Written by Debbie Hall
Searchers
must have a leash and “bait” such as: hotdogs, string
cheese, meatballs & “stinky” cheese like Provolone/Swiss,
salmon-flavor kitty treats, luncheon meats,
“Little
Caesar” dog food & “Sheeba” cat food –both easy tubs, no can opener
needed.
*****Bring a squeaky toy, ball
or Frisbee if dog likes them.
Lost dogs
are scared, confused and generally respond better to rescue attempts made by
women. They might prefer children they
know & love rather than the adult owners.
Children must be old enough to understand the situation & remain
calm. Well-intentioned people, including owners, initially chase these dogs.
Chasing just reinforces the dog’s perception that people are “predators” and
may make some of them run even further.
Dogs are extremely adaptable and will revert to instinctive survival
behavior. They constantly search for
food, water & shelter. Water is
relatively easy to find. Food is a
challenge. A dog may hunt for rodents,
birds and snakes and will also eat birdseed, manure, grass, insects and
carrion. They rummage through garbage
bags on trash night. They find food left out in bowls for other animals. Dogs
lose weight during their ordeal but can survive for a long time. They are
attracted to dumpsters with food, most farms, kennels and multiple-animal
homes. Quiet yards, especially on dead
end streets are favorite places to find shelter. They rest on lawns, in fields,
cemeteries, open barns & sheds, under shrubs & porch decks. They try to sleep as close to a house as
possible, especially at night.
It affords them protection from harsh weather and predators. Dogs don’t usually go into deep woods unless
chased. They can use shallow woods to
hide on a temporary basis. Their search for food, water, shelter and familiar
scents keeps them primarily in residential areas.
Follow the
same routes used previously when walking the dog. Go for a walk with another dog (on leash) from the home, a dog
“friend” or same-breed dog.
Act “happy” but calm and get the
other dog to bark occasionally. A lost
dog, if close by, might hear the barking & come out to greet the other
dog. Dogs use golf courses, gravel
pits, railroad tracks, fields, cemeteries, power line access roads and parks as
shortcuts to get to other streets or the next town. Explain to pet owners that their dog or cat
may be agitated for hours when they know a strange dog has settled into their
yard or neighbor’s yard. Dogs may bark
excessively for quite awhile. The general public and many lost dog owners are
quick to assume that a dog has been a victim of coyotes. Coyotes are a real
threat but not an excessive one. Many
dogs smell them, sense trouble and go in the opposite direction. Situations vary, but dogs can survive
snowstorms and harsh weather. During the winter you can follow tracks through
the snow. Walk beside the tracks, not
on them. Bring extra clothes if you
plan to be out for any length of time. When “tracking”, be discreet. Walk quietly and talk in soft, reassuring
tones except in woods with bear and moose. Be aware of hunting seasons
and never trespass. Do not have noisy
groups of searchers walking or running around a “sighting” area. Dogs can sense when they are being “hunted”
and can easily outmaneuver the best of you.
Organize everyone and have a plan – “who to call and what to do” if the
dog is spotted. Time is always critical
and a quick response is best.