I just got the message that a lost cat we searched for several months ago was recovered.  Sadly he was not alive.  He was an old cat Chewy ran a track to a storm drain we actually crawled inside as far as we could go.  When Chewy reached the point that there were just tiny little holes too small to fit inside we gave up.  A couple of months later the cat washed out of the drain.  Sadly I suspect even with the information from the dog there was little if anything the owners could have done to change the outcome.  I think the message here is for many lost pet owners it is important that you do what you can but as  some point fate is out of our control.  I am often asked by lost pet owners how much should they do.  There is no right or wrong answer do what you are comfortable doing.  I usually tell people that at first it is painful and hard a lost pet ruins your life as you pour energy and resources into getting the message out as far and quickly as possible.  You go and look at anyplace he may possibly be.  Then you can move into maintenance mode if necessary.  In maintenance mode you follow up on sightings make sure posters and fliers are current and legible and not becoming an eyesore to the community.  You follow up with reminders to organizations that may encounter your pet.  You can maintain this stage indefinitely depending on your circumstances.

We helped a friend look for her father in laws dog.  a 16 year old pit X that had been run over by a truck.  Dusty was last seen running into a hay field.  My Friend took her dog out and they searched that field until the heat of the day forced them out.  That night Chewy came she ran a track past the hay field and down into the woods behind their cow pasture.  We were all sure that poor ole Dusty was laying out there dieing in the field so I dragged Chewy back up the hill where we spent a good chunk of the evening searching the field for that old dog.  Later that evening we admitted we could not find Dusty in the field.  Her owner the farmer said he believed she was dead in that field otherwise “Dusty would come home.”  I could not disagree with him but suggested they post some fliers and contact neighboring houses just in case that track was a good one after all.  (I admit I also thought the dogs had missed the old lady in the field.)  The next day Dusty followed the cows up from the field in front of the woods we had tracked to the previous night.  Her head had been run over and she was a mess but a trip to the veterinarian left her with the prognosis of full recovery!  Now that is a happy ending with a couple of take home messages.  I am kicking myself for not searching the woods better NEVER assume anything look at the tracking dogs and use the information they give you for what it is worth.  The other point I got is that it does not hurt to put that message out that a pet is missing unless we have hard evidence otherwise.  They may still be alive. 

Chewy a Chinese crested little dog pushed a screen out of his foster home and ran away.  They lived on a busy highway leading to Atlantic City out of the front door and thousands of acres of wildlife preserve woods behind them.  No sightings of Chewy had the rescue folks thinking the worst.  They called for a tracking dog Chewy came and ran a track.  It left the woods a few houses down the street from his foster house.  When I asked the resident if she had seen a small hairless dog she said “Yes he was here a few nights ago.”  We failed to pick anything else up in the woods and I was reluctant to risk my dog along that wet highway so we left the rescue with the advice that we had no reason to believe their Chewy was dead or eaten in the woods.  And that they needed to get the message to the community about the dog so that people could watch for him and call if they see him.  The next day a group of volunteers descended on the community they posted fliers in the direction my Chewy had taken them.  Within an hour of posting a flier not far from the house a camper saw Chewy and was able to recover him and find the rescue ladies.  The Little guy is back inside and looking for a real home again. 

Chewy’s recovery illustrates what we so often say that the search dogs rarely recover a lost pet we just do not catch up to an animal capable of moving.  We are able to use the dogs as an information gathering tool to help us successfully recover pets. 

We are planning the snifferdog program for 2009.  We have several training classes and introductory seminars scheduled.  We are working on several locations to offer snifferdog events this year.  the classes introduce the teams to scent detection for fun.  In the classes and seminars we help you teach your dog to find the article and to tell you when he does.  The events are scheduled at different locations it is run like a treasure hunt Using a map and/or clues you find the area for your dog to search.  Once the dog has found the article you can move on to the next location.  It is a fun day outside with your dog.

Upcoming class and seminar schedule.  Register early classes are intentionally small.

• 7/11/09 Lucky stars kennel Hampstead MD  10:30-12:30 Working spots open $25
• 9/18/09 Lucky Stars Kennel, Hampstead, MD  10:30-12:30 Working spots open $25