"Skippy", Shih Tzu - San Pablo

Skippy is an unneutered male brown and white Shih Tzu. He was wearing a chain choke collar. On Sunday, April 20, Skippy took off from his front yard. His persons called me a couple of days later while searching the area. Skippy had gotten out of his yard previously, but had come back or his persons had found him.

I scented Dino in front of his house and Dino immediately went to the right, up the street to the dead end and made a left through an abandoned lot which then led to a set of railroad tracks. Dino crossed the set of tracks and made a left up the tracks. We continued up the tracks for over 100 yards. Then Dino turned right to an open gate which led to an apartment complex. Dino went through the apartment complex and out to 7th Street. Dino made a right and then continued up 7th. After about two blocks, Dino crossed the street and continued for about four more blocks, just past a firehouse. At the next block Dino indicated that the trail had ended.

We decided to go back and check the past street, in case Skippy backtracked and took another route. Dino made a left down Kelsey and continued for another block. Near the end of this block Dino found a black plastic bag off the sidewalk. There was a very strong decomposing smell. I kicked the bag around and there clearly was a small animal inside. The smell was very strong. I believe the bag had been there for at least a couple of days. The weather had been very hot the past few days.

Just past this spot on the railroad tracks, Dino indicated that there wasn't anymore scent. We decided that either Skippy had been picked up at this located and I advised his person to put up large flourescent posters in this spot coming and going from these two neighborhoods and to concentrate flyers also in this area. Or we needed to find out what was in this bag. After leaving his person at their home I called animal control and told them about this bag and that we were trying to find a lost dog and that my dog had tracked him to this location. They said they would pick it up in about 24 hours, and I informed Skippy's person to contact AC to contact them after this time to ask about the identity of the body in the bag.