six-month-old Australian kelpie/border collie mix from Ohio, went missing in Niagara Falls 13 days ago, leaving the autistic boy who owned him devastated, and prompting people from all over the community to join in the search.

When she broke free of her leash and collar on July 18, her owners Krista and Troy Bastin watched in horror as she was struck and dragged by a car down the street. When the car stopped, the dog bolted.

There had been several sightings of Harli since that time, however, none of them panned out — until Thursday.

Around 6:45 p.m., the animal shelter received a call of a dog in a yard in the city's north end.

"She was just sitting on their property so they brought her in and called us," said Jay Desroches, manager at the Niagara Falls Humane Society.

A quick scan of the microchip imbedded in her shoulder confirmed the dog was Harli, and the shelter called the distraught family.

"It was a lightning strike of excitement," Krista told QMI Agency Friday as the family prepared to drive 350 km to Niagara Falls.

"We are just exhilarated."

Krista's four children were in Florida when the couple visited Niagara Falls. They were devastated to discover Harli was missing.

Especially upset was her 10-year-old son, Caleb, who has autism and had formed a strong bond with his canine companion.

Now that devastation has turned to elation and the Bastins will pick up Harli Saturday morning.

On Friday, staff at the shelter showered the playful pup with affection, knowing there would be a teary-eyed reunion the following morning.

"She absolutely fine. She's happy and healthy," Desroches said.

Scott Shipley and his girlfriend April O'Sullivan, who have three dogs of their own, had been searching for Harli since her story was featured in local newspapers.

The couple created a Facebook page urging other local residents to keep an eye out for the dog.

The Bastin family were overwhelmed by the support they had received, especially Shipley and O'Sullivan's efforts to find their missing pet.

"They definitely have hearts bigger than most. We should all take a lesson from them. I know our family has," she said.

Desroches said how Harli managed cross town without being struck by another car is anyone's guess.

"That's a long way across town for such a little dog," he said. "I'm thrilled for the family and I'm thrilled the dog is okay."

Doug Kane, chief of the Niagara Parks Police, is glad the story has a happy ending.

"We're very happy that the animal has been found and is going to be reunited with the family. We were pleased we could assist."

Source: http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/07/30/14882451.html