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Little Dog Lost -
safe now in an animal shelter. <3 |
July 2018
Little Dog Lost Isn’t it funny how you can have your day carefully planned and then Life throws you a curve ball that sets everything topsy turvy? That happened to me recently as I was taking my two elderly pups to the pet sitters house. Driving to the pet sitters was only a small detour from my route so I thought, “No problem, I’ll leave plenty early, drop the puppers off and be on my way.” Ha! As we drove along, I noticed a little dog running along the highway in the classic ‘lost dog’ mode. Head held high, sniffing the air alternating with nose to ground running in a zig-zag pattern attempting to catch a familiar scent. Unfortunately, his frantic running brought him directly into the path of oncoming traffic. Unable to stop because of my dogs and saying a quick prayer for his safety, I continued on. With my pups safely dropped off and retracing my steps. I found the dog, a cocker spaniel, still frantically searching, dodging cars, running in the highway, panting heavily in the oppressive heat. Stopping the car, I coaxed the dog close enough to do a quick assessment of his temperament…..he was so friendly! Picking up his sopping wet body, we proceeded to try and find his home, unfortunately no one had ever seen the little guy. A quick call to the local animal shelter found him a safe place to stay. Luckily, the sweet fellow was familiar with car rides as he sat quietly in my passenger seat and even took a short nap on our drive to the shelter. (See photo) As a side note, I did make my meeting (late), accompanied by the musky aroma of wet dog. This little dog was obviously lost with no way of finding his way home. But thankfully, there are steps you can take to ensure the safe recovery of your pet should it go missing. TO FIND A LOST PET 1) Write a descriptive “lost pet” ad. Include information about distinctive markings, collar color, if they have a microchip, and the pet’s size/sex. Hold back one piece of ‘test’ information so you can screen tipsters for con artists. Also include the area in which the pet was last seen as this can spark the attention of animal lovers in the neighborhood. 2) Scan the newspapers and internet ‘lost pet’ sites in your area to see if your pet has been found. 3) Make ‘lost pet’ flyers including a photo of your pet to hang up around your neighborhood. 4) Call and/or visit your local animal control center or humane society daily. Leave them copies of your pet’s photo and a detailed description. Although you can call in, your pet may not be correctly identified, so it’s best to visit the shelter yourself. 5) Call local radio stations and place lost pet ads. 6) Talk to neighborhood families, especially those with children who would be playing outside, and ask them to keep a lookout for your pet. 7) Talk to your area’s postal carrier. They cover a lot of territory and may have seen your pet. 8) Check with city police or street departments. They sometimes pick up stray dogs. 9) Most importantly, be diligent; keep checking, because sometimes animals will show up weeks, months, even years after going missing. Especially those that have microchips. Did you know that more pets are reported missing on July 4th than on any other day of the year? So be sure to keep a close eye on your animal companions, give them a safe place to stay during the fireworks ‘season’ and should they go missing, the above steps will help return them home quickly. Have a safe and happy summer! - Jeanna Billings |
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Jeanna Billings is an Animal Communicator serving an international clientele, a Reiki Master and a Certified Crystal Healer. She volunteered for many years with humane societies and animal rescues, serving as a Board Director, Adoption Counselor and Humane Educator. She currently teaches animal communication classes and provides private consultations. She lives in Indiana with her husband, three dachshunds, two cats and a very chatty parakeet. You can find her online at www.ShamansSpirit.net .
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