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My dogs are gone

6K views 48 replies 28 participants last post by  Mary Jane 
#1 ·
My GSD and husky have been missing for over 2 weeks now. They got out of our back yard and nobody seems to have seen them or know anything about them. We have tried absolutly everything to find them: flyers, ads in the papers, checking with neighbors, checking with the mailman, police officers, pounds, vets, rescue organizations. I've also posted on several lost dog websites, and still nothing. I'm really scared that someone has either taken them or something worse has happened. We live out in the country and I'm afraid they may have gotten confused as coyotes and have been shot. I keep hope that maybe they will still be found or come home, but now that its been 2 weeks, I'm starting to lose that little bit of hope. These dogs were like my kids, I absolutly adored and obsessed over them. I can't even imagine what I will do if I never know what happened to them. I'm due to have our first child any day now, and although I am thrilled about that, I'm still very sad about our dogs. Our new little girl was going to grow up with these dogs. I'm sorry this is so long, and there really isn't a point to it, I just needed to vent a little bit. I cry every night when I see thier dog beds and toys and food bowls, and it breaks my heart that I just don't know what happened to them. Has anyone else had this happen, where your dogs were just gone one day and you never found out what happened to them? How do you deal with it? I'm so devastated! Please give me some help. I pray every day that God will bring them back to me, I just hope that they are safe wherever they are at. Thanks for listening.
 
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#27 ·
I did lose a pet that I wasn't able to get back.

Someone was pet sitting our well-trained, and much adored bird named CB. However, the pet sitter mistakenly let the bird out and he flew away. We were heartbroken, and posted fliers everywhere.

We got a phone call from someone who said he saw our bird fly down and land on his neighbor's shoulder. The location was also perfect as it was not too far from the pet sitter's house.

We drove over and spoke with the guy who had CB. However, he claimed the bird flew to him in the next state over and not in his backyard like his neighbor claimed. I mean, really. How many tropical who-would-die-in-the-cold birds hang out in the Northeast? On top of that, CB had fairly unique markings for her breed.

Due to the conflict in stories, the guy's word was taken over his neighbor's word, and the bird's unique markings were ignored by the police, and they refused to help.

We were devastated. We didn't stop talking about CB and the heartbreak of his loss for years
 
#28 ·
Ceardach, that is terrible! I would be so angry at that person, I can't believe the police refused to help. I'm sorry about your bird. On a side note, we went out to the dog pound yesterday afternoon to check again, but they were closed. We peeked in the windows and couldn't see either of our dogs, but I swear I heard my husky howling and carrying on when I called for him. Of course we couldn't see him but it sounded just like him, it made my heart break. We couldn't get a hold of the guy who owns the pound, we even went to his house and nobody was there. He works during the day at a regular job (I guess the pound is just a side job??) so we are going to call him right after we get off work and see if we can go and look to see if perhaps one of our dogs is there. I've been thinking about it all day, that maybe they are there and we can pick them up after work. I shouldn't get my hopes up though because I will be really devastated if its not them. Please say a small prayer that they are at the pound. Thanks everyone, I'll keep you updated!!!!!
 
#29 ·
Oh gosh! I hope and pray that they are there and you can get them out today. Keep checking as much as possible until you reach the guy. You don't know when they are arrived or what the "resident policy" is there. I will keep you in my thoughts all day! Let us know please?
 
#33 ·
I used to work at a local shelter, and I was sent out to pick up dogs that had been accidentally killed, or had been shot, and almost all of them were huskies that had run off. When traveling with another dog, their chances of not returning are nearly tenfold. I do hope that I am wrong in this case, and your dogs return to you safe and in one piece. That is what I meant by wishing there was not a husky involved.
 
#34 ·
Well, we never could get a hold of the pound guy yesterday. I don't know if he's out of town or what, but we are going to keep checking all day. HOpefully we can get in today after work to see the dogs. Flyinghayden, I totally understand what you mean about the huskies, everything I have ever read about them says they will run away at any given chance, and that they are excellent escape artists. My husky is definatly both! However, every time they have ever gotten loose they have always returned home before it got dark and they were always together. I know that doesn't really mean anything at this point since its been almost 3 weeks, but thats why I think they either were taken or someone shot them. My husky could easily be mistaken for a coyote I think. I just hope that they are at the pound. I'm putting another ad in the city and county papers this week, so hopefully that will turn up something. Thannks everyone, I'll keep you posted!!!!
 
#36 ·
Still no word from the pound. We left a couple of messages yesterday for him to call us back but nobody ever did. I dont' know if they are out of town and are having someone else look after the dogs maybe? Maybe with the holiday weekend coming up, people will be over at friends and relatives houses and maybe see the dogs and say, hey those are the dogs from the flyers or the newspaper. Its a long shot, but who knows. I'll keep you posted.
 
#37 ·
Work is slow right now so I spent a couple of hours yesterday on line looking at found dogs hoping to come up with a match to yours but no luck. My thoughts are with you. I can't imagine what you are going through right now. Hang in there and keep us posted.
 
#38 ·
Who is in charge of your shelter? Is it County or City run? I would contact someone there and find out how in the world you are to get inside to see if your dogs are there?

Who is putting those dogs outside, or cleaning their kennels?

How sad...Judy

I am praying that your dogs could be in there...
 
#39 ·
I would also be concerned that her dog was there, but could be euthanized while she was still trying to reach someone at the shelter who could tell her for sure. Not meant as a criticism of the OP, (I realize she's just about to have a baby), but if it were my dogs, I'd be AT the shelter, camped out if necessary, to make sure I got ahold of someone who would let me in to check for myself. You hear horror stories all the time about how people find out their dogs were at the shelter after it's too late, and I could never forgive myself if that happened to one of my dogs.

Are there no regular hours? Nobody else who could tell you when and how you might be able to reach the person who is in charge of the shelter? As Judy said, someone must be feeding and cleaning up after the animals. Maybe leave a note on the door, both at the shelter, and at the home of the person you're trying to reach. Talk to his neighbors, find out where he works during the day, call him there to set up an appointment to meet him at the shelter.
 
#41 ·
I keep checking this thread too in the hopes that somehow they were both found. I would try to go down to the animal shelter in person as many times as it takes to find someone there. They have to be there sometime!

Also, I was looking around on the web and found this:

http://www.netpets.org/cats/catresc/illinois.htm

Don't know if it will help, but it's worth a try. If you can, would you try posting photos of both dogs on this thread? That way if anyone happens to be searching online, they'll be able to see what the dogs look like. Someone else also suggested Craigs List. Here's the link. I wasn't sure which area was closest to you:

http://geo.craigslist.org/iso/us/il

Keep up hope! After hearing about that GSD that was found in a different state after a long time makes me think that it is possible that they might both be found again.

Take care and know that a lot of people are sending good vibes your way.
 
#42 ·
I do not give the pound the benefit of the doubt about dog breeds. I went several times a week to look. I would ask if they had any shepherds come in and they would say no. I would go back and by golly another one would be there!

Good luck. I sure hope you find them. I know huskies can go miles and miles -- so can shepherds. Check neighboring counties as well.
 
#43 ·
Thanks for your advice everyone. I know the pound is for the entire county, but it is just a very small pound way out in the country. The owner's house is right next to it, and he actually has a GSD that we have seen in his front yard, so surely he is a "dog lover" or at least sympathetic to our situation. We have left messages on his phone and on his door, still no response. I would totally sit at the pound all day if I were able, but we work about 30 miles away and so its just not possible to get there until later in the evening. I don't know if someone is there during the day or not. Obviously someone has to be feeding the dogs. Hopefully we will be able to get in there soon. If we don't hear anything today I will have my husband call the local police station to see if they can find him or get us in there somehow. This is a small rural community and houses are spread far between with lots of farmland and woods, so its very possible that they could still be running around and nobody has seen them. Anyway, I have put an ad on Craigslist, it is listed under Terre Haute, IN because that is the closest city. The ones listed for Illinois are no where around here, Terre Haute is only 15 miles away. I hope that deosn't throw people off. I've also posted on just about every lost dog website that exists, so if someone is searching for me they should be able to find me. I hope. Well, I've rambled enough for now. Thanks for all your advice and have a great holiday weekend, I'll check back in on Tuesday when I get back to work. =)
 
#45 ·
I really wish you the very best at finding your dogs but I really think you need to go to the shelter in person and wait. I understand your pregnant, but at this point what your doing is not working. I really don't mean to be hard on you, but take off work a little early, drive the 30 miles and go down there. Your dogs are depending on you, I know you don't want to let them down, please don't.
 
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