It started with a simple phone call at 9:00 a.m. Brian Newsham, one or our MPP volunteers here in Federal Way, called to say he needed help in capturing a panicked black Lab that he stumbled across while walking his dog Lucy. I loaded my dog Kody (a wiggly “magnet” dog we use as “bait” to attract panicked dogs) and headed that way. Before I could even find Brian, I found the dog! But he was wary of me as I drove slowly, so I knew this would be a difficult capture. Not wanting to cause the dog to bolt from me, I pulled ahead, called Brian, and waited for him to arrive.
With Brian armed with a Snappy Snare and me with Kody (we only have ONE Snappy Snare), we searched the area. It turns out the dog went into an unfenced yard that backs up to a forested green belt with thick vegetation. Suffice to say we spent 45 minutes searching the area, including driving the nearby neighborhoods to find the dog.
While driving in a neighborhood nearby, I came across a LOST DOG poster for a missing Chihuahua / Jack Russell Terrier mix named “Ricky.” The flyer looked weathered, so I called the owner to see if they had found their dog and if so, ask if I could remove their sign. I got a machine and left a voice mail, saying if they needed help to call Missing Pet Partnership’s office.
I turned the corner and what did I see? Not a black Lab and not a Chihuahua mix (Ricky), but a stray Weimaraner! I radioed Brian and he started in my direction but, of course, the Weimy would not come to me. Brian told me he suspected it was a dog named Jade that he had found roaming 6 months ago and returned home. I called her name, Jade ignored me. I pulled Kody out of my car, Jade didn’t care. I got upwind and opened a can of Friskie’s salmon cat food and, what do you know..I was Jade’s new best friend!
But guess what. I didn’t have an extra lead with me and I didn’t have a stupid Snappy Snare that I could have used to catch her! So while I fed her stinky cat food, I simply grasped the scruff of her neck (praying she wouldn’t pull back and bite, because I wasn’t about to let her go!) and I held on until Brian arrived.
Brian slipped the Snappy Snare noose around her neck so we had an instant leash. I let her lick the can clean (above) and then loaded her in Brian’s car, drove her to her house, and reunited Jade with her family. I gave a lecture on the need for a collar and ID tag, left them with a brochure, and hoped perhaps they would consider making a donation.
We suspended our efforts to find the black Lab. We did post info on Craig’s List and will do more research, including develop a plan of how to capture the dog should we find him again.
When I got home, there was a message on the MPP phone. The mother of “Ricky,” the Chihuahua mix is still lost. He escaped on Halloween. I placed florescent REWARD LOST DOG posters on the local highway, researched Craig’s List, and tagged my car with Ricky’s info and photo.
Three dog cases, one neighborhood, all in one day. So many dogs…so little time!
