Dear Animal Care Colleague,

Thank you for all you are doing to help the animals in your care.  We appreciate the effort you put forth on a daily basis to help return lost pets to their owners and to adopt others into new families.

At Lost Dogs Illinois our mission is to reunite lost dogs with their owners.  We’d like to share some suggestions to help lost pets make it back home and hope by doing so the following practices will become standard in every animal care facility.  We feel we can all then work together even more effectively resulting in an increased likelihood that lost pets will ultimately be reunited with his or her family!

1. Scan every animal that is brought to your shelter for a microchip using “Best Microchip Procedures.”
2. Keep detailed records about where and when an animal was picked up and make this information available to the public.
3. Keep detailed records of calls your facility receives from people who have lost a pet.  Request that they send in pictures of their lost pets and show the photos to your staff members and volunteers immediately after you receive them.
4. Use an easily-accessed bulletin board where owners of lost pets are welcome to post their “lost pet” flyers.  Use a volunteer to maintain the board and have the volunteer call the owner identified on each flyer every week to see if the individual has found his or her pet.
5. Add links to your shelter’s website to reference articles and other sites that provide owners with reliable advice about how they can find their lost pets.
6. Post pictures of lost pets brought to your facility on your organization’s Facebook page and/or website.
7. Mention whether a dog that is adoptable or impounded was brought to your shelter as a surrender or a stray.
8. Have volunteers or staff members compare lost pet reports with the animals your facility is holding as strays to see if any match.
9. Scan every animal in your shelter one last time before allowing him or her to be adopted or euthanized.

Thank you for taking the time to review the above list.  And, again, thank you for your commitment to the animals in your shelter.  We know that without your efforts, very few lost pets would ever make it back to their respective homes or get a second chance with a loving family.  We are truly grateful for everything you do.  And we look forward to working with you and your facility for years to come.

Sincerely,

Lost Dogs Illinois

We called the woman and she began sobbing uncontrollably.  When she finally composed herself – we found out that she had lost her dog two years ago during a hurricane.  Within 24 hours she was on a plane and meeting one of our officers at Ohare International Airport – taking her dog home for the first time in 2 years.

How the dog ever got to IL we may never know – but it is likely that he was rescued at the time of the hurricane and, perhaps, lost in the shuffle of confusion and never scanned or the scanner that the rescue used did not pick up his particular microchip.

Here are some facts about microchips: there are multiple manufacturers of them and the chips are not all set to the same frequency.  There are 3 possible frequencies: 134.2 kHz, 125 kHz and 128 kHz.  There are also two types of scanners: forward scanners which only detect 134.2 kHz and Universal (forward-backward) scanners which will detect all frequencies.  Unfortunately, there is no regulation on what types of chips are used or what scanners are in operation so any scenario is possible.

The best thing to do is to get your pet an ISO standard chip, which is the 134.2 kHz, because that is readable by any of the scanners.  If your pet is already chipped with one of the other types of chips – you can have them re-chipped: the two chips will not interfere with one another and you have twice the protection that your pet’s chip will be detected.

Statistics which demonstrate the effectiveness of chipping: Out of 7700 strays 21.9% of unchipped dogs were returned to their owners while 52.2% of chipped dogs were returned.  Nearly double the percentages.  For cats, the numbers are astonishing!  1.8% of non-chipped cats were returned and 38.5% of the chipped cats were returned.

I assume that the cats’ number is influenced by how few probably had ID tags/collars but still the numbers only reinforce the importance of microchipping.  It truly can make the difference between getting your pet back or losing them forever.

In the study there were animals who were chipped but not returned to their owners and this was primarily because the information held by the chip company was inaccurate.  Meaning that either the animal was registered to the wrong person or facility or the information on file was no longer accurate for the current owner, ie: wrong phone number.

It is important to understand how chipping works… If you get your dog from a shelter, rescue or breeder – it is likely that they will be chipped.  However it is also likely that the information registered will be that of the rescue, shelter or breeder and not your own.  Often you will be given a new registration form or phone number to contact and change the information to your contact info but many people do not follow through on this step.

If you are like me – you might not even recall if you followed through or if all of your pets are microchipped so what can we do?

1)    Call and ask your vet or local shelter if they have a Universal scanner and then take your pet there to be scanned

2)    Once they scan your pet, they can tell you what company your pet’s chip is from and you can find out the frequency

3)    The ID number from the chip will allow you to check the accuracy of the information on file and if necessary you can make any changes

4)    If you find your pet is not chipped, you should request that your pet be chipped with the ISO standard chip with a frequency of 134.2 kHz to ensure that any scanner will be able to identify it.  You might have to shop around for this because vets, shelters and rescues all use different types of chips.

And while chipping is certainly a major factor in having your pet return home – the number one factor is having a collar with proper ID tags including your CURRENT contact information.  A cell phone number is far better than a home number for a few reasons: if you are traveling with your pet when they become lost – you can be reached and if you are out looking for your dog that means you are not sitting by the home phone.  It is also a good idea to have your pet’s CURRENT rabies tags on their collar.  This puts people at ease that your pet is up to date with vaccines and there is a number on the rabies tag that also identifies them with the local animal control.

If only our pets could talk – none of this would matter.  But, they can’t so it is our job to make sure people know who they are and where they live.  If only we could stop them from chasing squirrels or cars or wandering off – but their curiosity and unbridled passion for life is why we loved them in the first place.

For more information on the study and other FAQ’s:

http://www.avma.org/issues/microchipping/microchipping_faq.asp

By Becky Monroe – Guest Blogger for Lost Dogs Illinois

Check out Becky’s blog:  http://www.tailsandtruths.blogspot.com/

The beautiful Brinkles

Mark was calling from Montrose Dog Beach on Chicago’s North Side. Brinkles and their other dog, Charlie loved playing at the beach. Chicago Park District’s first legal off-leash beach, it is very popular and quite busy- especially in the mornings. Stephanie and Mark took them there weekly in the summer and at least monthly in the colder months.

That particular day, Charlie had escaped to the neighboring beach, restricted to people only (The dog beach is gated and fenced on two sides- the lake being the third. But there are ways for sneaky dogs to get out.) Mark chased after Charlie, assuming Brinkles was at his side.

Meanwhile, a woman named Eileen saw Brinkles hanging out near the gate, looking for a way out. She asked around to see if she belonged to anybody. The dog beach has a rule about dog owners remaining with and watching their dogs at all times, so she thought Brinkles may have been abandoned. Out of concern for her well-being, Eileen took her home to keep safe while she made efforts online to find an owner.

After wrangling Charlie, Mark came back to the beach area, getting ready to take the dogs home, when he noticed Brinkles was missing. He too talked to people nearby and they told him about a woman who left with the dog but they didn’t know her name or how to reach her. That’s when Mark called Stephanie and set a plan in motion to get her back as quickly as possible.

Mark raced to Stephanie’s work and they immediately went to the city pound- Chicago Animal Care and Control. On the way there, Stephanie used her phone to post an ad on Craigslist- a common place for lost and found dog ads. When they had no luck at the pound, they turned back home to brainstorm more methods of finding Brinkles. Stephanie got on the computer and had a message waiting from someone who saw her Craigslist ad. They didn’t have any information about their dog, but told her about Lost Dogs Illinois.

It had been three hours since Brinkles went missing when Stephanie filled out the Lost Dog Report on LDI and we posted it on our wall. Our fan network responded with a quickness; one of them referred her to the Montrose Dog Beach’s Facebook page. Sure enough, there was a picture of Brinkles that had been posted by Eileen. Stephanie and Mark were ecstatic.

The day after she went missing, Brinkles was home safe and sound with her parents and brother Charlie. Stephanie remembers, “She was thrilled to be home and went straight to her food bowl to chow down.” After that, the family cuddled on the couch all day.

If it weren’t for the network of kind strangers who went out of their way- Eileen, an unknown Good Samaritan on Craigslist, and a very clever LDI fan- who knows where Brinkles would be now. “Thank God for nice people,” says Stephanie. And to the LDI Facebook community, she has a special message: “Thank you all for your help in getting our girl home…you all are amazing!”

Immediately, Jill, Fred, and their daughter, Alexis frantically searched the neighborhood. One-year-old Rocky was shy and skittish, they didn’t imagine him getting very far. Zuess, the more outgoing of the two, would be more likely to approach people. Sure enough, about two hours into the neighborhood search, Jill and Alexis saw Zuess running happily alongside a garbage truck trying to get the garbage collectors’ attention. Relieved and optimistic, they ran to the spot where the driver said he spotted both dogs before Zuess began chasing them. Unfortunately, Rocky wasn’t still there.

The family continued the search for Rocky, giving out their phone numbers and a description of the dog to neighbors. “We talked to everyone that would listen,” said Jill. That night she posted ads on Lost Dogs Illinois and Craigslist. The family printed flyers and hung them miles away: at golf courses, at parks, and walls of buildings. They went to the local pound and checked back every single day after that.

Right away, they started getting phone calls, and so began a wild goose chase. Someone called from 4 miles away, but when Jill raced there she couldn’t find Rocky. The Grovers followed up on every tip, each time ending in defeat. Jill said if they weren’t at work, they were searching for their missing family member.

One week turned into three and the family was exhausted. One particularly devastating night, Jill received a phone call at 10:30 pm from someone who said they saw Rocky on the interstate. Terrified and dreading the worst, they raced to the location and drove up and down the surrounding roads, still, no sign of Rocky. Yet somehow the Grovers still didn’t give up hope.

After so many unsuccessful tips, Jill thought to reach out to the local media. She wrote an email to Springfield’s State Journal-Register telling her harrowing tale of the search for Rocky. Like most newspapers, the SJ-R told Jill they couldn’t publish her story as an article. The sad truth is that there are so many missing dogs, the task of running such stories would be overwhelming (which is why Lost Dogs Illinois is here!). They did, however, post a notice  in their Pet Zone section, notifying readers that they could use the Pet Zone Facebook page as a place to advertise lost and found dogs.

Things started to gain momentum one Friday when Fred received a call from a woman named Meg who said she had seen Rocky in the woods on her property, five miles from the Grovers’ home. She said that every morning a big white dog came out to play with her dog. Meg saw Rocky’s picture on Lost Dogs Illinois and then on Pet Zone, and called the phone number listed. She texted them pictures she took of Rocky on his morning visits. Finally seeing a picture of Rocky alive and well, the Grovers were elated.

As soon as Jill got off work, she raced to Meg’s home. She searched the three-and-a-half acres to no avail. Fred came out later with Zuess to use him as a lure, but that didn’t work. Fred decided they weren’t going to capture Rocky without a cage. They went home and rigged one with boards and wire that would trigger and trap Rocky if he walked in. At dusk, they went back to the woods to set it up, baiting the trap with toys and a blanket from home as well as food. It started to rain, and before they turned to leave, Jill saw Rocky in the distance. She knew this method was going to work.

Saturday morning Jill and Fred drove back to the woods to check the trap, and sadly, Rocky wasn’t in it. It had been almost four weeks since losing him and this was the closest they’d been, so there was no way they would stop trying. They checked in on the trap periodically all weekend. Finally, at 8am Sunday morning Meg called to deliver the news they had been so desperately waiting for. They caught Rocky in the cage. “Like a crazy person, I drive out there and sure enough, there was my Rocky!” remembers Jill. “[He] was soaked to the bone, dirty, and a mess, but very happy to see his mommy.”

The Grovers immediately took the much skinnier dog to the family vet. He had lost 20 lbs, had sores on his paws and was covered in ticks; all expected from a month in the wild. He is now on medications and his progress will continue to be followed by the vet. With time and much-needed attention from his family, they expect a full recovery. Rocky is finally reunited with his brother Zuess and bathed back to his bright white coat.

All throughout the month-long emotional rollercoaster, the Grovers never ever stopped trying to find Rocky. The long days and nights were worth it and their hard work paid off. Jill is very happy to report, “We are a happy family again!”

Marion County Animal Control

Microchip Day, Friday, 05/04/12

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm while supplies last.

We have lowered our fee to $15.00 per animal including registration for this event.

Marion County Animal Control

1316 1/2 Van Buren

Marion, IL 62959

It’s all about saving lives, one by one!!!

We are the City of Marion Animal Control Shelter. Thank you!!

www.marionanimalshelter.com

www.facebook.com/marionanimalshelter2011

You are tempted to run out of the door and call her to you, but you resist that temptation when you see her run from the neighbor’s children…children Snickers has always loved playing with. What if she runs from you, too? Could she have forgotten the family, the community that loves her after only three days? Now what?

Well, if your dog is lost and you see her, you are 100% right to pause, collect yourself, and, above all, calm yourself down. You’ll be excited to see your dog, of course, but your dog may be equally anxious to protect herself from what she perceives to be threats, including you. And, she may run as far away from you as possible.

If she does, make sure you are prepared for the next time you see your pet. Load your car with non-perishable goodies and toys she normally enjoys so you can use them to lure your dog to you the next time you see her. Make sure you have enough goodies…it may take quite a few treats to convince your dog to come to you. Make sure you always have a leash at your disposal and a spare collar as well in case your dog has lost hers during her travels.
When you arrive at the scene of where your dog was most recently seen, remain calm…and quiet. Don’t honk your car’s horn, slam its doors, or start yelling your dog’s name. Simply arrive and let your dog get used to you being in the vicinity of her. Talk to her quietly, using words and phrases that remind her of the comfort and happiness you’ve given her throughout her life. Say things like, “Wanna go for a walk?” Or, “It’s dinnertime!”

Remember to be patient as you literally inch closer and closer to your dog and pay close attention to the clues your pet is giving you about your approach. If your dog braces as if she’s preparing to run away, stop moving and lower yourself to the ground. When your dog is calm again, try to get a bit closer to her by walking slowly in a sideways direction with your arms at your sides. Use your lips to smile, not your teeth, so your dog doesn’t think you are growling at her. Also, don’t look directly at your dog or stare at her as a predator would.

As you are getting close enough to your dog to use the treats you brought to lure her to you, assume a submissive position by getting as close to the ground as possible as you continue your advance – consider crawling, if necessary. By doing this and using positive tones when you speak to your pet, you will demonstrate that you are not a threat to her well-being. When you’re within throwing distance, your pet will be able to see and smell the food you’ve brought for her.

Gently and slowly toss some treats off to the side of your dog without hitting her. Hold your eyes closed and move your head down and off to the side to show your dog that you are not going to challenge her for the food. Do this repeatedly until your dog is comfortable with your proximity to her.

When your dog has finished the first round of treats, throw a few more, but make sure they land farther from her and closer to you. Give your dog praise with every step she takes closer to you, even if it’s only to get some food. Pretend you are eating some of the treats you still have at the ready, too. Lick your lips and tell your dog how good the treats are…and ask her if she wants some more.

When your dog is finally close enough to you for you to grab, you will have to make a choice about how to secure your pet. You can offer more treats in one hand while attaching a leash to your dog’s collar with your other one. Or, you can grab your pet’s collar, quickly taking in any slack. Or, you can rub your dog’s muzzle while attaching her leash to her collar.

If your dog’s collar is no longer around her neck, put the end of her leash through the wrist loop at the top, and loop the end of the leach around your wrist several times while holding it securely in your hand. The leash will act as a slip lead and tighten once it’s around your dog’s neck.

If you’re dog hasn’t been seen, but you know where your dog is likely to be while she is lost, find a spot in the vicinity where you can wait with some treats and her favorite toys. When you hear your dog coming, put out some treats that will lead her to you.

If you have people who are helping you find your dog, make sure they don’t distract her while you are trying to lure her to you. Your dog should be focused on you and you alone. Instruct your helpers to assume discreet positions that will enable them to see where your dog was going in case she runs away from you. Make sure you give your friends and family members enough treats for them to try to lure your pet to them in case she gets close enough to their positions.

If a dog is new to your family, whether you’ve just taken in a foster or adopted an unfamiliar dog, help your new pet to start trusting you and to learn your unique scent by putting food and water out in the same location every single day she is lost. Talk to the dog, address her by name even if it’s a new one. Try to bond with your dog even if you can’t see her. If you are consistent with your efforts, it’s likely your dog will eventually get close enough to you for you to bring her back to the home she may only be seeing for the first time!

LDI volunteers are small in numbers but strong in commitment. They keep LDI’s page running smoothly, answer questions, monitors Craigs list, follow up, share in the joy and sadness on this page and work as a team to help reunite dogs with their families. LDI volunteers are part of the growing dog advocacy community of Illinois who want to get lost dogs home! Thank you! st

Your dog will run from you instead of to you because your dog will be in survival mode, not because he or she doesn’t love you.  You see, after three or four days on the loose, a dog’s priorities start to change.  A dog will reorder what’s important to the following sequence:  1. Predators, including you, 2. Shelter, 3. Water, and 4. Food.  A dog, therefore, will do whatever is necessary to avoid predators while pursuing the remaining items on his or her list of priorities.

It’s your pet’s ability to shift mental gears into survival mode that increases the chances that your pet will be returned to you.  This ability is also what makes it likely that your dog will view you and anyone else looking for him or her as a predator, or a potential threat.

That is why it is critical for you and everyone else trying to find your dog to refrain from yelling during your search.  It’s great when enthusiastic people rally and join together to find a lost dog.  But people, together as a group or alone, are terrifying to a lost pet…and the last thing a scared dog will be tempted to approach is a person, even if that person is the dog’s loving owner.

That is also why it is critical for you to remember to LURE a lost dog to your side…

Champ was lost for 167 days! He is home now! Make sure you read his story!

So far, 2012 has been busy for Lost Dogs Illinois and Lost Dogs of Wisconsin!

As of today, the two organizations have already reunited 423 dogs with their families this year!  Luckily, 393 families welcomed home happy, healthy pets!  Although 30 other families received the unfortunate news that their dogs did not survive their time on the loose, they at least were made aware of their pets’ fates and were able to take some comfort in having closure.

Of course, not a single one of the 423 dogs that have been returned to their owners since January 1, 2012, would have made it back home without each and every one of the 18,189 people who are fans of Lost Dogs Illinois and Lost Dogs of Wisconsin on Facebook.

Both individually and together, our fans are returning pets to the families that love them and, as a result, are also reducing the number of “strays” in shelters in both Wisconsin and Illinois.  And this, of course, has the added benefit of saving tens-of-thousands-of-dollars for the cities and towns spread across both states.  Great job, fans!  Thank you!

One of the 423 dogs that has been returned this year thanks to your efforts is a dog named, Champ.  Champ was missing from his home for six weeks before he was spotted on an island by some attentive factory workers.  After luring Champ off the island with a few cookies, the workers sent Champ to the Chicagoland Shepherd Rescue in Chicago where he was cared for and loved for four months…until a volunteer named, Mary, saw him.

Describing Champ as “the happiest dog” at the Chicagoland Shepherd Rescue, Mary recognized Champ instantly from the picture Lost Dogs Illinois had of him on its Facebook page.  Because of Mary’s commitment to reviewing LDI’s Facebook page regularly and her involvement in “the dog business,” Champ was reunited with his family after being away from home for a total of 167 days!

That’s when Champ’s owners figured out that their dog had swum more than 20 miles away from his Shorewood, IL, home before those factory workers rescued him from that island in Aurora!  That’s when they really appreciated the effort and attention to detail that people invested in getting Champ back in their loving arms.  That’s when they realized no one, not a single Facebook fan, gave up hope that Champ would be reunited with his family.

And, that’s when what we already knew was reaffirmed – no matter where you are located and no matter where a dog is reported as missing or found, it is because of your keen eyes and persistence that LDW and LDI are able to successfully get dogs back to their homes.  Not a single one of our fans is too far away to help us reunite pets with their families…and we’re glad all of you, including Mary, know it!

Reading is a great way to educate yourself on lost dog search techniques!

When your dog goes missing, a lot of emotions kick in.  Panic evolves from not knowing what to do next, from not knowing exactly what to do to find your dog.  Fear erupts from the unknown, from not knowing what your dog is going through without you.  Sadness wells up from the thought that you may never see your dog again, from the possibility that this may be “it.”  Guilt seeps into your thoughts from our cultural tendency to judge everyone and everything around us, from you judging yourself as the worst dog owner ever.

And, finally, anxiety sets in and consumes, overwhelms your already overloaded mind.

So, what do you do when so many emotions are fighting to rise to the surface of your consciousness?  What do you do when this emotional battle immobilizes you when all you want to do is get out there and find your dog?  What do you do when you simply just don’t know what to do?

Well, all of us at Lost Dogs Illinois know what you’re going through.  Not only have many of us temporarily lost our own dogs, we also spend time helping other dog owners reunite with their lost dogs every single day of every single year.  If we haven’t asked ourselves the questions you’re asking yourself now, we’ve heard countless worried dog owners ask them of us and themselves.

And, we can tell you that the best thing you can do while your dog is on the loose is to take care of yourself.  If you are not eating, drinking water, and getting enough sleep, for instance, you may not have the stamina you’ll need to continue looking for your dog…and you may not find your lost pet as a result.  So, the number one thing you can do to ensure your dog’s safe return is – take care of yourself!

And then…start reading.  The better educated you are about lost dog search techniques, the better prepared you will be when you receive a call from someone who saw your dog, but was unable to corral your pet.  And, you’ll need to be prepared for that call.

Of course, we are always available to answer any questions you may have, but, just like we did, you can learn a lot about how you can help your dog while your pet is missing by reading.  So, we’ve compiled the following list of material that you can access on the internet that discusses what you can do while your dog is missing.

We’d be thrilled if you took some time to review the material and shared the list with every pet owner you know because knowledge is power…and it can’t hurt to be empowered before a dog becomes lost.

So, if you feel like you don’t know what to do to find your lost dog, consult our list of the best reading material available on the web.  It will serve you well as your “What Else Can I Do List!”

Missing Pet Partnership website

Lost Dog Search website

Lost Dogs Recovery Lessons Learned Blog

Oliver Alert website

Get The Word Out website

Realizing Blackie was a lost pet, the family started to leave food for Blackie to enjoy each night during his visits. And, each night, the family moved the food they left for Blackie a bit deeper into their yard, a bit closer to a storage shed at the edge of their property line. Finally, the family left Blackie’s dinner at the entrance to the shed. Blackie was too happy to take the “bait” and soon found himself secured in the family’s shed…and then, in their house!

Blackie was missing from his adopted family’s home for 147 days before being reunited with his owners on February 25, 2012. His adopted owners told us, “We are so happy to have him home!” And all of us are happy he’s home with you, too!

Welcome home Blackie! And, thank you to Blackie’s second family, his rescuers!

Because all of us really are like neighbors, we are doing our best to keep you up-to-date with news that impacts our community.  And we want you to know that the latest news is the following:  Lost Dogs Illinois has a Pinterest page!  Just click here if you want to check it out…and we hope you do!

We also want to remind you that Lost Dogs Illinois uses Twitter to help bring dogs home, too.  In fact, we use Twitter as if it were an Amber Alert for Lost Dogs.  If Trixie, a Maltese, gets separated from her owners as they stroll through the park where you just brought your kids to play, for instance, you’ll know to keep an eye out for Trixie if you happen to check Twitter during your time at the park.

Twitter is proving to be an invaluable resource in our effort to reunite lost dogs with their owners because of its speed.  It really is THAT fast.  And, it can bring our community together in an instant whenever a dog is lost or found.

Remember to check back here to stay informed about anything and everything that’s happening in our community, neighbors!  And, remember to keep a look out for any dog that is off-leash because, as we all know, the dog just might be someone’s lost pet!

Bossy is home!

I just wanted to take a minute to say thank you to everyone involved with getting our dog, Bossy, back home.  Rose, Jeremy, Joey, and I remain grateful for everything everyone did to reunite Bossy with us after he was on the loose for two days in not-so-good weather.  Thank you to the woman who picked Bossy up and brought him to the MG Animal Hospital!  We’re still waiting to hear from you, by the way, so we can express our sincere appreciation to you personally.

It’s because of the efforts put forth by the kind-hearted stranger mentioned above, Jilzee, the staff at MG Animal Hospital, and the volunteers at Lost Dogs Illinois that Bossy is sitting here beside me as I’m typing this.  The flyers that were dispersed enabled the people at the MG Animal Hospital to recognize Bossy the instant he was dropped off at their facility.  Because of information included in the flyers, they also knew to scan him for a microchip and…

BINGO!  Moments later, my wife received the best phone call we could have hoped for!  Bossy was found alive, well…and waiting for us to pick him up!  I cannot express how glad I am that we had Bossy micro-chipped.  And, after this experience, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for every pet owner to have their pets micro-chipped.

Thank you all, again!  We love and appreciate each of you!  Bossy does, too!

Whether your dog loves kids or goes into a barking frenzy when they hear “Trick or Treat”, it is a good idea to keep a barrier between the little ghosts and princesses and your pet. Some of the kids who are not exposed to dogs at home, may not understand that your dog’s tail wagging enthusiasm is more about the opportunity to make new friends, than to frighten. A baby gate across the door as you hand out treats, can help keep a comfortable distance between the little ghouls and your pet.

“He always comes when called.”

“He never chases after squirrels.” (or birds or deer, etc)

“She could never squeeze through that small hole in the fence.”

” My dog is not afraid of fireworks.”

The list could go on.  No one expects a dog to go missing, but they do..every day. Don’t make assumptions, take precautions.cmh

Nose to the Ground to Help the Hounds
Romeoville Humane Society
Save-A-Pet
Lost Paws Finder
Illinois Valley Animal Rescue
Making a Difference Rescue
Patrick Movement Illinois
Joliet Township Animal Control
McHenry County Animal Control & Adoption Center
Fido Lost & Found
Midwest Shiba Inu Rescue
CACC Rescue
Great Lakes Border Collie Rescue
Angels On Wheels Animal Rescue

We know that there are fans out there that work with other shelters/rescues.  If we missed you, our apologies.  Please send us a note.  We would love to recognize your efforts.

Starting September 6th, Docks Bar & Grill invites you to “Dine with your Dog” (sponsored by Natures Select) on Tuesdays after 5pm on their beautiful outdoor deck overlooking Bang’s Lake.

For more information, please contact them at 847-526-3625.

Thanks again!
Elissa”

This year, Basset Buddies Rescue, Inc., an all-volunteer 501 (c) (3) non-profit dedicated to the re-homing and rescue of Basset Hounds will be Rockin’ at the 11th Annual BassetFest!

Saturday, August 27 ~ 10:00am – 8:00pm
Sunday, August 28 ~ 8:00am – 12:00pm

K9-Obedience Training Club
N56 W20326 Silver Spring Rd.
Menomonee Falls, WI

Please help spread the word about BassetFest 2011 by printing out one of the 2 flyers: full page flyer or 4-to-a-page flyer and distributing it to your family, friends, co-workers and please post this flyer in your local businesses and pet stores.

Click Here for registration and more information.

Use a martingale collar to prevent your dog from slipping out of his/her collar. For added security (shy/timid dogs), use the martingale with a front ring harness. You can also use carabineer, coupler or two leashes if the harness and coupler cannot be attached together with the leash alone. Make sure both the harness and collar have ID tags.

Click Here for more information or to sign up!

When there is a sighting of your dog – immediately go to the location and put down one container of food. Don’t call the dog or approach it (if you see it). Put the container down and leave. Check the container in a few hours or the next day. If the food is gone, this is a good location for a trail camera and a trap. If you don’t have a trail camera, sprinkle sand, fireplace ash or cornstarch around the food source; check the prints in the substance to see if it is a dog who is eating the food.

If you have moved, make sure to update contact information w/the microchip company.

• Take your dog for a walk or to the dog park before the fireworks start. This allows your dog to exercise, release pent up energy and go “potty”.
• Keep dogs indoors. They may even feel safer if they are placed in a smaller interior room. Give your dog an interactive toy like tasty treat filled Kong.
• Close your windows. Dogs can try and get out of the house by pushing out the screen. Turn the air conditioning or radio on.
• Make sure your dog has a license and an identification tag on a properly fitted buckled or martingale collar and is microchipped.
• If your dog is shy and/or fearful, walk the dog with collar and a harness, clipped together or with two separate leashes.
• During this time of festivities and fireworks, do not let your dogs out alone even in a fenced yard. Keep a leash on your dog – dogs have been known to scale fences to get away from the noise.
• Most importantly, please do NOT take your dogs to the fireworks celebration!

• Check collar & leash for wear & tear – replace worn and weak

• Examine your pets ID/license/rabies tags and ensure they are readable and the information is still current

• At your pet’s spring checkup have the microchip scanned to make sure it is working properly

• If you’ve moved make sure to update contact information with the microchip company. (may be a nominal fee)

• Check your fence and repair for any winter damage

• Check your window screens – If weak, replace w/pet screening

• Check screening and latches on screen doors

Prepare a Lost Pet Packet and keep it handy:

Photos and detailed description of your dog.

Nearest animal control facility address and phone number.

Rabies vaccination certificate, license number, microchip number and the company’s contact information.

Be Aware & Be Prepared – Don’t Allow your Dog to become a Lost Dog Statistic!

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