My Sweet Poppy

I know I have been absent for while, but we have had one crazy and emotionally draining week.

Kevin and I have two beautiful dogs, Ellie and Harley.  They were one of the main reasons we bought our little farm.  We wanted them to have the space to run and stretch their legs.

Our Sweet Baby Girl Ellie

Our Good Ol' Bear Harley

Well, we had all this space and we wanted to give back the love our dogs shared with us.  So we volunteered to be a foster home for a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

When we got the call that a Cavalier girl named Poppy needed a home we jumped in the car and drove 3 hours to pick her up.  On the way up, all excited, Kevin and I discussed all the things we were going to do with the new foster, take her for walks, to Fort Funston, meet children, go the park, etc.  

When we picked her up, she was nothing like we were expecting.  She was sad.  So very sad.  Her whole life got turned upside down and she didn't want to interact with us.  If we talked to her, she looked away.  If we reached to pet her, she cowered into a corner.  She barely walked, and only took about 10 steps at a time.

But despite this sad demeanor, she was starting to see us as family.  She wagged her tail slightly when we talked to her.  And she started to perk up when we got closer to her.  She was becoming my foster baby.  The Cavalier spirit was still alive in her and she was starting to open up and trust us.

And then the most horrible thing happened, she disappeared.  

We had moved our dogs outside for the cleaning lady.  She is afraid of dogs (especially Harley) and requested that they go outside so they are not in her way.  I put Harley and Poppy in our shaded yard.  Made sure that the gates were closed and locked and then took Ellie to her Nosework class.  Harley and Poppy were alone for maybe 1/2 an hour.  When we got back Harley was alone in the yard with the gates and doors still closed.  We still have not figured out how Poppy got out.

The pain of a lost pet is quite unbearable.  Wondering where she is.  Is she lost or stolen?  Is she out in the street or in someone's home?  Is she alive or dead?  How did she get out?  Who took her?  What can I do to get her back?

I would lay awake at night thinking about her.  Wanting her home and under my roof, safe and warm.  I would think of things I could be doing to find her.

I cried. 

But I am a woman of action, so I didn't sit wondering what happened.  Here is a list of things I did.  Hopefully, if you have lost a pet, you might find it helpful.

1. Make large signs to be placed in front of your home.  At first, I hand-wrote them on fluorescent boards, but I replaced them with professional looking printed corrugated poster boards with large pictures. I also placed one at the near-by park.  (These were what eventually brought our Poppy  home).
2. Buy window chalk and use your car as a moving flyer.  Just in case your dog gets outside your neighborhood, this expands your visibility.  I used a bright white marker.
3. Call your local radio station and TV stations.  They might do a public announcement.  They did for Poppy.  The local paper also volunteered to run an ad for her.
4. Get your flyers in all the vet hospitals in the area.  I did it in the three surrounding cities.
5. Get your flyers in the local supermarket, coffee shops, pet stores, and surrounding schools.
6. Use the internet: Get attention with Facebook, Pet Amber Alert, Pet Harbor, Fido Finder, Craigslist, etc.
7. Drop-off flyers in all your neighbor's mailboxes.
8. Check the shelters, make a missing pet report, and leave flyers.
9. Hire a private pet detective (I give this one mixed reviews, but it is worth a shot).
10. Did I mention posting flyers around your neighborhood?  I know I mentioned flyers a lot, but you have to cover every angle.
11. DON'T GIVE UP!  

8 Days later, my husband announced he would be right back.  About 10 minutes later he walked through the door with Poppy in his arms.  Our neighbor had seen our sign by the park and when she woke on Sunday morning Poppy was sitting in her front yard.  I immediately began crying tears of joy and whisked Poppy to the Emergency Vet.  They gave her fluids and cleaned out her eyes.  She had collected dirt, leaves, and debris in her eyes, but she was okay.  They sent her home with antibiotics, eye drops, and a cone.  

I was a little worried that this adventure of hers would set her back, but it didn't seem to.  She still sees Kevin and me as her foster parents.  And we love her for it.

Isn't she beautiful?  She will be ready for adoption soon!