I apoligize for not posting in the last week but we had a long, sorrowful week. We lost a dog last Sunday afternoon and my concerns were elsewhere.
Moose hunting season is September 1st until the 15th. There are many hunters who think Two Rivers is an unpopulated hunting paradise. These people don’t realize that there are actually quite a few homes and cabins tucked back in the woods. So, these hunters will drive trucks and 4 wheelers all around our neighborhood like it is the back country – especially on a nice Sunday afternoon.
One of our dogs was walking with my mom, when my mom stepped into the little cabin on the driveway to change her shoes. The dog was playing in the field and probably ventured out the driveway. We think that perhaps one of these people picked up our dog at the end of our driveway because mom heard repetitive “honking” from a vehicle then ….. no dog. All of this happened in less than 5 minutes.
The next few days were filled with sorrow and heart ache – everyone felt to blame. Her collar with ID tag was laying right where I had taken it off earlier that day. Allen had driven past a truck leaving the neighborhood with dog kennels, but hadn’t looked in the kennels. Mom just couldn’t believe it all happened so fast.
Needles to say, we scoured the area and told EVERYONE. We made many huge signs (with bright orange paint) and posted them the night that she went missing. The next day we made more signs and placed them in and round Fairbanks. I, like most people, have friends with many different connections. I used every connection that I knew to get the word out. The “lost dog” information was soon on the local radio and TV stations.
On Tuesday evening, I got a phone call from a woman who said “Aliy, I am sure that I have your dog.” She and her husband had been fishing about 25 miles from our house. When they started back to their truck they saw a frightened dog in the ditch. It wouldn’t come to them, so she took out her dog and some food and coaxed it to come. She thought it looked like it had jumped out of a vehicle and was lost. So, she took it home. She had heard about our lost dog on the radio and called. Thank goodness….. it was our dog!
So, I am writing this post to talk about what we did wrong and what we did right. Perhaps we can all learn from it.
What we did wrong:
- always monitor a loose dog
- always keep a collar (with ID) on your dogs
- get a micro chip in every dog (not just race dogs)
- keep track of holidays or times when more people will be around (hunting season, 4th of July, long weekends)
What we did right:
- immediately tell everyone that you lost a dog – neighbors, post office, local stores
- contact animal control and the local Vet offices
- put an ad in the Newspaper “Lost & Found”
- put up large readable signs and posters
- get the info on the radio and tv as soon as possible
- put a large reward to get people’s attention
So…. now life is back to the normal chaos!
You gotta love those dogs! (You can’t help it.)
Collar with ID
Thank heavens the story had a happy ending. trying to figure out which one it was that got taken. Looked like Stormy with those soulful eyes.
This is awful news. I am very, very happy to hear that your dog has returned safely, but also very saddening news.
All 'this far to familiar..
My experience is that it's hard to protect yourself and your dogs against stuff like this.
I've got friends who use guardian dogs (read: Caucasian Ovtcharkas) to protect their kennels and roam when they casually walk/run their sled dogs.
What have it come to, really..
It's a bloody shame..
Thank you for sharing this story of the lost dog. How did it end? Have you found the lost dog? Where did you purchase the collar with the tag? That appears to be a nice tag/collar setup! Thanks for your reply. Dave in NC
Dave in NC again. I reread your post and read the paragraph I missed the first time! Great! You got your dog back! Still like that tag/collar setup. Where did you purchase the collar? Thanks! Have to read your posts carefully!
Tiggie!!!! So glad you are home where you belong… I just hope you're not "grounded for life"!
Does Aliy love her dogs? I can tell you first-hand that the difference between Tuesday and Wednesday was like night and day. Aliy had even tried to get past it by saying that Tig was "just a dog". Aliy, please don't play poker (except with me) because you absolutely stink at bluffing. I was so glad to see Tig, for myself but mostly for Aliy's sake.
Nothing more helpless feeling than a missing dog, great tips, glad Tig is home!! Can happen though especially with explorer types!
Like the tip on livestock guardians and it does work here
(Kuvasz, Anatolian and now Elkhound).