The Breezy Process (AN ARSENAL OF INFORMATION FOR DAY 1 OF YOUR LOST PET SEARCH)
PREFACE In 2007, Breezy was a friend’s dog. I had Morgan, my Golden Retriever, who was responsible for my involvement with the Golden Retriever Rescue, SEVA GRREAT. In 2008, Morgan passed a few months after I moved into my current house which, ironically, has a big fenced yard. I decided not to get another dog right away. God knew what was in store. Two years later, my friend had to move out of state and was unable to take Breezy. I was asked to find her a good home. Right. I knew the minute she came in the door that she had found that home! Breezy went with me in the car to Care A Lot, lots of trips to the vet, and sometimes just to tag along on a quick trip to the store. We bonded quickly. We went for walks at the Noland Trail, around the neighborhood, and on the beach. She even went to Florida with us for 6 weeks and went to the beaches of Daytona! She was a great traveler. I could write a book just on Breezy’s quirky personality and how she made me laugh, but this isn’t the time for that. I promise to write that story later. Breezy had escaped several times in her younger days before coming to me. She was an escapee when my friend adopted her. Soon the day came for her first escape on my watch. We combed the neighborhood in the car and on foot. Exhausted, I came home and opened the back gate and went into the house for something. When I went back out, she was tired and worn out and walking through the gate! She escaped once in Florida when we put her in the house and didn’t realize the side door was open! Immediately, the word was out and a search party of all the retired neighbors found her in about 30 minutes. She was younger then and ran faster. I’ve always tried to walk her as much as possible, weather permitting, so she wouldn’t get bored and be content to stay in the yard. There were several occasions where I would get a phone call from someone asking if I had a husky named Breezy. “Yes, I do, and why are you asking?” I would reply. “Well, she’s over here in my driveway.” I would get the address, grab her leash, and go pick her up. She was never more than a block or two away on our regular walking path. The average number of escapes was not even twice a year and never major — until last fall.
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The Breezy Process (AN ARSENAL OF INFORMATION FOR DAY 1 OF YOUR LOST PET SEARCH)
Breezy has had cataracts all the time she has been with me. They started getting progressively worse until finally, last April, she was suddenly bumping into parked cars and trash cans on our walk. She was blind! She navigated the house and yard like a pro, and did pretty well in public. We still went for walks but she was content in her yard. Then, in October 2016, a hurricane knocked down a tree in the back corner of the yard where she would go potty. It also took out a good portion of the deck, at least a dozen sections of fence, and obstructed the whole side of the yard. She was good through all of this and we were able to piece the fence together well enough to keep her contained for a few weeks until the tree was removed and repairs could start. I managed to keep her inside when work was being done. It was after the fence was repaired that she escaped. A gate had been left ajar by accident and she capitalized on it. I grabbed the leash and started walking our usual route. No Breezy. I came back and got the car and drove around. I was frantic. She was blind and loose for the first time. After a couple of hours of looking, I came home and made my first poster. We posted them all over the neighborhood. We stopped and talked to people we saw on the street and they helped pass the word. As it got closer to dark, I thought – FACEBOOK. I got busy on the computer and found some lost dog pages and posted her notice. I shared with friends. I called Animal Control as one page suggested. Exhausted, I cried and fell asleep on the sofa. Then at 10:30 p.m. the phone rang. It was our neighbor’s daughter. She was coming home and saw some people around a dog trying to read its tags. She recognized Breezy and walked her home five or six blocks. Breezy was happy and wagging her tail. She had been gone about 10 hours. She was probably sleeping under a bush the whole time. Time runs together, but over the next 4 weeks she got out two more times. One time wasn’t for long. An acquaintance spotted Breezy on her morning walk and escorted her home. We didn’t even know Breezy was out! Thanksgiving eve she was missing again when I went to bring her in at bedtime. About all I could do at that hour was post her on FB and call Animal Control. I got my flyers ready to post when I got up the next morning. Just as I was headed out the door, a pickup truck pulled up in front of the house. There was Breezy in the front seat looking so proud of herself! A guy a block away had spotted her as he was leaving for work. These were definitely wake-up calls. How many times can you get lucky? Page 3
The Breezy Process (AN ARSENAL OF INFORMATION FOR DAY 1 OF YOUR LOST PET SEARCH)
BEFORE YOUR DOG GOES MISSING First and foremost, the thing to do before this ever happens is to get the dog micro chipped. Better to be safe than sorry. The first thing Animal Control, a shelter, or veterinary facility will do is check for a chip. Should your pet’s collar and/or harness be removed or his tags lost, being chipped is also a sign of ownership and care that will buy a few extra days at the shelter before being put up for adoption. The down-side to a chip is it requires a special reader AND for the finder to do the responsible thing and take the pet to someone that has a reader. One more thing, if you move or your contact information changes for any reason, notify the chip company! You might want to consider a tattoo ID instead of a micro chip. It is permanent, it can be registered, and, it is visible. No scanner required. Check with your veterinarian regarding either choice. The simplest form of identification is something anyone can see and read easily – collar and tags. Be sure you have proper ID tags attached to the collar. If the dog also wears a harness, put a tag on it, too, just in case one or the other is lost. If traveling to a friend or relative’s home for some period of time, get a new ID tag that says “visiting … address / your phone.” Also, put the rabies tag on the collar. It is registered and the vet can be located this way. The biggest drawback to this method of identification is it can be lost or removed. You can get your pet’s name and phone number printed or stitched on a collar, but it can still be removed. Buy a harness that has glow-in-the-dark stitching and tags that reflect in the dark, in case the pet is ever missing at night. If you have a special needs dog (deaf, blind), special collars can be purchased that notifies people of these handicaps. If your dog is an “escape artist,” several companies make a GPS tracking device that attaches to the pet’s collar. You can set perimeters of the yard using this device, and receive an alert on your Smartphone the second your pet crosses that line. You can then track his signal, see where he is going, and find him quickly. Down-side: Batteries can die and the device could get lost or be removed. Very basic – know your pet’s paw print! If you find prints in the snow or mud, would you know if they were your dog’s? Plaster of Paris keepsake kits can be purchased in hobby stores to make a paw Page 5
The Breezy Process (AN ARSENAL OF INFORMATION FOR DAY 1 OF YOUR LOST PET SEARCH)
POSTERS
If you have several people helping you, have someone start making a poster. Use a
large, clear picture of the pet, preferably with no one else in it. Crop the picture to remove excess background. Put LOST DOG (or cat) at the top with the pet’s name. Include date missing and the main intersection near where your pet was last seen. And, don’t forget, your phone number. If you choose to offer a reward, just put REWARD OFFERED. Don’t give an amount. Add any pertinent information such as description of collar, harness, health, and medications. Buy a cheap package of plastic sheet protectors and insert the posters with the open side down. This will protect your posters in snow or rain. My posters didn’t start fading for 4 months!
DISTRIBUTION
As soon as the first printing of posters is made, start posting them on telephone
poles using four staples, one in each corner. Place them at about your shoulder level so they can be seen when cars come to a stop at intersections. You can tape a poster to a larger colored poster board at strategic places such as entrances to neighborhoods to attract attention. Drive around the neighborhood again to check visibility of posters and add more if necessary. Hand out flyers to people you see in their yards or walking. It is even a good idea to go door to door on your street. Tape a poster to the inside window of your car behind the driver’s seat. It sparks conversation everywhere you go. Spread the word! Carry some extras with you.
CALLS
As soon as you can, call Animal Control to put them on the alert. If they find your dog,
they will likely return it directly to you. Call your local shelter. Call your vet.
YOUR YARD
If you have a fenced yard, leave the gate open so your pet can come in. In the
evening, leave a bowl of water, some stinky food, a piece of your clothing (for scent), and some treats in case your pet finds his way home. Check the yard frequently at night. Animals are more active at sunrise, sunset and at night.
Don’t relax just yet. You need to sit down in front of Facebook. Post your pet’s
poster and information first on your TIMELINE. Make it public then share with ALL of your friends. Start adding more friends and accept new friend requests. Add more pictures of your pets with your updates. Post the same item on all the local lost and found pet pages. Don’t forget to follow each
post so you will get notifications anytime someone posts a comment to it. If you are in Hampton Roads, VA, the first post should be to Gina Highland’s Lost and Found Pets of Hampton Roads. Page 8
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More people follow this page and respond to posts with helpful hints and possible sightings. Gina is very passionate about finding and caring for lost pets. Get her on your team! Keep a list of the pages on which you have posted. At the end of this chapter, I will include a list of pages to be sure to visit.
FOLLOW -UP
Check back to pages where you posted and like or react to comments made
and comment on the posts of others. Do this several times every day.
INTERNET SERVICES
If your pet is chipped, go to the chip provider’ s website and log you pet
as missing. Go to www.Homeagain.com to register him. Pet must be microchipped to register, any chip provider. Check out offers on sites such as PawBoost.com and FindToTo.com. Both of these sites require fees for their services but they could tip the scales in your favor by reaching people you can’t and do it quicker. They are in action within an hour or two of you posting your information. PawBoost will notify all vets and shelters in the area ASAP. Check their list of vets and update as necessary. They blast the internet/Facebook with your post. I was amazed at the 23,000+ views in 4 days. Cost for 2 days is about $25. FindToTo also includes phone calls, Google pop-up ads, and tweets to the package. Don’t be turned off by their advertised prices. Inquire about variations, especially if you already have a strong Internet presence. They can also adjust the area and density of the calls. Tell them what you have done and what you feel you need including the targeted area and what your budget is. They will make an offer. If you feel you want a larger area, ask how much another $25 will get. Phone calls will reach some people that don’t use Facebook or have Internet. Join NextDoor.com. This is a local neighborhood site where you can post your poster and story with your neighbors and surrounding neighborhoods. You will get messages in your email when someone responds. These people are not necessarily on Facebook. I know, not everyone likes CraigsList but you need to post there, too. Check all dogs, lost, found, for sale daily. Use the gallery view. You can get your friends to help look, too. Don’t forget to renew your post when it expires. Page 9
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OTHER MEDIA
Consider posting an ad in your local newspaper. Social media and the com-
puter are very important tools but not everyone has or uses them. Try to get an announcement on local TV and radio if possible. DAY 2 AND AFTER If you pet is still missing, it is time to visit your local shelter. This will be a daily (or more frequently) trip and only you can search the shelter. No one is more concerned than you. Your presence will show the shelter employees how much you care. This will keep you and your dog front and foremost in their minds. Share progress and things you have done. Take your flyer with you on your first trip. Take a sheet protector, too. When you fill out the report, give them the flyers and sleeve to hold both back to back. It will be easy to spot in their notebook each time you visit! Learn their hours and find out the holding periods for stray pets. As your pet is missing longer and longer, you won’t be able to go every day but do go at least every 5 to 7 days. Accept help from others! If someone offers to help post flyers or search or anything, just say YES! Even if it is only for an hour, it frees you up for something else. There is much to be done and can be very difficult for just one person, especially if you work. Take a bunch of flyers to your local Post Office! Ask them if you can put one in the lobby and if they would mind handing them out to the carriers so they can keep a look out on their routes. My Post Office was more than happy to help. This covers the whole Zip Code! Walk and drive the neighborhood and places sighted at different times of the day. Appoint volunteers to take your pet’s poster and story to other shelters, vet offices, and emergency vets. Visit all local shelters and Humane Societies and take flyers with you. Tell them your story and ask them to keep watch for your pet. Visit parks and museums nearby and ask that they inform their grounds people to be on the lookout. Later you can follow up with each place by utilizing Facebook ’ s Message Button. Use “copy/paste” to send the same message to each one without having to type it each time. If a vet doesn’t have a
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Facebook page or there is no message button, give them a call. Follow up every month you pet continues to be missing. Take flyers to local stores including restaurants. If there is no place to post them to the public, at least ask them to post in the employees’ lounge. Take a poster to your local pet stores and groomers. Post flyers in rental offices. Hand out flyers to contractors and city workers you pass and ask them to help. Post flyers on the bulletin board at local flea markets and take them to junk yards. Cover surrounding cities and counties as well. Someone could have picked up your pet and carried them home to another town. They may take it to their vet or even turn it in to their local shelter. Check with vets and shelters in nearby areas. Don’t clean house just yet. You want your pet’ s scent to be strong in case you can find someone has a tracker dog or hunting dog to follow your dog’s scent before it gets too old. DAILY CHORES Each morning, set up your browser with the following tabs: email, Facebook, NextDoor. Widen your support /help group of family and friends and volunteers. Assign different tasks to different people or teams. You can't do everything yourself. Anyone can post flyers for you. I found it best for me to be at the "command center" to manage posts and leads and direction. There are some things that only you can do. Set up a group address in Messenger to keep your team up to date. Organize searches and follow leads. Check all the Facebook pages where you posted and give an update daily if possible. I would make a post on Gina’s page then copy the text and paste it on each of my major posts including Next Door so that everyone is informed and encouraged to keep looking. Remember to share other's lost and found notices and “like” posts and comments. Like every reply you get to your posts. It keeps you current and passionate. It may be hard some days but it will also help keep you focused. Keep in contact with Animal Control every few days. Befriend the officers and maybe you can get an email address. When you have any new information to indicate where you pet might be, don’t forget to update Animal Control with any leads. Page 11
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FACEBOOK PAGES TO POST Lost & Found Pets of Hampton Roads (Gina Highfield’s group) Lost & Found Dogs - Hampton Roads Lost & Found Dogs, Cats and Other Pets of Newport News, VA (PawBoost FB page) Lost & Found Pets of Newport News (PawBoost FB page) Lost & Found Dogs - Hampton Roads, VA Lost & Found Dogs – VA Helping Lost Pets Unite 2 Reunite - U2R United States Lost And Found Pets (cross posting) Lost Dogs Virginia (populated by Dogs Helping Dogs.com) Trash and Treasure / Yard Sale Group Pages Breed-Specific Groups/ Pages Neighborhood Groups/ Pages
INTERNET SITES NextDoor.com PawBoost.com (fee) FindToTo.com (fee) HomeAgain.com HelpingLostPets.com CraigsList.com DogsFinidngDogs.com (tracker dogs available in MD) PureGoldPettrackers.net MissingPetPartnership.org/recoverytips.php
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SEARCHES, TRAPS, AND FEEDING STATIONS As I sit here tonight pouring over my notes and memories, I wonder where I should start. I think I should start with what is one’s first inclination when they go looking for their lost dog … calling its name loudly as they drive around or walk through the woods or fields. That is probably not the best thing to do. Here is why. SURVIVAL MODE
If a dog is disoriented, lost or confused in unfamiliar surroundings with
unfamiliar smells and sounds, it will be frightened and may go in to “survival mode.” In other words, they start to rely on their natural instincts, becoming “wild.” This may happen quickly or over a period of days or weeks depending on the nature of the dog and the particular situation. In this state, they will not recognize familiar people, places, or voices. Yelling their name, walking toward them, and flashing lights could actually cause them to retreat even more. The dog will be frightened and turn its attention solely to avoiding predators and finding food, water, and shelter. The sense of smell, not sight or sound, will be their guide. It’s your dog’s ability to shift mental gears into survival mode that increases the chances that your dog will be returned to you. This ability is also what makes it likely that your dog will view you and anyone else looking for it as a predator, or a potential threat. This is why it is critical for you and everyone else trying to find your dog to refrain from yelling or approaching your dog 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. The last thing a frightened dog will be tempted to approach is a person, even if that person is the dog’s loving owner You will see the phrase “do not chase” on lost dog posters. This is why. It will only frighten them more, driving them away from you, and it may cause them to run into oncoming traffic THINGS TO DO
If there is another pet in the family, especially a dog, it is a good idea to
bring them along on the search. The lost dog may pick up the familiar scent of their friend and come Page 15
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out of hiding. Set up some stinky food and scent items (dirty clothes you have worn, bedding, or towels) outside your gate or where the dog was last seen and monitor it. If the dog should approach the area, sit still, be quiet, and pretend to ignore it. As the dog watches or edges forward, stay calm. Don’t make eye contact as this is a confrontational move to a dog and a dog wants to avoid confrontation. Make soft noises like clearing your throat, yawning or sighing softly, smacking your lips as if tasting something, maybe whisper “yum, mmm,” or crinkle a paper or cellophane bag. These are sounds that will help to calm the dog. Let the dog come to you. Let its sense of smell guide it. Continue making these sounds in a soft, soothing tone. With any luck, as the dog gets closer, its memory will be triggered by the smell of the food, your smell, your voice. Just be patient. The longer the dog has been in survival mode, the longer it may take for it to come back. REPEATED SIGHTINGS
Dogs will tend to stay on the edge of activity, like the woods be-
hind a restaurant or house, in a junk yard, or an old shed. They will come out to forage for food at dusk because they feel safer in the dark. This explains why you may have repeated sightings in a specific area, maybe at a specific time of day. Put out a small amount of stinky food and items of dirty clothes. Keep watch from a distance around the same time of day as the sightings. Check frequently to see if the food has been sampled. Keep the food fresh. SET UP A TRAIL CAMERA
To monitor activity around a feeding station or trap, you might
want to set up a trail camera. These are readily available and not too expensive. Be sure to have it time-stamp pictures. Have a memory card and freshly charged battery to exchange each time you check it. ORGANIZE A SEARCH
When you start having sightings, you need to put flyers out in that
area as soon as possible. Start searching the area for signs of your lost pet. Organize a small group of people and split up in groups of two or three and go on foot. Spread out in different direc-
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tions to be sure all the area is covered. Take stinky food with you and be quiet. You don’t want to scare the dog or drive it away. Put cell phones on mute or vibrate. Speaking of cell phones, I forgot to mention this earlier. Change your greeting to say something about your lost dog and ask if the caller has any information to please leave a message with their name and number so you can call them back shortly in case you can’t take their call. So many people may only try one time and if there is no answer, or a regular voice mail, may not call back. This will show your concern for your lost dog and hopefully encourage them to leave a message. If they don’t, call the unidentified number as quickly as you can and ask if they perchance have any information on your dog’s whereabouts. From some things I have read, I’m not sure if it is a good idea to launch a huge search with lots of people, noise, flashlights, etc. It may be better to limit the searchers to just a few and have others handing out flyers door to door in the area. WHAT DO HUNTERS DO?
One Internet post claims that hunters who lose their dog in
the woods will leave an article of clothing they wore all day next to a bowl of water at the site where the dog was last seen. The dog picks up his master’s scent and waits for him. Could it be that simple? HOW TO SET UP A FEEDING STATION
One group we contacted gave detailed in-
structions on setting up a feeding station. Take a large cardboard square (size in proportion to the missing dog – maybe tape two flattened boxes together) and lay it on the ground. Cover it good with a bag or two of flour (that’s right, like Pillsbury) or cornstarch or wet sand and set a small container of stinky wet food (cheap cat food, sardines, tuna) in the middle of the space. Even without a trail camera, you will be able to tell what kind of animal has been to the feeding Page 17
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station by the prints in the flour. If you are attracting a lot of other animals such as raccoons, try switching to a beef-based food instead of fish and cat food. Try meatballs in barbeque sauce. Post one of your Lost Dog posters in a plastic sleeve to a tree or post near the feeding station so people will understand what is happening. Scent items can be placed around the perimeter. HOW TO SET A TRAP
If you are having regular visits to your feeding station, it may be
time to consider setting up a trap nearby. It should be about 20 to 30 feet away from the feeding station. You will then lure the dog to the trap. This won’t happen overnight. It could take days or weeks, but could certainly be worth the effort. Check local laws regarding traps. Ask permission to set it. You can buy, rent or borrow a trap. Be sure it is big enough for your dog to fit from nose to tail without being hurt when the trap door goes shut. It should not have any rough edges that could hurt the dog when trapped. It should be at least 12-gauge steel. Do you have someone to help you carry the trap? It can be 2 ft wide, 2 ft tall, and 5 ft long! It isn’t very heavy when empty, but it is awkward. Do you have access to a truck for transportation? Will you be able to monitor and tend the trap when set? You need to have a plan in place for when you do trap your dog. You will need help to remove the trap with the dog in it. You will need a safe enclosed place, such as a garage, to let the dog out. Make sure you know how to set the trap properly and test it several times by tossing something in to spring the trap. You need to be able to check on the trap often. You wouldn’t want your pet being caged in the trap and vulnerable for too long. You should also be prepared for trapping something other than your pet! Where do you put the trap? It should be close to the daily travels of the dog, yet hidden from the public so it won’t be disturbed or in the way. It should be located near where the dog is hiding or
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feeding. Place it on level ground so it doesn’t rock. Put it next to a building or some underbrush, a place where a dog might seek natural shelter. If possible, put it near a tree or other permanent object that the trap can be secured to with a chain and padlock. Make sure the trap is clean, free of scents of other animals and old food. To cover up your scent after visiting the trap, use a can of butter flavored Pam cooking spray. Spray it around the area where you have been working and to cover up your scent trail as you leave. Do this each time you visit. During the winter, consider wrapping the sides and top of the trap snugly with a tarp and zip ties. Make sure the tarp is anchored so it doesn’t flap in the wind. Don’t cover the back end. Use leaves or dirt to disguise the bottom of the trap. Next, wire the door to the trap in the open position so that it cannot be lowered. Post one of your Lost Dog posters on a tree nearby or tape it to the top of the trap to inform people that may come across the unattended trap. You have made the trap safe and inviting. Next you need to plan how to lure the dog from the feeding station to the trap. This will take time. Dogs are smart and leery of strange surroundings. It is your job to build confidence and motivation. Your tool is food.
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Leave bait stations to lead to the trap. Replenish the food daily. After the dog is coming to the stations, reduce the amount of food and move the bait station closer to the trap. Water can also be used. As you get closer to the trap, place small pieces of fragrant food 5 or 6 feet away from the entrance. The goal now is to get the dog to eat food on the spot instead of snatching it and running for cover. Move the food closer and closer each day. Put bits at the entrance, then just inside the entrance. You might feed the dog in the trap for several days to build confidence in the surroundings. When the dog is comfortable entering the trap, it is time to bait and set it. Place a few bits of food in front of the trigger plate, on the trigger plate itself, and something really nice under the trigger plate. Use cooked food so it won’t spoil so fast. Do not use food on the bone. Also use canned dog food but take it out of the can. You don’t want anything in the trap that could hurt the dog or prevent the trap door from closing properly. Put a small bowl of water farther back in the trap. You can put scent items near the feeding and bait stations and outside the trap. You can put a chew toy inside the trap at the back. Do not place blankets or anything else inside that might prevent the trap from working properly. Check the trap at least twice a day. Remember that dogs will be most active early in the morning and in the evening. When you visit, rake the area around the trap to erase old tracks so you can see signs of future activity. Replenish the food to keep it fresh. Dribble juices over the trap. Don’t forget to cover your scent with Pam when leaving. When you visit, take a stick and some heavy leather gloves with you just in case you trap something. Remember, it may or may not be a dog. Be prepared to release other animals by gently raising the trap door and backing slowly away from the area. When you return later, the unwanted visitor will most likely be gone. Clean up the trap before resetting it. Use Pam spray to cover the odor of the unwanted intruder and your scent when leaving.
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