Monthly Archives: June 2012

-Lost on the 4th of July

–In a few days our nation will celebrate its birth and with that celebration comes many things: family picnics, out of town visitors, vacations, and, of course, firework displays.

And while all of these things are wonderful ways to pay tribute to our independence – each of them are also great contributors to how dogs get lost.

Let’s take a look at them so we can better prepare for the events when they happen.

Family picnics and out of town guests

These occasions infer that people will be coming to your home and with that means the possibility of someone leaving the front door open or the gate unlocked just long enough for your dog to runaway. People who are unaccustomed to living with your pets are unaware that your dog takes after the cat next door or the squirrel in the backyard. Or, perhaps, they are just not used to paying attention to any pet because they simply do not have one.

It is hard to control what your guests do while they are in your home. So, the best thing is to control your pet. This might mean boarding them at a facility while you host your guests, crating them or locking them in a room in your home: keeping them away from an unfortunate opportunity to run away. Even a dog who isn’t a “runner” can wander off when left unattended so it is best to play it safe and know your dog’s whereabouts at all times.

Vacations

Many people across the states will pack up their cars and take road trips and if you are like many of them, you will be bringing your dog along for the ride. Where you head to and stay doesn’t matter- the reality is such that many dogs along for vacation get lost and getting lost away from home is cause for panic.

Whether it be staying at a family’s house or at a campground – losing your dog in unfamiliar surroundings is horrific.

Since locking them up in a tent doesn’t make a lot of sense – there are a few things you can do to protect them before they get lost:

Harness them. Instead of a just a collar that can easily be pulled off if they get the urge to run, use a harness along with a collar. Of course on that harness and collar make sure you have up to date ID tags and that they list your cell phone number. Your home phone number doesn’t do a bit of good if you are not at home. It is also smart to make sure that your dog is wearing its up to date rabies tag. This assures anyone who finds your dog that he is current on vaccines. It is also a good idea to keep current vet records in your car.

Microchip them. A physical ID tag is number one – but a microchip can save your dog’s life. Your local vet can do this or there are many microchip clinics offered through rescues and shelters and pet product stores. If you already have a microchip, it never hurts to have a vet or shelter scan your dog to make sure they can find it and that it is registered for the right dog and to YOU.

Fireworks

I don’t think there is anything else in the world of dogs that has as profound affect on them like fireworks. Rarely, have I seen a dog who doesn’t tremble at the first sound of a bottle rocket or the bang of a small firecracker.

Fireworks are terrifying to dogs. And there is little to nothing anyone can do to console them.

And when dogs react to fireworks, their first reaction is to run and they will run anywhere. Dogs afraid of fireworks are not planning an escape – they are purely reacting to something. And that means their reaction is bound to be quick and random.

No matter how trained a dog is – all dogs should be inside for fireworks and it is even better to have them kept safe in a secure room of the house where no one can accidentally let them out. A place where they can hide under a bed or couch and away from the noise is ideal. Turning on the TV, radio, fan and/or air conditioning can help quiet the blasts of the fireworks.

A lost dog amongst a night of fireworks is like a ball in a pinball machine. It will bounce from one place to another without rhyme or reason. This can mean your dog will be running into busy streets, unsafe areas and possibly running for miles – getting more and more lost with each knee jerk reaction to the loud booms.

We would all like to believe that our dog is like Lassie or Benji or the crew from Homeward Bound. That regardless of where their four legs take them – they will eventually make their journey home. But the truth is – this is not the case.

It is up to us as their family to keep them safe and out of harm’s way. We, as humans, must protect them and think smarter and plan ahead for what events and situations might be coming our way.

It only takes the first firework or the one guest to open the door to lose our dogs forever. Make sure that doesn’t happen this 4^th of July.

Becky Monroe

www.tailsandtruths.blogspot.com/

Finding Finn, an Interview With Susan Hennis

On March 31, 2012 Finn, a two-year-old Brittany, escaped from a vehicle in a parking lot in Joliet while being transported to a foster home in Canada by the group National Brittany Rescue and Adoption Network (NBRAN). Finn quickly became somewhat of a celebrity as hundreds of volunteers across several counties in Illinois followed his story and eventually assisted in his rescue. After two-and-a half months on on the loose, they captured him in a trap set at the home of a woman in Romeoville who had been feeding him.

NBRAN Coordinators Cathy and Susan, both of whom have been fostering for about 11 years, created a Facebook book page dedicated to his rescue and heavily utilized Lost Dogs Illinois’ tips and networks to eventually bring him to safety. They had a stealth plan of setting up cameras and relying on sightings across several towns. Volunteers were told not to call or chase him and instead call them with tips and photos. They set up video cameras which helped them track his feeding and traveling patterns.

I caught up with Susan Hennis to talk about her journey finding Finn.

Was it hard to resist the urge to call for him or chase him?

It was extremely difficult not to call and chase Finn — in fact, we did at the beginning. We were calling him all the time and trying to find him. It was at the advice of Lost Dogs that we stopped trying to call him as well as encouraging others to not call him and chase him.

How did it feel when you saw videos and photos of him while he was lost?

It was so amazing to see photos and video of Finn while he was lost. The first actual photograph was from a Forest Preserve Officer in the middle of May- we had sent them a flyer probably a month or more before that time and he had kept it. He called me right after he saw Finn and had taken a few photos with his phone. It was reassuring to see that 1) it was him and 2) he looked okay. Anytime you rely on sightings you have to hope that the people are truly seeing the dog you are looking for. The video was shot shortly before he was caught and it was also so appreciated…it was crazy to see him looking so confident and on his mission. And to see that he moved like we remembered and it was really Finn that was in that area.

How does it feel knowing so many community members, most of them strangers, I assume, helped in the rescue?

It was very touching and also crazy that so many community members- in multiple communities- got involved with “Help Find Finn.” It started from the very beginning…Finn got loose on a Saturday and a woman (who heard about Finn through a few other people) emailed me to ask if it was okay if she went to look for Finn. Finn got loose in Joliet- I live in Normal and the other coordinator lives in Earlville. I was so completely thankful that a stranger who did not know Finn, me or NBRAN was willing to spend time looking for Finn. That woman looked for him four times that week…she hung flyers, searched and left dog food. As we went from community to community we met so many more wonderful people who offered to help. People hung signs, told their neighbors, called newspapers, arranged radio interviews, actively searched, ran out at the drop of a hat when we got a sighting. I was continually amazed that we were so blessed to have so many people interested in Finn’s story and willing to help.

How quickly did you get over 400 likes on the “Help Find Finn” Facebook page?

We got likes on our FaceBook page a number of ways…initially it was really word of mouth. As more signs and flyers were hung and newspaper articles were written people became really interested in Finn’s story. He spent a considerable amount of time in Channahon and Minooka and then a long time in Romeoville and I think we really gained a lot of likes during that time…but there were also others that were “Finn Fans” that lived a distance away.

What kind of support did you get from Lost Dogs IL fans on our page? How did having Lost Dogs IL as a resource help you feel supported?

We received a lot of wonderful support from Lost Dogs of IL. As I mentioned, we really knew very little about finding and catching a lost dog…in addition, Finn was a different story since he was a rescue dog lost on a transport — he didn’t know where “home” was. LDI gave us a lot of welcome advice from the very beginning. They provided advice on how to get the word out, how to post signs, how to use a live trap, how to get a dog used to an area…LDI also kept us hopeful when we were down by being extremely supportive. It was hard when we wouldn’t get sightings for a while and LDI would give us stories of other dogs found after a long time. LDI also really stressed that most dogs won’t starve to death, die in a storm or get attacked by an animal…most dogs get hurt when pursued (running into traffic etc.). I don’t think we would have gotten Finn back without the advice of LDI.

Have you thought of any steps to prevent a dog from running away that you can share with other dog owners?

Cathy and I have both talked about making sure all dogs on a transport have two very snug collars that are linked to separate leashes. We have also obtained large tags with phone numbers and “rescue dogs” on them. If we learned anything from this is that ANY dog could run — Finn was not a runner and was a “model” foster dog. After being found he quickly adapted to being in the home and is as adjusted as any dog. What I would share is never assume your dog won’t run. Treat all of your dogs as potential flight risks and take all opportunities to keep them safe. Aside from teaching them commands, make sure anyone in your home is aware of the dogs and not opening doors around them or giving them the opportunity to escape.

Siblings to the Rescue! Scruffbug’s Story

Scruffbug spent her first nine months living huddled with her two brothers in a small cage at a commercial breeding operation. When the Almost Home Foundation rescued them, the dogs were understandably very timid. Dogs bred in puppy mills and by “backyard breeders” are kept in cruel conditions, spending all of their lives confined in wire cages and having no human companionship, according to the Humane Society of the United States. Cathy Slaski, one of AHF’s volunteers took in the youngest of the three to foster because, as an experienced dog foster parent, Cathy noticed the little female needed extra attention and care. She gave her probably the cutest name ever: Scruffbug.

The next day, Cathy says Scruffbug was ecstatic to be living a normal life. She was getting along fabulously with her five new playmates, who were chasing each other around the yard. “The sun was shining and birds were singing. I set up a baby pool for them to splash in,” remembers Cathy. But then, “In the blink of an eye, 1,2,3,4,5- OMG the 6th dog is missing! Tiny little Scruffbug somehow managed to escape,” she says.

Cathy quickly rounded up a search team of golfers and employees of the course next to her house. They drove around in their carts (even the beer cart driver) looking for the shy dog. Certainly, it was a tough task. Just one day after being rescued from a life spent in a tiny cage, Scruffbug had to be terrified, so she was highly unlikely to answer to their calls. Cathy called the police, posted Scruffbug on Lost Dogs Illinois and used tips on our Lost Dog Search Action Plan. Her fellow AHF volunteers helped her post almost 50 flyers in the area.

: Puppies in a commercial breeding operation*

: Scruffbug (right) and her brother, Brill

Cathy received calls throughout the day from people who had spotted the dog near the golf course but weren’t able to get close enough to catch her. As the sun was about to set, she started to get really worried. The volunteer team brainstormed and what they came up with was nothing short of inspiring: Scruffbug’s brothers were called to assist in the rescue.

They put the brothers in two separate crates and set up one in the front of the house and one in the back. Everyone gathered around the windows from inside the house, hoping the scent and calls of her brothers would do the trick. Cathy remembers, “It was just beginning to get dark so I went to put on the backyard spotlight. It had to be under 5 minutes when I spotted her through my bedroom window- sitting right by the crate in the backyard!” The rescue team, everyone with tears in their eyes, watched out the living room window as Cathy slowly coaxed Scruffbug close enough to get a hold of her. “After 8 hours of searching, we lured her back with her sibling bond,” says Cathy.

Using other dogs to lure a lost dog is often a successful tactic. Because her brothers were the only familiar thing in her life, using them was an especially smart plan in this case.

Scruffbug, Brill and Gilly (not pictured) are available for adoption. Visit Almost Home Foundation’s website, www.almosthomefoundation.org for more information.

*Photo courtesy of The Puppy Mill Project

What Do Lost Dogs Eat?

Many owners worry that their lost dog will not find enough to eat. A couple of things to remember: dogs (like people) are omnivores; not carnivores (like cats). Dogs can survive without meat (of course they would prefer meat, but they don’t need it).

When you are looking for your missing dog, keep in mind that these readily available food sources are where your lost dog could be eating:

outdoor cat food (someone feeding barn or feral cats)
spilled grain around feed bins at farms
bird seed from bird feeders
corn fields
vegetable gardens and fruit trees
restaurant dumpsters and cooking oil dumpsters
convenience and grocery store dumpsters
trash cans at picnic areas, rest stops, parks and campgrounds
fire pits at campgrounds
nuts, berries, grass, horse poop (and other sources of animal waste)
barbecue grills (they lick the drippings under the grill)
mice and rabbits, eggs in waterfowl nests, chicken eggs and chickens
road kill, hunting remains, fish guts and heads
food processing plants or pet food processing plants
feed mills
June bugs, earthworms, grasshoppers

Use your nose! If you can smell it, your dog definitely can. Even though he may not be getting food from the nearest fast food restaurant or steak house; he will keep checking in there, lured by the smell; to see if any tidbits have been dropped. Leave a flyer and talk to the restaurant staff at every restaurant in a 10 mile radius of where your dog was last seen.

Don’t give up! Your dog has the instinctive ability to survive for weeks, months and even years on his own.

Google Maps – A Useful Tool for an Elusive Dog

You’ve lost your shy dog and you’ve done a good job delivering flyers and posting intersection signs. Now your sightings are coming in but you’re having a hard time keeping track. The sightings seem to be all over the place. It couldn’t possibly be your dog, in so many places, in such a short amount of time. Or could it?

Lost dogs in survival mode require three things. They require food and water, hiding places, and avoidance of predators (people). If you use maps and satellite photos to assess food sources, hiding places and safe, secluded routes of travel; you may start to see a pattern emerge. Using an online mapping service is an invaluable tool to help you record and evaluate your sightings.

Google Maps is a free web mapping service that can help you plot your sightings and give you clues to your dog’s whereabouts. Be aware though, that Google maps and satellite images are not updated in real time, they could be several months or years old. New construction may not appear on the maps and photos. Buildings and landscapes change and you will have to take that into consideration. Photos are taken during different seasons. Summer photos will appear very different from photos taken in the same area in the autumn after the leaves have fallen.

Different areas of the country have satellite photos taken at different resolutions. Generally, the more populated the area – the better the photo, and the closer that you will be able to zoom in and see detail. Many urban and suburban areas also now have Street View – a setting that lets you see buildings and landmark features as if you were standing on the ground in front of them.

This blog isn’t a tutorial on how to use Google maps. There is plenty of information on-line. Instead, we want to give you some specific tips on how to determine where your dog may be. The best way to learn how to use Google Maps is to dive in and try it. Enter the address where your dog went missing from. Practice changing from map to satellite (aerial photo) view, and zooming in and out.

Practice adding place markers for the following. Use different colors and symbols for:

Locations where your dog went missing from
Every sighting with a time and date
Areas flyered
Sign locations
Potential food sources
Potential hiding places
Potential routes that your dog is traveling

Switch to satellite view. Objects viewed from the air appear different from the ground. Practice somewhere you are familiar with. What do these things look like from the air?

Common landmarks:

A golf course:

A cemetery:

A shopping mall:

A mobile home park:

Vertical landmarks from the ground may not be easily apparent on a satellite photo. Watch for the shadows made by the objects. Vertical landmarks include:

Water towers
Power lines
Church steeples
Cell phone towers
Tall buildings
Doppler radar sites

A water tower in satellite imagery. It looks like a golf ball, but notice the shadow that it casts

Look for possible hiding places that lost dogs commonly use:

abandoned farms and homes
cemeteries
golf courses
parks near populated areas
industrial areas
run down neighborhoods
quiet suburban neighborhoods especially if they adjoin parks and trails

Look for possible routes of travel that lost dogs commonly use:

bike and hiking trails
fence lines and the edge of fields
logging roads
power lines
pipelines and cut lines
railroad tracks

Be aware that narrow roads, trails, and power lines may “disappear” in summer photos because of tree foliage. Railroad tracks are usually very apparent in photos because of the width of clearing around the track bed. Trees do not usually overhang train tracks.

Look for possiblefood sources:

restaurants and hotels
farms (cat food, corn and spilled grain)
convenience stores and grocery stores
campgrounds, picnic grounds, rest stops and parks
golf courses with food services
food processing plants
feed mills

Keep your Google map updated and share it via email link with the friends, family and volunteers that are helping you. Lost dogs will often fall into an habitual pattern, visiting the same food sources and using the same hiding places and routes of travel. Flyer these areas heavily to get more sightings. Place intersection signs strategically so that passersby will also be on the lookout for your dog.

You may realize that sightings that seemed impossible at first, really are possible when you view them from the air. Driving routes are often much longer than the routes that lost dogs will take. Using shortcuts, they can travel what appears to be a long distance in a short amount of time.

Advances in technology are giving us more and more tools in the toolbox of lost dog recovery. Using Google Maps can save you valuable time when recovering your lost dog.

A tutorial showing how to create a Google map and drop markers to help you organize an effective search for a dog created by Retrievers Volunteer Lost Dog Team: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQRfKf2gb4k