I met Tracey through a mutual friend on July 12th. I coordinate a transport for Mary Ann Morris Animal Society out of Bamberg SC and we had a dog get loose on transport on April 21st – Luci. We were all devastated and desperately tried for the next 4 and a half months to get her safe and off the street.
That day, April 21st, volunteers searched for hours and a humane trap was set. Posters were put out in the immediate area which widened over the next few weeks – which led to months. We set food stations, continued to track sightings of her and flyer the area. A volunteer would get within an arm’s length a time or two but could not capture her. We had cameras set up, maps with her sightings, etc.
By the time July rolled around, we had tried everything we knew, and no luck. There continued to be sightings and so we knew she was still alive and in the area. Fortunately, a mutual friend connected me with Tracey. Tracey gathered all of the details of what we had been doing, and where and who and how – all incredibly important details to her – she slept in her car, she lost tons of sleep and work hours, and her dedication and determination never waived. I knew, after the first time of actually speaking with Tracey on the phone, she was our last and only hope to capture our little Luci. Even her voice itself is calming and reassuring.
Labor Day weekend – I will never forget – makes me tear up still thinking about it – I got call from one of our dedicated volunteers that had been boots on the ground listening to Tracey’s explicit instruction when she couldn’t be there herself, and she said “We have Luci!!!” The tremendous overwhelming admiration, appreciation that I have for her is immeasurable.
