Loosing a Fur-Child While Traveling

This article was printed in the Blytheville Courie

The Humane Society has been busy the last couple of weeks, several volunteers have been in the boot-hill of Missouri looking for a lost dog.  The dog’s name is Rainy.  Rainy is a 2-1/2 year old Boston Terri.  Her mom was involved in an accident on the southbound side of I-55 at mile marker 1. Once Rainy’s mom was able to get out of the vehicle, she immediately started trying to find Rainy – mom lost sight of her as she ran across the northbound side of I-55.  Since the accident Rainy has been seen once in a cornfield near the accident site.  Volunteers have spent days and nights covering the farmland and ditches but Rainy is still missing. 

This week if you have a moment take a ride out around mile marker 1 or say a short prayer for Rainy and her mom, Rainy’s Mom after twenty days in Blytheville searching daily for Rainey, has returned home.  It must, be a horrible feeling to know you fur-child is lost and you have to leave them behind.   

Most of us think this situation will never happen to us – but just in case, we want to share a few tips about finding your lost pet while traveling.

If you dog gets loose or lost, finding them within the first few hours is crucial.  Veterinarians have confirmed that even a small pet such as a small dog or cat can trot indefinitely at 3 miles per hour. So, if for some reason your pet must run frantically non-stop, and if he does so at just 3 mph, he could travel 24 miles in just 8 hours; 36 miles in 12 hours; 72 miles in a full 24-hour day.

Although not always true, when lost and on his own, a dog tends to roam, sometimes in circles, sometimes in rather straight lines. A cat on the other hand, will tend to run/hide, until he finds a safe spot in which to hole up that is not already occupied by a tough opponent, a spot which is dry, and one which offers some protection from the elements.

There a few other things that you should consider:

• Walk the area looking in small spaces and under cars. If you have another dog walk it in the same area.
• Ask those helping you search not to chase the dog if they see him or her, but to try to keep the dog in- sight until you get there.
• Look at dusk and dawn because animals tend to move more during these hours. 
• Put food and water at the dogs last known location including a piece of your worn clothing like a sock or shirt and check the location often.
• Take a photo of your dog with your phone number attached to every animal shelter, veterinary office, and groomer. Don't just call, go in person as soon as possible. Visit the shelters again within 5 days. 
• Post a reward immediately on social media like Facebook, Craig's List, and yard sale sights. Also run an ad in the local newspaper right away. Holdback one piece of information about your dog to be sure someone wanting to claim the reward is not a fraud.
• Go door to door with flyers and post them in public places.
• Things to do before traveling with your pet:
• Be prepared by keeping a collar and tags with good phone numbers on your pet.
• Keep recent pictures of your pet.
• When traveling place your pet in a secured crate or harness and seatbelt.
• When you find you pet please remember that once a pet is lost, he is frightened, hungry, confused, disoriented. As such, he may or may not behave as you are accustomed to seeing him do. Your much-loved long-term friend may even run from you if you see him. It's not that he has forgotten you, he has just reverted to survival mode, in which he can no longer -- at the moment -- be certain of who is a friend vs who is out to get him. Please exercise patience.

Rainy is our pet of the week – please share her picture as much as possible, some of you may think finding Rainy is a longshot, but we have found dogs 220 days after they have gone missing and we are praying for the same outcome with Rainy. 

~ ConnieKayA ~
A Southern Girl sharing her passion for living an abundantly blessed life.