Coke is a five year old fawn boxer with a black mask and four white paws. He is wearing a thick black leather collar with silver spikes. He was last seen in his back yard when his people went out to dinner. Somehow he left this yard while they were gone. He had been missing for about three days when I was called.
When saw the photo of Coke I mentioned to his person that I had seen a dog with the similar description inside of a white van/truck on the front seat on Estabrook near my home that morning when I was walking my dogs. I thought this dog had the thick black collar, but I was not 100% because the inside of the vehicle was dark. There was a hispanic man on the phone in the front seat, also. The dog I saw had the same description and the same large cropped ears, which is unusual, since many pet Boxers today don't have cropped ears. Many people decide to leave them natural unless they will be shown in the ring.
We tracked him from his yard and then across the street to a maintenance and parking yard owned by the Sheriff's department. His track went the perimeter of the yard and then back out. The track went back out to the street and then down the street and across the highway. Dino did indicate some scent down the very busy on ramp which led to highway 580. We went down as far as we could (about 50 feet) to where it was no longer safe and the shoulder ended. There was a chance that Coke went down the ramp and then came back up or that he had gone down there. I thought that if we did not find any track leading away from the on ramp that we could take a closer look down that on ramp.
We did find a track leading away from the freeway down 150. This went for a couple more block and then crossed over and went into a parking lot behind a medical building. When we came out, the track went to the right and back up 150th. The track continued up the street and then through a small park at the top of the street and then out onto Redwood Road (?).
The track went down a street for several blocks and headed right for E 14th Street. The track continued all the way down E 14th for several miles (or it felt that way). The track led all the way to Estabrook and then made a left down the street. It did not go further than the next block, which was after where I saw the dog in the van earlier that morning. The track than led right on Estabrook, out to E 14th, crossed the street to the other side and made a right back down E 14th, back in the direction of Coke's home.
About three blocks later Coke's person decided to stop the track because we were at the three hour minimum and she had to attend a class that evening.
I got a voicemail the next day that Coke's body had been found that day on the 580 highway near their home. She was upset that we (me and Dino) had missed his body in the original track and she felt the track on E 14th Street was a "wild goose chase." I called her back to talk to her and express my condolences and explain what I thought had happened. I left voicemail messages on both her work and cell phone numbers. I never received a call back.
What I think happened was that Coke had explored the highway off ramp originally when he was first loose. He then did the track down E 14th Street and ended up on Estabrook. If Coke was the dog I saw that morning (or if it was a coincidence the track also led there), then, since Coke's track led back down E 14th back in the direction of his home, somehow Coke made it back in the area of his home and then went down to the freeway again and, unfortunately, this time he got hit. She did not say the rate of decomposition of Coke's body when it was found, and I was curious to find out since that would give us a better idea as to when he was hit.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 4/7/11)
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
"Cesear", DLH, Orange Tabby, Fremont - Found!
I did not assist on a search with Cesear because he came back prior to the scheduled appointment. I did speak with Cesear's person several times to help her bring Cesear home.
Cesear is a seven year old, indoor only, DLH orange tabby. He has a collar with a tag, but he did not have a microchip. He had been seen in the area, so I recommended putting out some food and a trap at her home to draw Cesear back to the house. I also had her walk around in the area to call him and put out her scent in the area to draw him back to the house. Within 24 hours Cesear returned to his home and was safe back inside.
(Entered into lost pet questionnaire 4/7/11)
Cesear is a seven year old, indoor only, DLH orange tabby. He has a collar with a tag, but he did not have a microchip. He had been seen in the area, so I recommended putting out some food and a trap at her home to draw Cesear back to the house. I also had her walk around in the area to call him and put out her scent in the area to draw him back to the house. Within 24 hours Cesear returned to his home and was safe back inside.
(Entered into lost pet questionnaire 4/7/11)
"Miso", DSH Grey/White Tabby, Oakland - Found!
Miso is a three year old, indoor/outdoor, spayed, DSH, grey/brown tabby with white. She is microchipped and wearing a collar with a tag. She had been missing for about four days when I was called. Her people had put up gorgeous four color posters and flyers in the surrounding neighborhood and received a couple of sightings, though no 100% confirmed. However, once we found the track, these sightings were along the track, so later they were confirmed.
We found a track that led away from the house, across the street, to the right and up another street. This led us around a block and then left up to another street, directly to the steps of a house. We we knocked on the door, the woman confirmed that her sister put out bowls of cat food and that numerous cats would come around. She said she would show the flyer to her sister to see if Miso was one of the cats that came by. We then checked the area in a couple of additional areas, but no scent was there. The track seemed to stop at that house. We did find another track that was across the street and led away from that house.
That track led us for multiple blocks away from Miso's house and into several neighborhoods. This also included a small "compound" like place that was apparently pre World War II with a full bomb shelter and multiple buildings, gardens, barns, creeks, etc. We found that Miso had spent some time there, but then eventually left through the creek and went back out to the street. The track went up the street and then turned right up a busy blvd. This blvd led back to Miso's house. We checked in other areas around the house, but no other tracks seemed to exist.
My top guess is that Miso is circling this track and then coming back home. Why she didn't stop at home, we could not figure out. The best guess was that she wasn't ready to come home yet, or maybe did not recognize it. I recommended that Miso's people follow the track over and over, putting down their scent by walking on it and putting up flyers and posters along the way. After they walk the track, then lead back to their home so that Miso has their scent and can find it back to their home. They also wanted to put out a trap behind their house in their driveway. Since they both worked at home, they would be able to monitor it.
I received a call about three days later that Miso had returned home! Following the search they had both walked the track a couple of times a day, set the trap and put up flyers and posters. They had received calls about sightings along this track. They said she looked thin and very dirty, but apparently happy to be home.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 1/26/11)
We found a track that led away from the house, across the street, to the right and up another street. This led us around a block and then left up to another street, directly to the steps of a house. We we knocked on the door, the woman confirmed that her sister put out bowls of cat food and that numerous cats would come around. She said she would show the flyer to her sister to see if Miso was one of the cats that came by. We then checked the area in a couple of additional areas, but no scent was there. The track seemed to stop at that house. We did find another track that was across the street and led away from that house.
That track led us for multiple blocks away from Miso's house and into several neighborhoods. This also included a small "compound" like place that was apparently pre World War II with a full bomb shelter and multiple buildings, gardens, barns, creeks, etc. We found that Miso had spent some time there, but then eventually left through the creek and went back out to the street. The track went up the street and then turned right up a busy blvd. This blvd led back to Miso's house. We checked in other areas around the house, but no other tracks seemed to exist.
My top guess is that Miso is circling this track and then coming back home. Why she didn't stop at home, we could not figure out. The best guess was that she wasn't ready to come home yet, or maybe did not recognize it. I recommended that Miso's people follow the track over and over, putting down their scent by walking on it and putting up flyers and posters along the way. After they walk the track, then lead back to their home so that Miso has their scent and can find it back to their home. They also wanted to put out a trap behind their house in their driveway. Since they both worked at home, they would be able to monitor it.
I received a call about three days later that Miso had returned home! Following the search they had both walked the track a couple of times a day, set the trap and put up flyers and posters. They had received calls about sightings along this track. They said she looked thin and very dirty, but apparently happy to be home.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 1/26/11)
"Elliott" DSH Grey/White Tabby, Hayward - Found
July 21, 2009 - Today I received an email from Elliot's person that Elliot's body was recently discovered in a neighbor's yard, and it appeared to have been there for about a week or two, based on the decomposition.Elliot is an eleven year old, indoor/outdoor, neutered male, DSH grey tabby with white. He is not wearing a collar or tags, but he does have a microchip. He had recently started to have seizures. He had been missing for several days prior to me being called.
We started searching in Elliot's backyard and the yards adjacent to his house on both sides for two to three houses in both direction. These were known parts of his territory. What we also discovered later in the search was that his territory also extended several houses up the hill since a neighbor recognized the photo as Elliot regularly attending bowls of food the neighbor put out to feed cats. Elliot had obviously visited these yards since his scent was there, but Elliot was not there.
We continued the search down the street and found the scent go down the street and down a court with several houses. We found his scent to go into several houses and their yards. Most people were not home to physically search the yards, but Dino indicated that Elliot had gone up the driveway and walkways in the past. We just didn't know how recent the tracks were.
We continued the search down the street, but the scent did stop several houses down, at least on the street. We went across the street and Dino indicated that Elliot had been on that side in the past, but we don't know how recently. Dino did want to go down some of the walkways between the houses, which leads to a large canyon behind the houses. We attempted to contact several houses, but nobody was home. We went up the street to try to talk to people, but most people weren't home. This is where we found the man who recognized Elliot at the cat who visits his cat food bowls.
We then decided to visit the large open space behind Elliot's house. This space runs for miles in both directions up and down the canyon. We entered it from a driveway down on the court street. Dino indicated that Elliot had gone on these paths in the past, and Dino continued along the side of the hill and then went down into the canyon. Elliot's person decided to stop at this point because these paths go on for miles up and down the canyon. She said she would come back with her husband and walk these canyons, putting down their scent while walking and calling for Elliot.
My two best guesses are 1) Elliot has gone outside his established territory and lost his way or 2) He has gotten stuck somewhere in a garage or shed.
Both is these can be worked on by continuing to distribute flyers and talk to their neighbors up and down the street and local court in case they see Elliot. Also have them check their garages and backyard sheds. I suggested they put up large fluorescent posters coming and going from their small neighborhood.
We started searching in Elliot's backyard and the yards adjacent to his house on both sides for two to three houses in both direction. These were known parts of his territory. What we also discovered later in the search was that his territory also extended several houses up the hill since a neighbor recognized the photo as Elliot regularly attending bowls of food the neighbor put out to feed cats. Elliot had obviously visited these yards since his scent was there, but Elliot was not there.
We continued the search down the street and found the scent go down the street and down a court with several houses. We found his scent to go into several houses and their yards. Most people were not home to physically search the yards, but Dino indicated that Elliot had gone up the driveway and walkways in the past. We just didn't know how recent the tracks were.
We continued the search down the street, but the scent did stop several houses down, at least on the street. We went across the street and Dino indicated that Elliot had been on that side in the past, but we don't know how recently. Dino did want to go down some of the walkways between the houses, which leads to a large canyon behind the houses. We attempted to contact several houses, but nobody was home. We went up the street to try to talk to people, but most people weren't home. This is where we found the man who recognized Elliot at the cat who visits his cat food bowls.
We then decided to visit the large open space behind Elliot's house. This space runs for miles in both directions up and down the canyon. We entered it from a driveway down on the court street. Dino indicated that Elliot had gone on these paths in the past, and Dino continued along the side of the hill and then went down into the canyon. Elliot's person decided to stop at this point because these paths go on for miles up and down the canyon. She said she would come back with her husband and walk these canyons, putting down their scent while walking and calling for Elliot.
My two best guesses are 1) Elliot has gone outside his established territory and lost his way or 2) He has gotten stuck somewhere in a garage or shed.
Both is these can be worked on by continuing to distribute flyers and talk to their neighbors up and down the street and local court in case they see Elliot. Also have them check their garages and backyard sheds. I suggested they put up large fluorescent posters coming and going from their small neighborhood.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
"Samuel/Sammie", DSH, Grey/White Tabby, Mill Valley - Found!
(Letter from Sammie's person) I called Jackie out of desperation and didn't know who I was calling. I was just desperate and at my most vulnerable. It had been about a week that my cat was gone when Jackie came. We trekked all up and down the creek in Mill Valley in places I kept thinking my cat would never ever go. He was a house cat! We went farther than I thought he would go but "Dino" Jackie's trained dog kept saying that Sam had indeed been where we were going. I knew from the moment I met Jackie that she was authentic. Sam did indeed show up the next day at a house on the creek right where we had been. A lady called and said that my shy cat was at her door. Something I never thought he would do. He was very skinny, mangy and looked like he had seen things that he never wanted to see again! Sam was a rescue that I had for only a year and a half. He was very insecure and not at all street wise or outside savvy. I never thought he could have survived out in the world. I give Jackie all the credit for luring him out of wherever he had been hiding out. He obviously had not eaten!!! I am happy to say that he is even nicer to me now that he is back and very grateful. Not a common cat trait. Frankie In Mill Valley
(Search details)
Frankie is a three year old DSH grey tabby with white. He is totally indoors, and neutered. He is wearing a collar with a bell, but no tags. He is microchipped. He took off one night, but the exact reason is still unclear: if the kids let him out, or if he got chased from the yard or scared by fireworks in the area. Due to a backlog in calls on my part, I was unable to do the search for a couple of days. I went out on a Tuesday morning.
We did a thorough check of the yards, both front and back, which had heavy vegetation. We started the search by checking the back yard, which has a small, narrow walkway outside. We checked one side but did not find any scent. We checked the other direction and found a path leading away from the house. The track led up to a small neighborhood park and then down to the creek. The track led up and down the creek and then left the creek and went into the local park and up a street that borders the creek. Sammie's scent was on the creek as various spots where we checked.
Sammie's person did not believe that Sammie would go this far from the house, and she also wanted to check some other spots. So we decided to remember this spot to come back to check it later on if we did not find another track. We did find another track that led on a loop around the house and then to a street just above them.
While on this track, Sammie's person received a call that Sammie had been spotted by her the day before in her yard. The sighting was back over the area where we had been along the creek earlier in the search.
We walked backed over there and spoke to the woman who made the call. She said the cat she saw the day before was definitely the cat in the photo. I did a search with Dino in the area to see if Sammie's scent was there and it was. The scent went from her house, down the street and then made a right down a street which leads to a nine hole golf course.
My recommendation was to find a place to put out flyers and food and a trap to try to catch Sammie in this location. I got a call from Sammie's person the next day that Sammie had been spotted in the same area. I suggested putting out food in bowls in the area since she wasn't able to get a spot for a trap. I got a call the following day that Sammie had been picked up by a person in the area of the food!
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 1/26/11)
Monday, June 22, 2009
"Audrey", DSH, Grey/White Tabby, Sebastopol - Found!
Audrey is a two year old DSH grey and white tabby. She had just moved to her new home in Sebastopol a few days prior. She is totally indoors only. She got out while furniture and boxes were being moved in and out. She is very shy and skittish.
I did not participate in a search for Audrey since she came home prior to me being able to come out due to a backlog of calls on my part. However, I did speak several times on the phone with her people over several days and advised them on how to put out food and traps to draw her back to the area and prevent her from leaving the area. She had been seen repeatedly over several days in the area of the house. I actually recommended not bringing in a search dog at that point since she had been seen in the area, and a dog may scare her away. Since she had been making the attempt to return, I did not want to take the chance of pushing her away.
During the time that Audrey was out, the second cat in the house escaped and was gone for over 24 hours. I advised that food dishes with really tasty and desirable food be put out near the house to draw them in. After they knew that the food was being eaten, then put out the trap and move the food into that. They put out two traps in different locations because they were catching other cats and wildlife, so they wanted to give Audrey and their other cat a chance to also get into the trap.
After a couple of days, I received a call that the second cat that got out had returned home on his own, but that Audrey was still out. The next day I received a call that Audrey had been caught in one of the traps.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 1/26/11)
I did not participate in a search for Audrey since she came home prior to me being able to come out due to a backlog of calls on my part. However, I did speak several times on the phone with her people over several days and advised them on how to put out food and traps to draw her back to the area and prevent her from leaving the area. She had been seen repeatedly over several days in the area of the house. I actually recommended not bringing in a search dog at that point since she had been seen in the area, and a dog may scare her away. Since she had been making the attempt to return, I did not want to take the chance of pushing her away.
During the time that Audrey was out, the second cat in the house escaped and was gone for over 24 hours. I advised that food dishes with really tasty and desirable food be put out near the house to draw them in. After they knew that the food was being eaten, then put out the trap and move the food into that. They put out two traps in different locations because they were catching other cats and wildlife, so they wanted to give Audrey and their other cat a chance to also get into the trap.
After a couple of days, I received a call that the second cat that got out had returned home on his own, but that Audrey was still out. The next day I received a call that Audrey had been caught in one of the traps.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 1/26/11)
"Taco", Chihuahua/Terrier mix, Oakland - Found!
Taco is a small white Chihuahua/Terrier mix who was attacked by three pit bulls in his own yard while his person was holding him. The pit bulls belonged to another tenant also living in a building on the same property. The pit bulls got loose from the apartment and jumped up at Taco. This caused Taco's person to drop him. Taco's person tried to break up the attack and was bit herself on the hand by one of the dogs. As Taco's person was trying to get the dogs off Taco and back into their house, Taco ran off somewhere. The pit bulls person came out and got all the dogs back into the apartment, but Taco could not be found anywhere on the property.
I received a call from Taco's person late one night. I was already in San Francisco just finishing up a call and getting something to eat. She told me what had happened and I said I would come straight over from San Francisco.
I arrived around 11PM. We immediately started to search the entire property where Taco lives. There are several residential units and gardens. The fencing in and around the property was in great shape and very secure. Even a small dog like Taco could not have found a hole anywhere to escape from. There were several buildings that had crawl and nook spaces underneath, and we checked those thoroughly and did not find Taco. After checking the entire property we decided that Taco was not on the property. We did find some blood that did appear to be Taco's since it led from the scene of the attack and down some stairs. Based on the direction of the path that Taco appeared to have taken after the attack, it appeared that Taco would have attempted to go to the back of the property along the driveway, but that fencing was very secure and high and did not have any holes anywhere. If he had hit that fence and still needed to escape, he would have to turn around and go another way. This would have led him down the direction of the driveway and out onto the street. The property was securely fenced to halfway down the driveway. We decided to start the search for Taco outside the property.
We searched the driveway and found a track leading down and to the right. This track led us all over the neighborhood and beyond for over an hour. Both of us were surprised that an injured dog would be able to travel so far and so extensively. At around 2 AM, both of us exhausted, we decided to call the search and continue it the next day if necessary. Taco's person said she would call me the next day to let me know.
The next day I got a call from Taco's person that Taco showed up at her front porch that afternoon totally uninjured and fine! She said she would take him to the vet to double check everything was fine.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 1/26/11)
I received a call from Taco's person late one night. I was already in San Francisco just finishing up a call and getting something to eat. She told me what had happened and I said I would come straight over from San Francisco.
I arrived around 11PM. We immediately started to search the entire property where Taco lives. There are several residential units and gardens. The fencing in and around the property was in great shape and very secure. Even a small dog like Taco could not have found a hole anywhere to escape from. There were several buildings that had crawl and nook spaces underneath, and we checked those thoroughly and did not find Taco. After checking the entire property we decided that Taco was not on the property. We did find some blood that did appear to be Taco's since it led from the scene of the attack and down some stairs. Based on the direction of the path that Taco appeared to have taken after the attack, it appeared that Taco would have attempted to go to the back of the property along the driveway, but that fencing was very secure and high and did not have any holes anywhere. If he had hit that fence and still needed to escape, he would have to turn around and go another way. This would have led him down the direction of the driveway and out onto the street. The property was securely fenced to halfway down the driveway. We decided to start the search for Taco outside the property.
We searched the driveway and found a track leading down and to the right. This track led us all over the neighborhood and beyond for over an hour. Both of us were surprised that an injured dog would be able to travel so far and so extensively. At around 2 AM, both of us exhausted, we decided to call the search and continue it the next day if necessary. Taco's person said she would call me the next day to let me know.
The next day I got a call from Taco's person that Taco showed up at her front porch that afternoon totally uninjured and fine! She said she would take him to the vet to double check everything was fine.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 1/26/11)
"Lia", Siamese/Himalyan Mix, San Francisco - Found!
Lia is a five year old white and brown Siamese/Himalayan female spayed mix. She is not wearing a collar, but she does have a microchip. She is a totally indoors. She lives with her people in a condo on the second floor. She was last seen late one night after her people went outside and downstairs to the front to the garbage in their garage, which is shared by other tenants in the building. She had been missing for several days when I was called.
There had been an unconfirmed sighting of Lia a couple of blocks away a couple of days prior to me coming out. Later on after starting the track I found out about another sighting just the day before.
We started the track by seeing what track was out front of the building. The track started out front and led west along the street very quickly. The track was unusual in that it was not typical to a cat walking alongside the edges of the building, which would be normal for an indoor cat that suddenly got out. Instead the track went up streets, made turns and kept going up streets and over and down. My initial guess was that Lia was in a car or being carried, but being in a car was my first guess, especially since she was last seen going into the garage of the building. She was either in a car that belonged to a co-tenant who did not know Lia was in the car, or Lia was being carried by somebody, probably in a large carry bag.
The track went all the way to a large senior retirement home several blocks away. The track went up to a large iron gate that led to a loading dock. We walked into the buidling and told them what was happening. They allowed us to go past the gate and see where Lia's track led us to. The track went up the loading dock and then did not go further. We checked a little further into the garden, but we did not find anything.
Lia's person wanted to go back and check the spots of the two sightings (this is when I found out about the second sighting from the previous day). So we walked back to that location and check the most current spot, which was a planter box on the corner. Dino did pick up the track, which led down the street, through an old iron gate and down the hill, further into the Presidio. We followed the track through a fence and then down into the Presidio. The track kept going further into the Presidio. At this point Lia's person wanted to stop the track at three hours and go back home.
I got a call from Lia's person about four days later that Lia had been found in her backyard in a storage shed. My guess is that Lia made it back home from the Presidio and got back through the garage which leads into the backyard. Lia's person said she was very dirty and skinny.
(entered into Lost Pet Questionnaire 11/17/10)
There had been an unconfirmed sighting of Lia a couple of blocks away a couple of days prior to me coming out. Later on after starting the track I found out about another sighting just the day before.
We started the track by seeing what track was out front of the building. The track started out front and led west along the street very quickly. The track was unusual in that it was not typical to a cat walking alongside the edges of the building, which would be normal for an indoor cat that suddenly got out. Instead the track went up streets, made turns and kept going up streets and over and down. My initial guess was that Lia was in a car or being carried, but being in a car was my first guess, especially since she was last seen going into the garage of the building. She was either in a car that belonged to a co-tenant who did not know Lia was in the car, or Lia was being carried by somebody, probably in a large carry bag.
The track went all the way to a large senior retirement home several blocks away. The track went up to a large iron gate that led to a loading dock. We walked into the buidling and told them what was happening. They allowed us to go past the gate and see where Lia's track led us to. The track went up the loading dock and then did not go further. We checked a little further into the garden, but we did not find anything.
Lia's person wanted to go back and check the spots of the two sightings (this is when I found out about the second sighting from the previous day). So we walked back to that location and check the most current spot, which was a planter box on the corner. Dino did pick up the track, which led down the street, through an old iron gate and down the hill, further into the Presidio. We followed the track through a fence and then down into the Presidio. The track kept going further into the Presidio. At this point Lia's person wanted to stop the track at three hours and go back home.
I got a call from Lia's person about four days later that Lia had been found in her backyard in a storage shed. My guess is that Lia made it back home from the Presidio and got back through the garage which leads into the backyard. Lia's person said she was very dirty and skinny.
(entered into Lost Pet Questionnaire 11/17/10)
Thursday, June 18, 2009
"Ezekial", DSH Orange Tabby, For Ord/Monterey Bay - Found!
(I received an email message from Ezekial's person that he had been found several weeks after he went missing. He was found inside the second-hand warehouse of where the couch was donated. The couch was outside for pickup for an unknown time until they came to pick it up. My guess is that the track we followed was Ezekial lost prior to him going home again and finally getting into the couch. When the organization came to pick up the couch, he was already inside after running all over the place on the track we followed him.)
Ezekial is a short coated orange tabby. He is all indoors. He was wearing an orange rhinestone collar, but did not have a microchip. His person was moving and Ezekial slipped out while furniture and boxes were being moved out. He was not noticed missing until after the move had occurred. His person rushed back to Ford Ord and started her search. He had been missing for a week when I was called.
Day one search:
We started the first day by checking the area just outside Ezekial's former house. We did find his scent around the house, but then we found it go away from the house and down the street. We followed the scent down the street, across a busy highway and into a 18 hole golf course. The scent went to a maintenance yard and then back out and out to a neighborhood. For the next few hours we followed Ezekial's scent through several neighborhoods, to the beach, back through neighborhoods and then back to the maintenance yard in the golf course. It was then after 8 PM, and we still had to walk back to the cars.
We thought about trying to find someone to set and monitor a trap in that location. Ezekial's person left a message with the maintenance person, who's phone number we got from the pro shop.
Day two search:
We decided to continue the search for Ezekial from the maintenance shop at the golf course. Ezekial's person had spoken to a person from the yard. They were not willing to monitor the trap, but they were willing to allow her to set the trap is somebody else were to monitor it.
We continued to follow Ezekial's scent all around the golf course, through some more neighborhoods (some similar to what we had already done.) The track went out the golf course and then back up to the location of the former home, but then it went away from the house and down a hill into a school yard. We decided to take lunch here and continue after lunch.
After lunch we resumed the track going into the school yard. The track went all around the school and out and around a couple more neighborhoods and then up to a set of old and abandoned housing buildings on the fort. This led us to a maintenance yard adjacent to an elementary school, apparently on the campus of the Monterey Bay CSU. We followed the track around the school and the surrounding area and then back around to the maintenance yard and back the parking lot of the school.
Ezekial's person decided to call the search at this point since she had her new job to start the next day and we still had a two hour drive back home.
I contacted her during the week, and she said that she had received a call about a sighting of an orange cat in the area of her former home. This person had seen the flyers posted all around the neighborhood. Ezekial's person was able to find an animal control officer from a local animal shelter who said she would monitor a trap. The trap was set and a large DSH orange tabby was caught, but it was not Ezekial.
Day three search: We decided to meet for a third time and start the search back at the elementary school campus. We did find another track leading back down to the lower school campus and then around and around out to the busy highway. The track went across the highway and through a neighborhood that we had been through in the past, and then back out to the highway and back to the golf course again, back to the maintenance yard! The track went through the golf course and around until it led us to the pro shop area.
Ezekial's person decided to call the search off and focus back on the two locations of the maintenance yard the elementary school were we first start. We were going to set traps in both those locations.
Publish Post
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 9/23/10)
Ezekial is a short coated orange tabby. He is all indoors. He was wearing an orange rhinestone collar, but did not have a microchip. His person was moving and Ezekial slipped out while furniture and boxes were being moved out. He was not noticed missing until after the move had occurred. His person rushed back to Ford Ord and started her search. He had been missing for a week when I was called.
Day one search:
We started the first day by checking the area just outside Ezekial's former house. We did find his scent around the house, but then we found it go away from the house and down the street. We followed the scent down the street, across a busy highway and into a 18 hole golf course. The scent went to a maintenance yard and then back out and out to a neighborhood. For the next few hours we followed Ezekial's scent through several neighborhoods, to the beach, back through neighborhoods and then back to the maintenance yard in the golf course. It was then after 8 PM, and we still had to walk back to the cars.
We thought about trying to find someone to set and monitor a trap in that location. Ezekial's person left a message with the maintenance person, who's phone number we got from the pro shop.
Day two search:
We decided to continue the search for Ezekial from the maintenance shop at the golf course. Ezekial's person had spoken to a person from the yard. They were not willing to monitor the trap, but they were willing to allow her to set the trap is somebody else were to monitor it.
We continued to follow Ezekial's scent all around the golf course, through some more neighborhoods (some similar to what we had already done.) The track went out the golf course and then back up to the location of the former home, but then it went away from the house and down a hill into a school yard. We decided to take lunch here and continue after lunch.
After lunch we resumed the track going into the school yard. The track went all around the school and out and around a couple more neighborhoods and then up to a set of old and abandoned housing buildings on the fort. This led us to a maintenance yard adjacent to an elementary school, apparently on the campus of the Monterey Bay CSU. We followed the track around the school and the surrounding area and then back around to the maintenance yard and back the parking lot of the school.
Ezekial's person decided to call the search at this point since she had her new job to start the next day and we still had a two hour drive back home.
I contacted her during the week, and she said that she had received a call about a sighting of an orange cat in the area of her former home. This person had seen the flyers posted all around the neighborhood. Ezekial's person was able to find an animal control officer from a local animal shelter who said she would monitor a trap. The trap was set and a large DSH orange tabby was caught, but it was not Ezekial.
Day three search: We decided to meet for a third time and start the search back at the elementary school campus. We did find another track leading back down to the lower school campus and then around and around out to the busy highway. The track went across the highway and through a neighborhood that we had been through in the past, and then back out to the highway and back to the golf course again, back to the maintenance yard! The track went through the golf course and around until it led us to the pro shop area.
Ezekial's person decided to call the search off and focus back on the two locations of the maintenance yard the elementary school were we first start. We were going to set traps in both those locations.
Publish Post
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 9/23/10)
"Maggie", Black Toy Poodle, Sacramento
Maggie is a 12 year old black toy poodle. Her people has recently moved to their new home, which was right next door to their previous house. Maggie was no wearing a collar or a microchip. She was let out into the back yard and then walked away from the yard. I was called in about a week and a half after she was last seen. Maggie's people had put up large fluorescent posters up and down the street. There had not been any calls or sightings of Maggie.
We started the search by checking the backyard, and we found three separate areas where Maggie could have escaped, including a hole under the side gate. I decided to remember two of the holes and check the hole under the gate first. If there wasn't any scent under the gate, I would go back and check the other two holes. One of the holes led into a side yard, and that house is empty. Maggie's people said they already checked that yard, and the hole in the back was only accessible through a long wire fencing, which would have taken a lot of work for a 12 year old dog.
The track outside the front led away from the side gate and down the street. It led on a right turn and then down that street and in and out of several buildings along the way. There was a left turn at the end of the street, down the street and then another left, which put us back onto the street where Maggie's lives.
Again, we went down the street and then crossed the street and down and then crossed back over in front of their house. The track then went down the street to the left, down the street and behind the houses to a large empty lot that is full of high weeds and trash. We found several tracks leading around the field as if Maggie was checking the place out. Then we found a track that led directly to a hole in the fence and disappeared to inside a backyard. We found the path to the street on the other side and went to find the house that had the hole in the fence.
The house had weeds all over the yard that were several feel high. Berry bushes lines all sides of the fences. We checked under the deck, but nothing was there. The side yard had a large rolling gate that had a small hole on the right side where Maggie could have fit. We found the track there and followed it out and down the street to a set of apartments. These apartments are also directly behind the house where Maggie lives.
We followed the track to the hole in the fence behind Maggie's house and then in and out of the houses on either side of her house. Both houses are currently vacant and have holes in their rear fences. We also found a large colony of stray and feral cats along with a brand new litter of kittens. Dino was having a hey day telling me about all the cats in the area.
Maggie's track continued all around this apartment complex including inside and around several times. We checked all streets going out but did not find any scent. As we were walking around, we talked to several people and noticed one critical item. This apartment complex allowed small dogs only. Nothing was allowed in over 15 pounds and the apartment manager made that clear because he said Dino was too big to be even visiting. One man said that he saw a dog that fit Maggie's description being walked by an elderly woman a couple of days prior, but he did not recognize her.
Maggie's people were going to put up large fluorescent posters up and down the area surrounding the apartment complex.
My top guess is that Maggie had been picked up and taken somewhere, possibly by this senior lady seen in the area. Since there was no scent leading out in the area of the apartment complex, Maggie was either in that complex or she had been picked up and put into a car with its window's up which would not allow her scent to leave the car, thus leaving no track to follow. If Maggie had been picked up and carried away, there would still leave a track to follow
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 9/3/10)
We started the search by checking the backyard, and we found three separate areas where Maggie could have escaped, including a hole under the side gate. I decided to remember two of the holes and check the hole under the gate first. If there wasn't any scent under the gate, I would go back and check the other two holes. One of the holes led into a side yard, and that house is empty. Maggie's people said they already checked that yard, and the hole in the back was only accessible through a long wire fencing, which would have taken a lot of work for a 12 year old dog.
The track outside the front led away from the side gate and down the street. It led on a right turn and then down that street and in and out of several buildings along the way. There was a left turn at the end of the street, down the street and then another left, which put us back onto the street where Maggie's lives.
Again, we went down the street and then crossed the street and down and then crossed back over in front of their house. The track then went down the street to the left, down the street and behind the houses to a large empty lot that is full of high weeds and trash. We found several tracks leading around the field as if Maggie was checking the place out. Then we found a track that led directly to a hole in the fence and disappeared to inside a backyard. We found the path to the street on the other side and went to find the house that had the hole in the fence.
The house had weeds all over the yard that were several feel high. Berry bushes lines all sides of the fences. We checked under the deck, but nothing was there. The side yard had a large rolling gate that had a small hole on the right side where Maggie could have fit. We found the track there and followed it out and down the street to a set of apartments. These apartments are also directly behind the house where Maggie lives.
We followed the track to the hole in the fence behind Maggie's house and then in and out of the houses on either side of her house. Both houses are currently vacant and have holes in their rear fences. We also found a large colony of stray and feral cats along with a brand new litter of kittens. Dino was having a hey day telling me about all the cats in the area.
Maggie's track continued all around this apartment complex including inside and around several times. We checked all streets going out but did not find any scent. As we were walking around, we talked to several people and noticed one critical item. This apartment complex allowed small dogs only. Nothing was allowed in over 15 pounds and the apartment manager made that clear because he said Dino was too big to be even visiting. One man said that he saw a dog that fit Maggie's description being walked by an elderly woman a couple of days prior, but he did not recognize her.
Maggie's people were going to put up large fluorescent posters up and down the area surrounding the apartment complex.
My top guess is that Maggie had been picked up and taken somewhere, possibly by this senior lady seen in the area. Since there was no scent leading out in the area of the apartment complex, Maggie was either in that complex or she had been picked up and put into a car with its window's up which would not allow her scent to leave the car, thus leaving no track to follow. If Maggie had been picked up and carried away, there would still leave a track to follow
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 9/3/10)
"Nugget", Male Fawn Pug, Folsom - Found!
Dear Jackie,Thank you so very much for giving me hope and helping me find my pug, Nugget. It's amazing how your dogs can track the journey of a missing dog. I have to admit that I was skeptical that my pug could wander so far from home. But after learning of his journey from the people who ultimately picked him up, I BELIEVE! Your services are wonderful and it gave me the desire to not give up and keep looking for my pug. Thanks to you and your wonderful support I was able to locate where my pug was picked up. Here is our story:
We moved and the movers left the front gate open. My pug got out in the middle of the night and wandered about 3 miles or so from our new house. Jackie's dogs followed my pug's scent to a golf course. The scent seemed to disappear. Based on what we found out later, Nugget was picked up at the golf course by a young girl. The girl brought Nugget home and the family gave him to someone else about a half hour from our house. Luckily we put up very large signs (based on some other services I received) around town and within 11 hours I received a phone call from a state trooper saying he found our pug.
What a wonderful surprise and reunion we had!
Thank you so very much! You and your dogs are the BEST!
Attached is a photo of Nugget with the daughter.
All the best,
Dina and Nugget
Nugget is a five year old neutered fawn pug with a black mask. He was wearing a collar with tags and a microchip. His people were moving from one house to another on a Thursday evening and it was late at night around 10:30 PM when Nugget got out through an open gate in the side yard along with the two other dogs. The two other dogs came back shortly after, but Nugget did not. I did the search on Monday morning.
We picked up Nugget scent just outside the front of the house and it led down the street and through a wrought iron locked gate and onto a jogging/walking path. This path led into a neighborhood near his new house and then down into a creek area. We checked all around the creek area, up and down and side to side, but did not find any sign of Nugget. We decided to check some of the streets leading out from the creek in case he did walk away from the creek.
We did pick up his scent down and street and then out onto the mail blvd and then right up to another busy blvd. His scent went up the street and then backtracked down the hill and then crossed over into a large vacant open space where homes were planned to be built, maybe in better times. We went all through this huge open space and through two creeks, but no sign of Nugget other than his track. This track went back to the open space behind his house and then went back through the wrought iron gate he originally went through, running a half a block from his new house, which he did not know.
This track went back out to the first blvd and turned left this time and went down the blvd for miles. Eventually it crossed over the highway and turned into a golf course. The track went through the golf course and across multiple holes and eventually ending up at a swamp. It had been several hours and very hot and everybody was exhausted, including Dino, who I never see exhausted.
Nugget's person decided to call it for another day. She said she was unsure if she wanted to continue the search at another day. She said she would let me know. I heard back the next day that she did want to continue the search, however, I had already scheduled another search for the Sacramento area the next day. I said I could give her a call that evening depending on how late this search in Sacramento lasted for.
I received a call from her late that evening. She said she had talked to a person at the golf course and she was told that coyotes were known to visit the golf course. His person said that was enough for her to not continue a search. I reminded her of all the coyote locations we had tracked him through the day before and that he had walked through them. I suggested continuing the search because I thought he was still alive. She decided to not continue.
I received a call from Nugget's person two days later that Nugget had been found alive and well. She said that an on duty police officer from a nearby town said he saw her large fluorescent posters she had put up along a street in his town, and he remembered seeing a pug being walked by a couple previously. He went to those people and asked them if they had found the dog, and they said they had. He told them about the posters he had seen for a missing pug and that he was going to contact the owner. He did contact Nugget's person and she went to visit the dog and it was Nugget! These people said they were given the dog by a person in their neighborhood after that person found Nugget and could not keep him, which apparently was further along the track past the golf course. They said they had had Nugget since the previous Sunday, which meant that the track we followed of Nugget's was all the way up to at least Saturday, which meant all night Thursday, all day Friday, Friday evening and then Saturday.
The people who had Nugget (who had named him Dudley) said they had called their local shelter to ask if anybody was missing a pug, and they told him "no." That was as far as they took it. They never asked other shelters or filed a found report, put ads or posters anywhere or even checked for a microchip. They thought that since he was such a nice dog they were going to keep him.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 8/3/10)
We picked up Nugget scent just outside the front of the house and it led down the street and through a wrought iron locked gate and onto a jogging/walking path. This path led into a neighborhood near his new house and then down into a creek area. We checked all around the creek area, up and down and side to side, but did not find any sign of Nugget. We decided to check some of the streets leading out from the creek in case he did walk away from the creek.
We did pick up his scent down and street and then out onto the mail blvd and then right up to another busy blvd. His scent went up the street and then backtracked down the hill and then crossed over into a large vacant open space where homes were planned to be built, maybe in better times. We went all through this huge open space and through two creeks, but no sign of Nugget other than his track. This track went back to the open space behind his house and then went back through the wrought iron gate he originally went through, running a half a block from his new house, which he did not know.
This track went back out to the first blvd and turned left this time and went down the blvd for miles. Eventually it crossed over the highway and turned into a golf course. The track went through the golf course and across multiple holes and eventually ending up at a swamp. It had been several hours and very hot and everybody was exhausted, including Dino, who I never see exhausted.
Nugget's person decided to call it for another day. She said she was unsure if she wanted to continue the search at another day. She said she would let me know. I heard back the next day that she did want to continue the search, however, I had already scheduled another search for the Sacramento area the next day. I said I could give her a call that evening depending on how late this search in Sacramento lasted for.
I received a call from her late that evening. She said she had talked to a person at the golf course and she was told that coyotes were known to visit the golf course. His person said that was enough for her to not continue a search. I reminded her of all the coyote locations we had tracked him through the day before and that he had walked through them. I suggested continuing the search because I thought he was still alive. She decided to not continue.
I received a call from Nugget's person two days later that Nugget had been found alive and well. She said that an on duty police officer from a nearby town said he saw her large fluorescent posters she had put up along a street in his town, and he remembered seeing a pug being walked by a couple previously. He went to those people and asked them if they had found the dog, and they said they had. He told them about the posters he had seen for a missing pug and that he was going to contact the owner. He did contact Nugget's person and she went to visit the dog and it was Nugget! These people said they were given the dog by a person in their neighborhood after that person found Nugget and could not keep him, which apparently was further along the track past the golf course. They said they had had Nugget since the previous Sunday, which meant that the track we followed of Nugget's was all the way up to at least Saturday, which meant all night Thursday, all day Friday, Friday evening and then Saturday.
The people who had Nugget (who had named him Dudley) said they had called their local shelter to ask if anybody was missing a pug, and they told him "no." That was as far as they took it. They never asked other shelters or filed a found report, put ads or posters anywhere or even checked for a microchip. They thought that since he was such a nice dog they were going to keep him.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 8/3/10)
Saturday, June 13, 2009
"Tinka", Chihuahua/Poodle mix, South San Francisco - Found
12/15/09 - I am unaware how Tinka was found. I heard through another person that they were told by Tinka's people that Tinka had been found. When I emailed them to ask them about the details, I never received a response.
July 21, 2009 - Still Missing
LOST DOG:
We are still looking for our female dog Tinka, a 8 lbs., terrier/chihuahua/maltese mix with white fluffy hair. The fur is a little bit scruffy and beige on her back. She is small but has long skinny legs for her size, and brown eyes. She has a long white tail with longer fluffy hairs. Last seen, she was running down Grand Ave. and afterwards at the Mission Rd. area in South San Francisco late on Saturday, June 6th. It is likely that she is still wearing a polka dotted white, pink and purple collar with an Adobe Animal Hospital tag. She needs her medications. She is microchipped, so any vet will be able to scan her. She is a timid and likely a bit submissive, but friendly little dog; therefore please don't chase her. There will be a REWARD for her safe return with no questions asked. If you have any information about her, please call 24hrs (408) 691-3019. Thanks for looking and helping.
Tinka is a poodle/terrier mix, about three years old. She is spayed, microchipped twice and wearing a collar with ID tags. Her people were vacationing out of the country and Tinka escaped from the pet sitter's house by jumping an eight foot fence.
She escaped on a Thursday and she was spotted that Saturday evening sleeping underneath a freeway overpass next to a set of train tracks. Several people attempted to catch her but she ran away instead. I was called out that following Friday. Her people had just gotten back into town and I was came out the following Friday.
Day one search: We started the search in the location where Tinka had been seen sleeping next to the railroad tracks. And for the next several hours Tinka's track led us around the area of motels, industrial parks, rail road tracks, gas stations, canals, warehouses and everyplace imaginable in an industrialized location of town. We didn't stop the track until after 10:30 PM at night. We agreed to continue the track the following morning at 10 AM at the location where we left off.
Day two search: We started at Starlite and Canal again in South San Francisco early Saturday morning, and the track led us all around more parks, more canals, through dog parks, through open fields and industrial parks. After several hours the track came to an end at the doorstep of a business building. We checked several blocks in all directions and no other scent was detected. It was all a negative. We decided to put up posters and flyers in the area and talk to the people at the building first thing Monday morning.
Tinka's people talked to the people at the building and nobody remembers seeing her at all. She also talked to people in buildings along side, also professional buildings. No remembers seeing her at all.
I had another track scheduled for Monday in Folsom for a lost pug, so we continued with the search on Tuesday afternoon.
Day three search: We decided to review the business building location again to double check for any scent leading out. Nothing new was discovered. We checked the location of another possible sighting, but no scent of Tinka was found at the location.
Her people will continue to renew the posters and flyers around the last known location and continue to contact vets and groomers all over the area and beyond.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 7/9/10)
July 21, 2009 - Still Missing
LOST DOG:
We are still looking for our female dog Tinka, a 8 lbs., terrier/chihuahua/maltese mix with white fluffy hair. The fur is a little bit scruffy and beige on her back. She is small but has long skinny legs for her size, and brown eyes. She has a long white tail with longer fluffy hairs. Last seen, she was running down Grand Ave. and afterwards at the Mission Rd. area in South San Francisco late on Saturday, June 6th. It is likely that she is still wearing a polka dotted white, pink and purple collar with an Adobe Animal Hospital tag. She needs her medications. She is microchipped, so any vet will be able to scan her. She is a timid and likely a bit submissive, but friendly little dog; therefore please don't chase her. There will be a REWARD for her safe return with no questions asked. If you have any information about her, please call 24hrs (408) 691-3019. Thanks for looking and helping.
Tinka is a poodle/terrier mix, about three years old. She is spayed, microchipped twice and wearing a collar with ID tags. Her people were vacationing out of the country and Tinka escaped from the pet sitter's house by jumping an eight foot fence.
She escaped on a Thursday and she was spotted that Saturday evening sleeping underneath a freeway overpass next to a set of train tracks. Several people attempted to catch her but she ran away instead. I was called out that following Friday. Her people had just gotten back into town and I was came out the following Friday.
Day one search: We started the search in the location where Tinka had been seen sleeping next to the railroad tracks. And for the next several hours Tinka's track led us around the area of motels, industrial parks, rail road tracks, gas stations, canals, warehouses and everyplace imaginable in an industrialized location of town. We didn't stop the track until after 10:30 PM at night. We agreed to continue the track the following morning at 10 AM at the location where we left off.
Day two search: We started at Starlite and Canal again in South San Francisco early Saturday morning, and the track led us all around more parks, more canals, through dog parks, through open fields and industrial parks. After several hours the track came to an end at the doorstep of a business building. We checked several blocks in all directions and no other scent was detected. It was all a negative. We decided to put up posters and flyers in the area and talk to the people at the building first thing Monday morning.
Tinka's people talked to the people at the building and nobody remembers seeing her at all. She also talked to people in buildings along side, also professional buildings. No remembers seeing her at all.
I had another track scheduled for Monday in Folsom for a lost pug, so we continued with the search on Tuesday afternoon.
Day three search: We decided to review the business building location again to double check for any scent leading out. Nothing new was discovered. We checked the location of another possible sighting, but no scent of Tinka was found at the location.
Her people will continue to renew the posters and flyers around the last known location and continue to contact vets and groomers all over the area and beyond.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 7/9/10)
Thursday, June 11, 2009
"The Kitty", Siamese, San Rafael - Found
The Kitty is a Siamese cat with seal point markings. He is a neutered male wearing an ID collar with tags and a microchip. He is six years old and an indoor/outdoor cat along with his brother and littermate, Budda.
The Kitty's territory was known to extend across the street and back behind these houses to a large open space that is shared with a variety of wildlife including coyotes. The Kitty's territory was also known to extend behind his house which is a large high school with large open fields. The Kitty was also known to visit houses up and down his street for just a few houses in each direction.
We started checking immediate yards on either side of The Kitty's person's house. Dino did pick up his scent, but he wasn't in the yard at the time of the search. This was true of the house just next door. We then went to the school yard and did a thorough search there. We did pick up The Kitty's scent in the yard and followed it down into the parking lot, out a large cyclone gate, to the right, down the street and back into another parking lot that led off to another set of school buildings and distant fields. We did find another cat resting in the bushes while on our search, however, it was not The Kitty. We continued the search of the high school and we were satisfied that The Kitty was not in the school yard at the time of the search.
We started to check the street just out front and found The Kitty's scent going up the street on the same side as his person's house. The scent then crossed the street and went directly up the street toward the dead end of the street which led to the open space. We followed the scent up into the open space and up a trail. The Kitty's person decided to not continue to follow the track that way because he knew it led straight up the mountain into the open space. He wanted to check some other trails closer to the houses to see if The Kitty was anywhere closer.
We did a search of the area and apparently The Kitty was a frequent visitor of the area, which his person was aware of. We also found a large carcass of a deer just behind one of the house, which is unusual, to my knowledge. This means that coyotes were willing to eat the deer about 10 feet away from a back fence and not be bothered by the houses or potential humans. This was a definite sign of coyotes and that they were bold and hungry. Not a good sign for a highly residential neighborhood with a lot of cats.
We continued on the search around the area, and checked numerous bushes all up and down the street, but no The Kitty. His person said that everybody around was aware he was missing and that they were aware to continue to check their garages and tool sheds in case he was stuck or hiding.
We checked down the street this time to see how far The Kitty's territory extended and we found that it turned to the right at the bottom of the street and went down the street and turned to the right at the next street. This street also dead ended at the open space area, so we know The Kitty is frequenting the open space area from both directions.
My best guess at this time was to say that The Kitty had extended his territory to far into the open space and got lost since we know his track goes up into it. My second guess is that he is still stuck somewhere and is unable to get out, so that is where continuous posters and talking to neighbors can help to find out where he might be. My third guess is that he has had an unfortunate run-in with a coyote or other wildlife, which is why there hadn't been any sightings and no one has responded to the collar and tags and microchip.
I received a call the next day from The Kitty's person. Actually two calls. The first said that somebody had called him to say that his cat had been spotted down near the far dead end street that we tracked at the end. He left work and ran over there only for them to say that they had misidentified his cat and the cat they saw really wasn't his.
Then I get another call about a half hour later and he said that somebody else said they had seen a cat that looked just like The Kitty in the school yard the day after he went missing. However, this cat was dead and near the community gardens on the school grounds, and they had thrown the body into the trash without calling animal control or checking for a microchip. The Kitty's person said that he was going to go to the school grounds to see if he could find his cat's collar and tags. I suggested using a metal detector.
I told him to tell this person that next time they find a domestic animal who has died to control animal control and have them dispose of the remains. This way it can be cataloged and scanned, in case an owner was looking for it.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 5/10/10)
The Kitty's territory was known to extend across the street and back behind these houses to a large open space that is shared with a variety of wildlife including coyotes. The Kitty's territory was also known to extend behind his house which is a large high school with large open fields. The Kitty was also known to visit houses up and down his street for just a few houses in each direction.
We started checking immediate yards on either side of The Kitty's person's house. Dino did pick up his scent, but he wasn't in the yard at the time of the search. This was true of the house just next door. We then went to the school yard and did a thorough search there. We did pick up The Kitty's scent in the yard and followed it down into the parking lot, out a large cyclone gate, to the right, down the street and back into another parking lot that led off to another set of school buildings and distant fields. We did find another cat resting in the bushes while on our search, however, it was not The Kitty. We continued the search of the high school and we were satisfied that The Kitty was not in the school yard at the time of the search.
We started to check the street just out front and found The Kitty's scent going up the street on the same side as his person's house. The scent then crossed the street and went directly up the street toward the dead end of the street which led to the open space. We followed the scent up into the open space and up a trail. The Kitty's person decided to not continue to follow the track that way because he knew it led straight up the mountain into the open space. He wanted to check some other trails closer to the houses to see if The Kitty was anywhere closer.
We did a search of the area and apparently The Kitty was a frequent visitor of the area, which his person was aware of. We also found a large carcass of a deer just behind one of the house, which is unusual, to my knowledge. This means that coyotes were willing to eat the deer about 10 feet away from a back fence and not be bothered by the houses or potential humans. This was a definite sign of coyotes and that they were bold and hungry. Not a good sign for a highly residential neighborhood with a lot of cats.
We continued on the search around the area, and checked numerous bushes all up and down the street, but no The Kitty. His person said that everybody around was aware he was missing and that they were aware to continue to check their garages and tool sheds in case he was stuck or hiding.
We checked down the street this time to see how far The Kitty's territory extended and we found that it turned to the right at the bottom of the street and went down the street and turned to the right at the next street. This street also dead ended at the open space area, so we know The Kitty is frequenting the open space area from both directions.
My best guess at this time was to say that The Kitty had extended his territory to far into the open space and got lost since we know his track goes up into it. My second guess is that he is still stuck somewhere and is unable to get out, so that is where continuous posters and talking to neighbors can help to find out where he might be. My third guess is that he has had an unfortunate run-in with a coyote or other wildlife, which is why there hadn't been any sightings and no one has responded to the collar and tags and microchip.
I received a call the next day from The Kitty's person. Actually two calls. The first said that somebody had called him to say that his cat had been spotted down near the far dead end street that we tracked at the end. He left work and ran over there only for them to say that they had misidentified his cat and the cat they saw really wasn't his.
Then I get another call about a half hour later and he said that somebody else said they had seen a cat that looked just like The Kitty in the school yard the day after he went missing. However, this cat was dead and near the community gardens on the school grounds, and they had thrown the body into the trash without calling animal control or checking for a microchip. The Kitty's person said that he was going to go to the school grounds to see if he could find his cat's collar and tags. I suggested using a metal detector.
I told him to tell this person that next time they find a domestic animal who has died to control animal control and have them dispose of the remains. This way it can be cataloged and scanned, in case an owner was looking for it.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 5/10/10)
"Candy", White French Poodle, Oakland
Candy is a small white French Poodle who was visiting a relative in Oakland and escaped from the yard. She is four years old and wearing a collar with ID tags. She is not spayed nor is she wearing a microchip.
Me and Dino tracked this dog all over Oakland for over five hours through neighborhoods, shopping malls, railroad tracks, harbors, more neighborhoods. Everywhere. We were walking with the son of Candy's person. We were on her track still when Candy's person said she wanted to continue the track the following day since we were all very tired and hot. I did not receive a call back to my messages I left on their voicemails.
We think she may have been in a home for a couple of days and we think she may have been picked up and carried part of that way due to the change in track. She was spotted by a security guard at the Fruitvale shopping center several days after she was missing. This was along the track we were following her, yet we had only been tracking her for about an hour. I also think she had been in a home for a couple of days since Dino tracked her directly to the front door of a home. She may have escaped and then went to the Fruitvale center, which was just a block away.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 5/10/10)
Me and Dino tracked this dog all over Oakland for over five hours through neighborhoods, shopping malls, railroad tracks, harbors, more neighborhoods. Everywhere. We were walking with the son of Candy's person. We were on her track still when Candy's person said she wanted to continue the track the following day since we were all very tired and hot. I did not receive a call back to my messages I left on their voicemails.
We think she may have been in a home for a couple of days and we think she may have been picked up and carried part of that way due to the change in track. She was spotted by a security guard at the Fruitvale shopping center several days after she was missing. This was along the track we were following her, yet we had only been tracking her for about an hour. I also think she had been in a home for a couple of days since Dino tracked her directly to the front door of a home. She may have escaped and then went to the Fruitvale center, which was just a block away.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 5/10/10)
"Eddie", DSH Orange Tabby, Belmont
Eddie is an 11 month old DSH orange tabby. He was not wearing a collar with tags or a microchip. Per his person, his normal territory was less than three or four houses away. He was let out in the morning, which was normal, but he did not return later that afternoon as normal. There was a sighting of him that afternoon on a deck about two doors from his house within his known territory. He had been missing for several days when I was called.
I started by going over Eddie's yard and the yard next door to see how he normally comes and goes from this home. The house next door is a relative of Eddie's person so it is totally normal for him to come and go freely onto both properties. There were several potential entries and exists that Eddie has seen normally using. However, one path was the most common. This was up and over a fence in the far back of the yard high on a hillside. This path led behind a couple of houses and was fenced by high deer fencing. This opening led to an small open space area at the far end of the block where Eddie lived.
We began the check by looking at the yards of the houses next to Eddie's house to see if he was somehow hiding in the yard. There wasn't any sign of Eddie but his scent was definitely in the yard, according to Dino.
We then checked the open space area just past these house, which is where the small path at the top of the houses' yards opened up out into. We did pick up Eddie's scent coming out of this narrow path and then Dino followed it out that area and up onto the street and down the street and it continued all the way down a long street going down. Eddie's person was totally surprised that Eddie would travel this far (How many times have I heard that?). Then she said: "This is the way I walk to work." It appeared that Eddie was following the track of her and trying to find her by following her scent.
The track continued down the hill and then deviated off to the left and then into an apartment complex, through the complex and back out onto the street heading downhill and toward Eddie's person's work, which was a school.
We followed the track through another apartment complex and then out the far end and then the track went through super thick bush that I could not even climb through. I went back to find Eddie's person who was waiting out on the street. I told her where I went and about the bushes and she said: "That is the school where I work. Those bushes are alongside the playground where I spend a lot of time."
We decided to go down further on the street to look at the bushes from another direction. We found the bushes and decided to see if we could find Eddie's track in the bushes. The bushes were still so thick and loaded with articles of homeless people that it was difficult to get through them. Plus it was getting dark.
She decided to continue the search for Eddie the next day by putting out bowls of food around the school yard and then trying to set up a trap and finding a hole in the fence for Eddie to come through. I told her about www.catinthebag.org which has a lot of good ideas for catching loose cats. She said she would let me know. They had planned to be on vacation for a few days following the search, so she said she would get back to me.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 5/2/10)
I started by going over Eddie's yard and the yard next door to see how he normally comes and goes from this home. The house next door is a relative of Eddie's person so it is totally normal for him to come and go freely onto both properties. There were several potential entries and exists that Eddie has seen normally using. However, one path was the most common. This was up and over a fence in the far back of the yard high on a hillside. This path led behind a couple of houses and was fenced by high deer fencing. This opening led to an small open space area at the far end of the block where Eddie lived.
We began the check by looking at the yards of the houses next to Eddie's house to see if he was somehow hiding in the yard. There wasn't any sign of Eddie but his scent was definitely in the yard, according to Dino.
We then checked the open space area just past these house, which is where the small path at the top of the houses' yards opened up out into. We did pick up Eddie's scent coming out of this narrow path and then Dino followed it out that area and up onto the street and down the street and it continued all the way down a long street going down. Eddie's person was totally surprised that Eddie would travel this far (How many times have I heard that?). Then she said: "This is the way I walk to work." It appeared that Eddie was following the track of her and trying to find her by following her scent.
The track continued down the hill and then deviated off to the left and then into an apartment complex, through the complex and back out onto the street heading downhill and toward Eddie's person's work, which was a school.
We followed the track through another apartment complex and then out the far end and then the track went through super thick bush that I could not even climb through. I went back to find Eddie's person who was waiting out on the street. I told her where I went and about the bushes and she said: "That is the school where I work. Those bushes are alongside the playground where I spend a lot of time."
We decided to go down further on the street to look at the bushes from another direction. We found the bushes and decided to see if we could find Eddie's track in the bushes. The bushes were still so thick and loaded with articles of homeless people that it was difficult to get through them. Plus it was getting dark.
She decided to continue the search for Eddie the next day by putting out bowls of food around the school yard and then trying to set up a trap and finding a hole in the fence for Eddie to come through. I told her about www.catinthebag.org which has a lot of good ideas for catching loose cats. She said she would let me know. They had planned to be on vacation for a few days following the search, so she said she would get back to me.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 5/2/10)
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
"Daisy", Hound mix, Pacheco - Found!
Even though I did not participate in a search to find Daisy I wanted to tell this story to demonstrate how common it is for people to keep pets they find on the street, even if the animal has a collar and tags.
I received a call from Daisy's person after I responded to her lost pet ad on Craigslist. She said that Daisy had gotten loose from the front yard somehow and was nowhere to be found. Daisy is a four month old hound mix they had recently adopted. She was not microchipped, but she was wearing a flat collar with ID tags. She described Daisy as a very friendly and happy puppy. However, she was on allergy medication for a skin condition. I asked her what would happen if Daisy did not receive her allergy shots. She responded that she would start howling and screaming.
I advised her to check all shelters and to put up fluorescent posters and flyers letting everybody know she was missing. She asked me how common it was to have somebody keep a dog if they found them instead of turning them into a shelter. I said it was very common, especially with a cute and friendly puppy.
She said she would get back to me about doing a search if she had not found Daisy in couple of days.
I received a phone call the next day from Daisy's person to say that Daisy had been found! Apparently, somebody had picked her up on the road and taken her home. They said they had intended to keep her until she started to howl and scream, probably from lack of her allergy medication. They called Daisy's person after seeing the ad and asked her to come pick her up.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 5/2/10)
I received a call from Daisy's person after I responded to her lost pet ad on Craigslist. She said that Daisy had gotten loose from the front yard somehow and was nowhere to be found. Daisy is a four month old hound mix they had recently adopted. She was not microchipped, but she was wearing a flat collar with ID tags. She described Daisy as a very friendly and happy puppy. However, she was on allergy medication for a skin condition. I asked her what would happen if Daisy did not receive her allergy shots. She responded that she would start howling and screaming.
I advised her to check all shelters and to put up fluorescent posters and flyers letting everybody know she was missing. She asked me how common it was to have somebody keep a dog if they found them instead of turning them into a shelter. I said it was very common, especially with a cute and friendly puppy.
She said she would get back to me about doing a search if she had not found Daisy in couple of days.
I received a phone call the next day from Daisy's person to say that Daisy had been found! Apparently, somebody had picked her up on the road and taken her home. They said they had intended to keep her until she started to howl and scream, probably from lack of her allergy medication. They called Daisy's person after seeing the ad and asked her to come pick her up.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 5/2/10)
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
"Simba" and "Rowdy," Pomeranian X, Black Lab, Modesto
Simba is a blond Pomeranian mix and Rowdy is a large black Labrador. Simba is neutered and had a collar with tags and was microchipped. Rowdy is unneutered and wasn't wearing a collar nor was he microchipped. Both dogs escaped from their homes while in the backyard. Their people had gone to dinner at a nearby shopping mall to celebrate a birthday. When they got home they discovered both dogs were gone.
There were several sightings of the dogs over the next couple of days and the night of their disappearance. The sightings centered around the shopping center that their people had gone to for dinner. My guess is that Rowdy and Simba had tracked them to the shopping center. The husband confirmed with me that they had driven to the center with the windows down on the vehicle which would disperse their scent along the way. Somehow they would go to the center and then go some place else and then return to the center. Then all sightings stopped. I was called in approximately one week after their disappearance.
We started the track at one of the confirmed sightings, which was a neighborhood just on the other side of the shopping center. A man said the two dogs were outside in his front yard playing with his kids, and then they ran down the street.
Dino picked up their scent and headed down the street and then made a right at the end of the street. We headed down the street and then crossed a busy street and headed straight into a large orchard. We walked for over a half hour through this orchard following their track. We found ourselves at an vacant house on the property. We continued on the track on the property.
We literally traveled along for over an hour through various orchards following Simba and Rowdy's track and we never saw a human being. We came upon another vacant and fenced house. Here at another house we finally found a senior man working on his car. We showed him the poster and he said he never saw the dogs.
We continued along the track through another orchard. On the far side of that we came out to a house that had a woman with small kids. We showed her the flyer, but she never saw the dogs. We continued along a long road through another orchard and then found another house that was vacant, which was probably a weekend house. Across the street from that was another house that was lived in, but nobody was home. We knocked on the door and heard two dogs inside. Simba's person thought that one of the dogs sounded like Simba. We left a flyer and he said he would come back to this house to speak to them.
We continued on the track and went through another orchard. After this we came out to a canal that led us through various neighborhoods and then out onto a busy street with a lot of car dealerships. The track led us to the left and then all down the street, block after block after block.
Simba's and Rowdy's person decided to stop the search after three hours and continue on his own. At this point we guessed we were following only Rowdy due to the speed and distance of the track and that Simba stopped somewhere along the track or got picked up.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire)
There were several sightings of the dogs over the next couple of days and the night of their disappearance. The sightings centered around the shopping center that their people had gone to for dinner. My guess is that Rowdy and Simba had tracked them to the shopping center. The husband confirmed with me that they had driven to the center with the windows down on the vehicle which would disperse their scent along the way. Somehow they would go to the center and then go some place else and then return to the center. Then all sightings stopped. I was called in approximately one week after their disappearance.
We started the track at one of the confirmed sightings, which was a neighborhood just on the other side of the shopping center. A man said the two dogs were outside in his front yard playing with his kids, and then they ran down the street.
Dino picked up their scent and headed down the street and then made a right at the end of the street. We headed down the street and then crossed a busy street and headed straight into a large orchard. We walked for over a half hour through this orchard following their track. We found ourselves at an vacant house on the property. We continued on the track on the property.
We literally traveled along for over an hour through various orchards following Simba and Rowdy's track and we never saw a human being. We came upon another vacant and fenced house. Here at another house we finally found a senior man working on his car. We showed him the poster and he said he never saw the dogs.
We continued along the track through another orchard. On the far side of that we came out to a house that had a woman with small kids. We showed her the flyer, but she never saw the dogs. We continued along a long road through another orchard and then found another house that was vacant, which was probably a weekend house. Across the street from that was another house that was lived in, but nobody was home. We knocked on the door and heard two dogs inside. Simba's person thought that one of the dogs sounded like Simba. We left a flyer and he said he would come back to this house to speak to them.
We continued on the track and went through another orchard. After this we came out to a canal that led us through various neighborhoods and then out onto a busy street with a lot of car dealerships. The track led us to the left and then all down the street, block after block after block.
Simba's and Rowdy's person decided to stop the search after three hours and continue on his own. At this point we guessed we were following only Rowdy due to the speed and distance of the track and that Simba stopped somewhere along the track or got picked up.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire)
"Lexi", Yorkie/Chihuahua, Concord - Found!
I received a call from Lexi's person that Lexi, a two year old, unspayed, Yorki/Chihuahua, who had been stolen out of their SUV while the vehicle was parked behind a restaurant while they ate dinner. This occurred on a Friday evening and I spoke to Lexi's person on Sunday morning.
I asked if the police had performed fingerprinting dusting on the vehicle and she said "no" because she was told that the police was too shortstaffed to do it. I told her that she absolutely insist this occur since a crime had occur ed and that it was their job. I suggested that she call the police officer's supervisor to have them make sure the dusting gets done. She said she knew the chief of police and that she would call them.
We pushed around a few ideas on who could have taken her. She thought maybe a couple who pulled in beside her at the parking lot. She said she never saw them come into the restaurant and there wasn't anything else around there for them to go to. She though maybe a homeless person from the creek, which ran alongside the parking lot of the restaurant. She thought maybe a client or former employee of their business, who have in the past made threats to their family, business and Lexi. I also told her about the possibility that Lexi was stolen by a professional dog thief, who steal dogs to resell in other locations or sell to puppy mills to breed.
News shows and a bunch of flyers had been distributed displaying a $10,000 reward.
I got a call later in the day from Lexi's person's daughter that they had received a call that this person had Lexi and for them to wire the money to them when they called back later in the afternoon. They thought it sounded like a scam because the caller never showed proof that they had Lexi.
I received a call the next morning from Lexi's person that they had received another call and that they had Lexi. They provided a number to call back on and they provided a photo of Lexi. Lexi's person agreed to meet with them at a designated location and they got Lexi back (still wearing her denim jacket) and they gave out the $10,000.
Lexi appeared to be safe, unhurt and healthy. They were going to take her to the vet for a full check up.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 4/4/10)
I asked if the police had performed fingerprinting dusting on the vehicle and she said "no" because she was told that the police was too shortstaffed to do it. I told her that she absolutely insist this occur since a crime had occur ed and that it was their job. I suggested that she call the police officer's supervisor to have them make sure the dusting gets done. She said she knew the chief of police and that she would call them.
We pushed around a few ideas on who could have taken her. She thought maybe a couple who pulled in beside her at the parking lot. She said she never saw them come into the restaurant and there wasn't anything else around there for them to go to. She though maybe a homeless person from the creek, which ran alongside the parking lot of the restaurant. She thought maybe a client or former employee of their business, who have in the past made threats to their family, business and Lexi. I also told her about the possibility that Lexi was stolen by a professional dog thief, who steal dogs to resell in other locations or sell to puppy mills to breed.
News shows and a bunch of flyers had been distributed displaying a $10,000 reward.
I got a call later in the day from Lexi's person's daughter that they had received a call that this person had Lexi and for them to wire the money to them when they called back later in the afternoon. They thought it sounded like a scam because the caller never showed proof that they had Lexi.
I received a call the next morning from Lexi's person that they had received another call and that they had Lexi. They provided a number to call back on and they provided a photo of Lexi. Lexi's person agreed to meet with them at a designated location and they got Lexi back (still wearing her denim jacket) and they gave out the $10,000.
Lexi appeared to be safe, unhurt and healthy. They were going to take her to the vet for a full check up.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 4/4/10)
Saturday, June 6, 2009
"Roxy", Black Lab, San Diego
Roxy is an all black, female Labrador. She was wearing a collar and tags and was microchipped when she escaped from the backyard of a dog sitter where she was staying for the weekend. Her housemate, Wiley, a male Weimarner, was also staying at the dog sitter, however, Wiley did not escape out the fence with Roxy.
There are two pet detectives in the LA/San Diego area. However, they were not available at the time to look for Roxy, so I agreed to drive down from Northern California to help. I drove down on a Thursday and stayed at a very nice hotel. I met the next morning with Roxy's two people. Roxy had been missing for two weeks by the time we started out search.
Day one search:
Dino immediately picked up Roxy's scent from the backyard and started up the street back toward the main busy street in the area. At the corner Dino made a right down the street and across a bridge and then he went down to a very large county park. This park has multiple lakes, both day and overnight RV campsites and large sports fields. On the borders of this park are a deep and wide creek that is fenced off and all very large open space known to have coyotes and other wildlife.
Roxy's track when from one end of the park, around a large pond with a lot of ducks and all the way down to the other side of the park. This led up through campsites, fishing holes, buildings, etc. At any point, we figured that Roxy would be picked up since she was so friendly, but the track indicated that she kept going and going through the park and then into the area that leads into the large open space.
Her track then left the park through a large padlocked gate. Me and Dino were small enough to fit through the small opening. However, one of Roxy's person's were not able to fit and the other person went back to the car to pick it up to meet us. This track led me and Dino around a very large reservoir, then doubled back and went around again back to the chain link gate. We walked a bit further down that fire road and then the track went off to the left and through a large metal back gate.
Day two search:
We started day two where we left off from day one. Dino picked up the track immediately and we went up a couple of streets and then came back. Dino indicated the track went into a large industrial yard. However, we were unable to get into the yard. I decided to see if Roxy's track led anyplace else. We did find her track up another street and then it led up into the open space hills. It was in this space that I saw the biggest and darkest coyote I have ever seen. I thought I was looking at a loose German Shepherd until I saw that it was a coyote. I was pretty scared about being that close. I had Dino with me and we were searching around for Roxy's track that seemed to go around and around and then finally led back toward the opening.
The track led up the hill and all around the hillside and then down and up and down and finally led out to the street. This took us another two hours, and then Roxy's person decided to stop the track. They said they would look for Roxy in the neighborhood that Roxy's track led into.
My highest probability what happened to Roxy is that she was picked up further along the track and taken in by somebody, even thought she had a collar, tag and a microchip.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 3/18/10)
There are two pet detectives in the LA/San Diego area. However, they were not available at the time to look for Roxy, so I agreed to drive down from Northern California to help. I drove down on a Thursday and stayed at a very nice hotel. I met the next morning with Roxy's two people. Roxy had been missing for two weeks by the time we started out search.
Day one search:
Dino immediately picked up Roxy's scent from the backyard and started up the street back toward the main busy street in the area. At the corner Dino made a right down the street and across a bridge and then he went down to a very large county park. This park has multiple lakes, both day and overnight RV campsites and large sports fields. On the borders of this park are a deep and wide creek that is fenced off and all very large open space known to have coyotes and other wildlife.
Roxy's track when from one end of the park, around a large pond with a lot of ducks and all the way down to the other side of the park. This led up through campsites, fishing holes, buildings, etc. At any point, we figured that Roxy would be picked up since she was so friendly, but the track indicated that she kept going and going through the park and then into the area that leads into the large open space.
Her track then left the park through a large padlocked gate. Me and Dino were small enough to fit through the small opening. However, one of Roxy's person's were not able to fit and the other person went back to the car to pick it up to meet us. This track led me and Dino around a very large reservoir, then doubled back and went around again back to the chain link gate. We walked a bit further down that fire road and then the track went off to the left and through a large metal back gate.
Day two search:
We started day two where we left off from day one. Dino picked up the track immediately and we went up a couple of streets and then came back. Dino indicated the track went into a large industrial yard. However, we were unable to get into the yard. I decided to see if Roxy's track led anyplace else. We did find her track up another street and then it led up into the open space hills. It was in this space that I saw the biggest and darkest coyote I have ever seen. I thought I was looking at a loose German Shepherd until I saw that it was a coyote. I was pretty scared about being that close. I had Dino with me and we were searching around for Roxy's track that seemed to go around and around and then finally led back toward the opening.
The track led up the hill and all around the hillside and then down and up and down and finally led out to the street. This took us another two hours, and then Roxy's person decided to stop the track. They said they would look for Roxy in the neighborhood that Roxy's track led into.
My highest probability what happened to Roxy is that she was picked up further along the track and taken in by somebody, even thought she had a collar, tag and a microchip.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 3/18/10)
Friday, June 5, 2009
"Ronan", Black DSH, Santa Cruz - Found!
I received a voicemail about two weeks after our search saying that Ronan's person had received a phone call from a person who saw her flyer. The person said that Ronan had been hanging out on her street and coming to her home for food for about one week. This house was within about 10 blocks from Ronan's home.
Ronan is an adult, all back DSH cat, four and a half years old, that is indoor/outdoor and friendly with people and other cats. He is allowed to go in and out through a cat door, and generally is home in the morning for his meal. This time he did not come home. He had been missing for over a week when I was called out. He had no collar, but he did have a microchip.
We started searching in the immediate area of his home to start to see where we might find Ronan's territory boundary and then to see if we find anything leading out. We checked the whole condo complex, bush by bush and knocked on many doors to see if we could check yards and hand out flyers. The yards were all very small and fenced. There is another apt/condo complex next to Ronan's and we then checked that. This was definitely also part of Ronan's territory due to Dino's reaction of scent indication, which did not surprise Ronan's person. Dino did find a hole under the fence from this complex to the one next door and Dino indicated Ronan's had gone through there in the past. This was a huge complex, and we decided to come back to that and check about the other side of Ronan's complex to see if that led out anywhere. We could come back to this side when we went around the other side.
On the south side of Ronan's complex Dino indicated that Ronan's scent led down the street and then down the next street, which led us directly to a small local neighborhood park. Through this park is a deep creek with very thick vegetation on both side. The creek was completely fenced in on both sides and inaccessible to humans. Later we learned that creek came down from the distant hills and cougar, coyote and many other wildlife were known to hang out there. Dino did indicate that Ronan had been through this park and near this creek.
We crossed the small footbridge across the creek to the neighborhood on the other side. Just on the other side was a small neighborhood park. Here is where we found out about the wildlife that hangs out in the park by a maintenance person. We checked the park and surrounding neighborhood and did not find any of Ronan's scent, so we decided to go back to the other side of the footbridge and focus again in Ronan's immediate neighborhood and then to check the other side of the main street.
Dino led us through on Ronan's scent through this park and through another gate to the apt/condo complex on the other side of the fence where we previously found the hole under the fence. Dino led us around the complex and directly back to the whole in the fence. This means that this is part of Ronan's territory and that he was using the whole in the fence to go back and forth. Dino also led us around the fence down by the street and directly in a beeline back to the back door of Ronan's apartment. This means that Ronan has been going from his home directly to this apt complex as part of his regular territory.
We decided to start to check the other side of the street and see if we could pick up Ronan's scent over there to see if we could either locate him or find a track leading in another direction.
We found Ronan's scent down a parking lot at the far end of an apt complex, and behind that complex was a large community park with lakes. In order to get to that park, there were very thick trees and ivy to get down to the park. There was a fence with multiple holes in it large enough for humans. We found a lot evidence of homeless in the area and Ronan's scent leading directly through all the ivy and brush and trees. If he did get down here and if this was part of his territory then there is no telling when he would come back. He could have decided one day to extend his territory a bit further and got lost or has a lot to entertain him. There is also known to be an abundance of wildlife in this park like raccoons, coyote and cougar.
We decided to continue to check down the street, which had more apt complexes and private housing. We did find Ronan's scent down the street and we did find more access to the large wooded park down below. Many neighbors said that there is a large population of cats that roam in that area.
My best guess what happened to Ronan is that since he has such a large territory, he is either still in his territory and hasn't decided to come home yet. Or that he has gone outside his territory and has lost his way back. He may eventually find his way back if he follows his track back. There is also a chance of having come in contact with wildlife since where he was tracked had wildlife in the area, but many animals do survive in areas where wildlife exist, so it does not always mean that the pet was taken by wildlife.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 3/2/10)
Ronan is an adult, all back DSH cat, four and a half years old, that is indoor/outdoor and friendly with people and other cats. He is allowed to go in and out through a cat door, and generally is home in the morning for his meal. This time he did not come home. He had been missing for over a week when I was called out. He had no collar, but he did have a microchip.
We started searching in the immediate area of his home to start to see where we might find Ronan's territory boundary and then to see if we find anything leading out. We checked the whole condo complex, bush by bush and knocked on many doors to see if we could check yards and hand out flyers. The yards were all very small and fenced. There is another apt/condo complex next to Ronan's and we then checked that. This was definitely also part of Ronan's territory due to Dino's reaction of scent indication, which did not surprise Ronan's person. Dino did find a hole under the fence from this complex to the one next door and Dino indicated Ronan's had gone through there in the past. This was a huge complex, and we decided to come back to that and check about the other side of Ronan's complex to see if that led out anywhere. We could come back to this side when we went around the other side.
On the south side of Ronan's complex Dino indicated that Ronan's scent led down the street and then down the next street, which led us directly to a small local neighborhood park. Through this park is a deep creek with very thick vegetation on both side. The creek was completely fenced in on both sides and inaccessible to humans. Later we learned that creek came down from the distant hills and cougar, coyote and many other wildlife were known to hang out there. Dino did indicate that Ronan had been through this park and near this creek.
We crossed the small footbridge across the creek to the neighborhood on the other side. Just on the other side was a small neighborhood park. Here is where we found out about the wildlife that hangs out in the park by a maintenance person. We checked the park and surrounding neighborhood and did not find any of Ronan's scent, so we decided to go back to the other side of the footbridge and focus again in Ronan's immediate neighborhood and then to check the other side of the main street.
Dino led us through on Ronan's scent through this park and through another gate to the apt/condo complex on the other side of the fence where we previously found the hole under the fence. Dino led us around the complex and directly back to the whole in the fence. This means that this is part of Ronan's territory and that he was using the whole in the fence to go back and forth. Dino also led us around the fence down by the street and directly in a beeline back to the back door of Ronan's apartment. This means that Ronan has been going from his home directly to this apt complex as part of his regular territory.
We decided to start to check the other side of the street and see if we could pick up Ronan's scent over there to see if we could either locate him or find a track leading in another direction.
We found Ronan's scent down a parking lot at the far end of an apt complex, and behind that complex was a large community park with lakes. In order to get to that park, there were very thick trees and ivy to get down to the park. There was a fence with multiple holes in it large enough for humans. We found a lot evidence of homeless in the area and Ronan's scent leading directly through all the ivy and brush and trees. If he did get down here and if this was part of his territory then there is no telling when he would come back. He could have decided one day to extend his territory a bit further and got lost or has a lot to entertain him. There is also known to be an abundance of wildlife in this park like raccoons, coyote and cougar.
We decided to continue to check down the street, which had more apt complexes and private housing. We did find Ronan's scent down the street and we did find more access to the large wooded park down below. Many neighbors said that there is a large population of cats that roam in that area.
My best guess what happened to Ronan is that since he has such a large territory, he is either still in his territory and hasn't decided to come home yet. Or that he has gone outside his territory and has lost his way back. He may eventually find his way back if he follows his track back. There is also a chance of having come in contact with wildlife since where he was tracked had wildlife in the area, but many animals do survive in areas where wildlife exist, so it does not always mean that the pet was taken by wildlife.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 3/2/10)
"Kitty", Brown Tabby, San Francisco - Found!
UPDATE - June 18, 2009 I spoke to Kitty's person tonight and I was told that Kitty was caught about a week ago. He was caught in a trap they had been putting out on their back steps. This is the same location where we tracked him to immediately after he left his front door. She said she thought it helped to walked around the area and distribute her scent in the area and then walk back to the back door to entice him to the correct area. It worked! He is safe at home and they will be getting him microchipped and keeping a collar with an ID tag on it, even though he remains a total indoor cat.
Kitty is a totally indoor cat. He escaped one evening as his people were coming home from a night out to dinner. He usually will hang out at the door step of their front door as they go back and forth to their car. This one time he took off without being known to his people he was outside. His absence was not known until the next morning when they searched the apartment flat and did not find him. He had no collar and was not microchipped. Kitty had been missing for almost two weeks when I was called out. The environment is total urban with front doors right on the sidwalks. It is very busy with lots of noise and cars and people walking here and there.
Dino indicated that Kitty turned left and went down a long alley that led to a back storage area for a restaurant that is below their apartment. We searched all through the storage area which had a lot of hiding places. This spot is where the back stairs come down from the back of their apartment. They had just started the night before to put out a trap with food inside, and I was told that they food put out the night before had been eaten totally without the door being tripped. I thought that maybe the trap was too small so that a trap savvy animal could stick their head over the paddle and get food without tripping the door.
Since we did not find Kitty in this spot we decided to check outside to see if an additional track could be found. We did find another track that went into another garden/yard behind a locked gate that went behind a set of apartments. We did not find a tenant home at one of these apartments to get access to this yard. We decided to come back later to check the yard if we did not find another track.
We did find a track all around the perimeter of the block which went in and out of driveways with small gardens and access to the interior backyards. We continued to follow the track all around the block back to the same corner of their apartment. I decided to see if Kitty had left the block and I tried to see if scent was on another block. We started with the block just south and we found a track leading away from their block. The track went down the block and made a right at the corner. It then went up the block and then jutted into a locked and gated garden of a Jewish Community Center.
We walked around to the front of the center, and Kitty's people went inside to see if Dino could be brought through. They said it was fine and we brought him through the building. We checked the whole garden, and there was Kitty's scent all over it and then went back out the same door, which led to the garages and back out to the street. We went back out to the gate again and checked for another trail leading out.
We did find another track that led down the street and into the large campus of a local research hospital. It wasn't a local hospital, just a research building. We tracked Kitty all over the campus, and this track ended on the far end as the driveway goes out the other side. We did a check on the far intersection outside the building, and there was no scent. We figured he was around the campus and then his scent went back down the street outside the campus. At this point Kitty's people decided to call the search at the three hour mark. The track was obviously going back out to the city.
As we were walking back the few block their apartment, Kitty's person was telling me that where we tracked Kitty was places that she either walked to the store, walked to the gym at the Jewish Center, did her jogging around the area. We figured that he probably circled their block at least once initially to find his way back in, but he did not recognize where to go, and he was so scared being out on the street. Then he discovered her scent on the street and started to follow it trying to find her.
I suggested that she walk around the area with her spare clothes touching everything along the way getting her scent all over the place and then leading back to their apartment door. I suggested putting out his blanket on the doorstep with food to draw him in. They would also continue with the trap in the back stairs. We also thought of putting a baby monitor down by the doorstep with the extension in their room to see if he comes back and starts to meow. They will continue with flyers and large, flourescent posters all over the area to let everybody know he is still missing.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 2/28/10)
Kitty is a totally indoor cat. He escaped one evening as his people were coming home from a night out to dinner. He usually will hang out at the door step of their front door as they go back and forth to their car. This one time he took off without being known to his people he was outside. His absence was not known until the next morning when they searched the apartment flat and did not find him. He had no collar and was not microchipped. Kitty had been missing for almost two weeks when I was called out. The environment is total urban with front doors right on the sidwalks. It is very busy with lots of noise and cars and people walking here and there.
Dino indicated that Kitty turned left and went down a long alley that led to a back storage area for a restaurant that is below their apartment. We searched all through the storage area which had a lot of hiding places. This spot is where the back stairs come down from the back of their apartment. They had just started the night before to put out a trap with food inside, and I was told that they food put out the night before had been eaten totally without the door being tripped. I thought that maybe the trap was too small so that a trap savvy animal could stick their head over the paddle and get food without tripping the door.
Since we did not find Kitty in this spot we decided to check outside to see if an additional track could be found. We did find another track that went into another garden/yard behind a locked gate that went behind a set of apartments. We did not find a tenant home at one of these apartments to get access to this yard. We decided to come back later to check the yard if we did not find another track.
We did find a track all around the perimeter of the block which went in and out of driveways with small gardens and access to the interior backyards. We continued to follow the track all around the block back to the same corner of their apartment. I decided to see if Kitty had left the block and I tried to see if scent was on another block. We started with the block just south and we found a track leading away from their block. The track went down the block and made a right at the corner. It then went up the block and then jutted into a locked and gated garden of a Jewish Community Center.
We walked around to the front of the center, and Kitty's people went inside to see if Dino could be brought through. They said it was fine and we brought him through the building. We checked the whole garden, and there was Kitty's scent all over it and then went back out the same door, which led to the garages and back out to the street. We went back out to the gate again and checked for another trail leading out.
We did find another track that led down the street and into the large campus of a local research hospital. It wasn't a local hospital, just a research building. We tracked Kitty all over the campus, and this track ended on the far end as the driveway goes out the other side. We did a check on the far intersection outside the building, and there was no scent. We figured he was around the campus and then his scent went back down the street outside the campus. At this point Kitty's people decided to call the search at the three hour mark. The track was obviously going back out to the city.
As we were walking back the few block their apartment, Kitty's person was telling me that where we tracked Kitty was places that she either walked to the store, walked to the gym at the Jewish Center, did her jogging around the area. We figured that he probably circled their block at least once initially to find his way back in, but he did not recognize where to go, and he was so scared being out on the street. Then he discovered her scent on the street and started to follow it trying to find her.
I suggested that she walk around the area with her spare clothes touching everything along the way getting her scent all over the place and then leading back to their apartment door. I suggested putting out his blanket on the doorstep with food to draw him in. They would also continue with the trap in the back stairs. We also thought of putting a baby monitor down by the doorstep with the extension in their room to see if he comes back and starts to meow. They will continue with flyers and large, flourescent posters all over the area to let everybody know he is still missing.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 2/28/10)
Monday, June 1, 2009
"Angel", DSH Grey/White Tabby, San Jose - Found!
Angel is a 14 year old grey and whilte DSH. She does go outside, but only in the daytime. She comes inside at night. She went outside in the afternoon, but did not come home in the usual two to three hours. Her people searched for two days all over the neighborhood in yards and garages, but did not find her. They had put up multiple large flourescent posters around the area to state she was missing, and they got a lot of response from people who would keep an eye out for her, but nobody had seen her since she was missing.
We started by checking all available yards and garages in the immediate block surrounding Angel's home. We did pick up Angel's scent in the immediate block, but the scent did not go beyond the immediate block. We did pick up Angel's scent across the street to the east, which is an industrial yard, but the scent appeared to not be recent since Dino was not fanatic. I believe that Angel had crossed over the street, but only occasionally.
We checked numerous yards and garages directly across the street, and we found Angel's scent in many of the yards and on the sidewalk. However, the scent did not go further than the immediate block to the west. And the scent did not exist on around the corner to the block to the street behind the houses in front of Angel's house. We did check the street behind the house in front of Angel's house, however we did not find any scent.
On this street, were two large abandoned victorian houses. We did get the property owner's name and phone number from a local neighbor, and Angel's people said they would call to see if they would get permission to search those two properties to see if Angel was hiding inside or unable to come out. Dino did indicated that scent may be in the yards since he was extremely interested, but the houses were fully fenced off so we could not go in.
My first probability choice was to say that Angel was stuck somewhere. Either she was injured or unable to get back home since she had a pretty consistent schedule about coming home. Her territory appeared to be very small. We only found her scent in the immediate block and behind her home in a couple of close yards. She was traveling via yards and fences. She was not traveling around the corners.
I suggested to keep up the flyers and posters to let their neighbors know that Angel was still missing in case they found her hiding or stuck somewhere.
The next morning I received an email at around 9 AM saying that Angel had been found! She was found stuck inside a garage of a neighbor. I was told that garage had already been checked but she was not found in the initial search. When I was there with Dino, we wanted to check that garage, but the homeowner was not at home. Angel's person went back there the next day and checked it again and found her inside. I was told she was safe, but a little dirty and a little skinny.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 2/28/10)
We started by checking all available yards and garages in the immediate block surrounding Angel's home. We did pick up Angel's scent in the immediate block, but the scent did not go beyond the immediate block. We did pick up Angel's scent across the street to the east, which is an industrial yard, but the scent appeared to not be recent since Dino was not fanatic. I believe that Angel had crossed over the street, but only occasionally.
We checked numerous yards and garages directly across the street, and we found Angel's scent in many of the yards and on the sidewalk. However, the scent did not go further than the immediate block to the west. And the scent did not exist on around the corner to the block to the street behind the houses in front of Angel's house. We did check the street behind the house in front of Angel's house, however we did not find any scent.
On this street, were two large abandoned victorian houses. We did get the property owner's name and phone number from a local neighbor, and Angel's people said they would call to see if they would get permission to search those two properties to see if Angel was hiding inside or unable to come out. Dino did indicated that scent may be in the yards since he was extremely interested, but the houses were fully fenced off so we could not go in.
My first probability choice was to say that Angel was stuck somewhere. Either she was injured or unable to get back home since she had a pretty consistent schedule about coming home. Her territory appeared to be very small. We only found her scent in the immediate block and behind her home in a couple of close yards. She was traveling via yards and fences. She was not traveling around the corners.
I suggested to keep up the flyers and posters to let their neighbors know that Angel was still missing in case they found her hiding or stuck somewhere.
The next morning I received an email at around 9 AM saying that Angel had been found! She was found stuck inside a garage of a neighbor. I was told that garage had already been checked but she was not found in the initial search. When I was there with Dino, we wanted to check that garage, but the homeowner was not at home. Angel's person went back there the next day and checked it again and found her inside. I was told she was safe, but a little dirty and a little skinny.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 2/28/10)
"Pashiem", Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Sacramento
Pashiem is a red and white one year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. She and persons were visiting a friend in Sacramento. Pashiem got out from a fenced yard on a Friday afternoon, and I was called in to do a search on the next Sunday morning. She did not have a collar on, but she is microchipped.
Pashiem found a small opening under the gate on the driveway and took off. Her persons covered the area with flyers and a TV report was displayed on Saturday night. No response was received to the TV news report.
I double checked the entire yard, and it appeared that there was only one way out and that was through a small opening under the driveway gate.
I started the search out front of the driveway. We checked for any scent on the right side of the house. We checked the intersection in all directions, and there appeared to be no scent. We tried in the opposite direction, and there appeared to be scent. We followed it down the street and then it turned left and continued down the street, which led straight toward a large, busy urban park. The scent crossed the street, into the park, and then turned right along the path. Dino followed the scent down the next left turn, alongside the park and then turn left into the park onto a paved maintenance road. The scent down to the end of the road and then went a short way onto the grass. Then it stopped. We looked all over the park in all directions, but we could not find any other tracks. All three of us were confused. If she had been picked up by a maintenance/park person, who we thought would be the only vehicle allowed into the park, then they should have reported the dog. If they picked her up on a golf cart, then her scent would be out. If they had picked her up in a closed vehicle, then her scent would not be outside. Still something seemed wrong.
As I was walking around and around the park trying to find any clue, I noticed a bunch of vehicle tire tracks all over the grass, coming and going in all directions. I thought that was very strange. Most parks are totally against vehicles from driving on the grass because it puts too much wear on the grass. We only saw a couple of official vehicles in the park the whole time we were there, and they weren't driving on the grass. Who was driving all over the grass?
I went to Pashiem's persons and asked them what they thought. They thought it was odd also. It was quite unusual for a busy park to allow driving on the grass, plus it is a hazard to other people and pets because they won't be expecting a car driving on the grass. I wondered if the tire tracks were from passenger vehicles and if they were allowed into the park, which is not common. We thought that if a citizen had been in the park on Friday and picked up Pashiem, nobody would know about it. Not even a maintenance person.
We continued to check the perimeter of the park and the perimeter across the street from the park. There was no track leading in any direction anywhere. As I was coming back into the park, I saw a passenger truck drive across the park on the grass and stop to pick up several boxes and pieces of equipment from somebody, and then the car drove straight ahead and across the grass and out the park. Just then I saw another passenger car drive directly up to a picnic area and park. Pashiem's person saw that vehicle also.
Based on this information, our greatest probability on what happened to Pashiem was that she was picked up by a citizen in the park and put into a vehicle with the windows closed and then driven away.
Pashiem's person followed up the search with more flyers and fluorescent posters all around the park. She said she would also check with the Recreation department who may have had a picnic permit that Friday.
I heard from them about a week later and still no word about Pashiem.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 2/26/10)
Pashiem found a small opening under the gate on the driveway and took off. Her persons covered the area with flyers and a TV report was displayed on Saturday night. No response was received to the TV news report.
I double checked the entire yard, and it appeared that there was only one way out and that was through a small opening under the driveway gate.
I started the search out front of the driveway. We checked for any scent on the right side of the house. We checked the intersection in all directions, and there appeared to be no scent. We tried in the opposite direction, and there appeared to be scent. We followed it down the street and then it turned left and continued down the street, which led straight toward a large, busy urban park. The scent crossed the street, into the park, and then turned right along the path. Dino followed the scent down the next left turn, alongside the park and then turn left into the park onto a paved maintenance road. The scent down to the end of the road and then went a short way onto the grass. Then it stopped. We looked all over the park in all directions, but we could not find any other tracks. All three of us were confused. If she had been picked up by a maintenance/park person, who we thought would be the only vehicle allowed into the park, then they should have reported the dog. If they picked her up on a golf cart, then her scent would be out. If they had picked her up in a closed vehicle, then her scent would not be outside. Still something seemed wrong.
As I was walking around and around the park trying to find any clue, I noticed a bunch of vehicle tire tracks all over the grass, coming and going in all directions. I thought that was very strange. Most parks are totally against vehicles from driving on the grass because it puts too much wear on the grass. We only saw a couple of official vehicles in the park the whole time we were there, and they weren't driving on the grass. Who was driving all over the grass?
I went to Pashiem's persons and asked them what they thought. They thought it was odd also. It was quite unusual for a busy park to allow driving on the grass, plus it is a hazard to other people and pets because they won't be expecting a car driving on the grass. I wondered if the tire tracks were from passenger vehicles and if they were allowed into the park, which is not common. We thought that if a citizen had been in the park on Friday and picked up Pashiem, nobody would know about it. Not even a maintenance person.
We continued to check the perimeter of the park and the perimeter across the street from the park. There was no track leading in any direction anywhere. As I was coming back into the park, I saw a passenger truck drive across the park on the grass and stop to pick up several boxes and pieces of equipment from somebody, and then the car drove straight ahead and across the grass and out the park. Just then I saw another passenger car drive directly up to a picnic area and park. Pashiem's person saw that vehicle also.
Based on this information, our greatest probability on what happened to Pashiem was that she was picked up by a citizen in the park and put into a vehicle with the windows closed and then driven away.
Pashiem's person followed up the search with more flyers and fluorescent posters all around the park. She said she would also check with the Recreation department who may have had a picnic permit that Friday.
I heard from them about a week later and still no word about Pashiem.
(entered into lost pet questionnaire 2/26/10)
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