Great reunion video of Texas dog being returned from McHenry County Illinois

Last night one very lost dog got her own fairy tale ending in Austin, Texas when she was flown home from McHenry County, Illinois. Philia is a year old Siberian Husky and she disappeared from her Austin home in July. Barely two weeks later she was scanned at McHenry County Animal Control and was discovered to have a Home Again microchip registered to her owner, Jodi, in Austin.

Now came the problem, how to get Philia back to Jodi? Jodi put posters up when Philia disappeared, but she was bewildered to hear her dog was in Chicago. The dog could not have walked there! Luckily for everyone, Philia was at McHenry County’s municipal shelter, which has one of the highest “return to owner” rates in the country. Over half of the dogs that end up there, end up back home again. There are maybe a dozen shelters which can boast that. So, McHenry staff saw having a dog that belonged across the country as a problem to be solved.

The veterinarian on staff, Dr. Lisa Lembke, contacted Susan Taney, Director of Lost Dogs Illinois(LDI.) LDI is an all volunteer website which helps reunite lost dogs by providing assistance to people who have lost and found dogs. In turn, Ms. Taney contacted Lost Dogs of Texas (LDOT), which performs the same service for Texas residents. (Disclosure, this writer is the Director of LDOT.) There were some communication issues because Philia’s owner Jodi is deaf. LDOT just made sure everyone stayed in touch and knew what was happening.

McHenry County staff kept Philia happy and healthy for over five weeks while trying to figure out how she could get home. Transporting a dog is expensive and could not be covered by a municipal shelter. Philia’s owner was between jobs and here is where Philia found a second champion. Home Again microchip company heard Philia’s story and offered to pay for her to fly home.

Yet again Philia got lucky. Dogs can’t usually fly cargo when it is summer in Texas. However, Delta has a “Summer Live Animal” program which allows animals to fly into some cities, including Austin. Dogs fly cargo, but are put on the plane last and taken off first. They stay in air conditioned vans during any layovers, which Philia did in Atlanta.

When she arrived in Austin last night, Philia walked tentatively out of her crate into the arms of her family. Jodi brought her son and a friend and that dog went crazy dashing from one to the other and licking their faces. It was a perfect happy ending. Even the Delta agent wanted to see it and stayed after her shift.

How did Philia get from Austin to Chicago? We will never know, and truthfully, that is not near as interesting as how she got home.

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If you have information on evacuations and animal rescue efforts during a disaster, e-mail marilyn@marilynlitt.com, National Disaster Animal Reporter for the Examiner. You can also follow the National Disaster Animal News on Facebook,   Twitter, and Pinterest.

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Yorkie back from dog flipper after daring rescue

Preston is safe at home today, June 12, in Houston after a narrow escape from someone who sells dogs on Craig's List. The little Yorkie is 15, but has the heart of a puppy. He wiggled under a fence on Friday night to go exploring and was immediately missed and just as quickly picked up by a passerby. His frantic family began putting up flyers, searching the neighborhood and consoling their children.

The finder posted Preston on Houston Craig's List and on the statewide FaceBook page, Lost Dogs of Texas, where she got a free flyer courtesy of HelpingLostPets.com. Social media began to work its magic as a cross poster copied the Craig's List ad onto a local FaceBook page,Houston Lost and Found Pets. From there the FaceBook post was shared to the local Home Owner's Association site and the anxious family began to receive helpful phone calls.

There the story took a dark turn when the dog somehow ended up with a person who calls herself Cindy. Cindy is well known in Houston by her phone number. That number is connected today to over 30 ads selling dogs on Houston's Craig's List. It is worth stating here that most lost dogs go home. An ASPCA study showed that 93% of all lost dogs do get home as did Preston.

It is not known whether the finder thought Cindy was the owner or if she just gave Cindy the dog. Preston got loose on June 6. By June 10th, the 15 year old dog was being offered for $150 as a 4 year old dog. The ads are still online, although Preston went home last night.

Preston's owner, Jeffrey, got Cindy's number from the finder and called to ask for Preston back. Cindy hesitated and then told him she was hoping to keep the dog because her elderly Yorkie had died. This is a tactic she has been known to employ to get sympathetic people to give her dogs. She then sells the dogs on Craig's List. However, she relented and agreed to return the dog. What Jeffrey did not know was Preston was already listed for sale online. He did not believe her story but agreed it was reasonable of her to wish to keep his elderly dog. Jeffrey's cool handling of the situation is why Preston is home today.

Although she lived a couple of hours away in a bad neighborhood and he would arrive after midnight, Jeffrey was eager to retrieve Preston and agreed to meet her. He was familiar with the area, so he was cautious about leaving the car. On the way there, he got a text that did not surprise him. Cindy claimed to have spent $200 on shampoo for Preston. Jeffrey texted back, "Thank you." He had been careful to be polite in his dealings and to promise nothing.

Now it was midnight and he could see no one waiting. Calling Cindy, he was told to meet her between two parked semi-trailers parked a short distance away. It was not Jeffrey's first rodeo. He got out of the car, but called out that he was not comfortable walking over there and that Preston needed to be brought to him. Cindy came toward him and placed Preston on the ground. When Jeffrey called, Preston dashed to him. Dog safely in hand, he was again told about the hundreds of dollars spent on Preston's care and shampoo. He said, "All I have is a hundred." He handed the money to Cindy and immediately got in the car and drove away as protesting voices called out behind him. The dog flippers did not know, but a buddy sat in the car the whole time poised to dial 911.

First thing Jeffrey did when he got Preston home? Despite the hundreds that had supposedly been spent to bathe Preston, Jeffrey gave him a bath.

Dog flippers, for all the publicity, are quite rare. The Houston area clearly has a problem with one individual, but that does not mean the practice is epidemic. Far more prevalent are scammers who try to get you to pay them to find your lost dog. They call everyone who posts on Craig's List to offer to find your dog "or your money back." You are far more likely to find your dog than get your money. It bears repeating, 93 percent of all lost dogs are recovered. Following the tips below will help you find your dog.

Things to Do if Your Dog is Lost:

• Immediately put out food, water and your dog's bed
• Get the word out by using flyers and signs
• Contact your local pound, animal control, rescues and vet clinics
• Do NOT call or chase your dog. If you see your dog, sit and let the dog come to you.
• Post flyers all over your neighborhood. Go door to door with flyers and talk to neighbors. 

Check the posted flyers every day to make sure they are still up. If you notice they are being taken down, put out more. Take flyers to area vets, groomers, and pet supply stores. Ask area convenience stores and fast food places if you can put flyers in their windows. Give flyers to the mail carrier, and any UPS or FedEx or delivery truck you see. Ask the schools in your area if they will put flyers on the school buses. Children are good at looking for and remembering dogs. Take flyers to hair and nail salons and ask if you can put them in the windows. Give flyers to trash pickup drivers, Newspaper delivery people, and Pizza delivery people. Put a sign in your front yard... like a garage sale sign or a for sale sign that says Lost Dog.

You will find this and other helpful tips on Lost Dogs of America.

How to trap a lost dog

It takes a community to trap a dog.  A dog in flight mode may not be able to be stopped without  a humane trap. The public needs to report sightings, but also has to know not to call, chase or whistle at the lost dog. You may even want to leave the name of the dog off the flyer to make calling the dog more difficult.  This writer spoke with Diane Weissert, who is an expert on trapping. She has made a hobby of it and has trapped about three dozen lost dogs. She shares her expertise in this article.
Weissert says the average time to trap a dog is a week.  Of course these are dogs whose location is known.  She maps the sightings and learns the dog's habits to know where to set the trap.  Knowing when and where to set the trap is part of the puzzle.

Recently she set out to trap a dog named Gretel who had been lost in Texas during transport to her home in New Mexico.  Dogs often go in a circle with a one to three mile radius. Gretel confined her circle to one quarter mile, but that small area was unfamiliar to Gretel and to her family from New Mexico.  Luckily for the family, Diane heard about Gretel and volunteered her services.
People think sometimes that dogs move in a straight line or follow a road or creek.  Of course that can be true and you need to anticipate where a dog may be heading to leave flyers in advance of his arrival, but dogs who are lost away from their home do tend to circle back to where they escaped as Gretel did.

Weissert says you have to spy on the dog and map his habits.  Gretel had been sighted at 5 a.m. going down an alley near a school.  She walked confidently and with a purpose.  The next day, she was sighted at the same location at the same time.

There are common pitfalls to retrieving a lost dog.  Should you see your dog, Diane advises being completely quiet and still.  She says it is a hard lesson that all owners seem fated to learn through experience; even when they have been explicitly told what not to do.  The typical person makes the mistake of screaming with joy upon seeing their dog.  Of course the dog runs.  Gretel ran when her grieving owners saw her and could not resist shouting.   Instead of calling, try going face down in the dirt and only glance at your dog with your peripheral vision.  You want to try and make yourself as small and non-threatening as possible.  From this uncomfortable position, toss a few treats to lure your dog closer.   If the dog does not come to the treats, it is not going to happen.  Your dog is making the rules.  Now you know you must go with Plan B: the humane trap.

Another pitfall is calling animal control.  Animal Control chases dogs.  If the dog is fine and safe, you do not want the dog chased.  Gretel was chased from the area where she was comfortable and into a creek.  After this "help" by animal control, she was not sighted for two days. (Please note this happened in Texas.  Some states do have animal control staff who are trained in trapping.)

Four more sightings came in for Gretel and Diane picked the sighting in the middle as the place to set a trap. It was baited with rotisserie chicken, along with some smelly cat food, and covered with a wildlife cam.  You need to film the trap to find out if the dog is approaching the trap, but not entering.  In Gretel's case, rotisserie chicken was exactly what she was wanting and she went in the trap the first night.  Her family was on their way back to New Mexico from near Austin where Gretel was lost, but they turned right around.  Gretel was moved, still in the trap, into Diane's house to an interior room, where she could settle down and relax and not get outside.   You can see her reunion in the video above.  You will notice her tucked tail indicates how nervous Gretel is.  Some dogs are transformed when they see their family and others take time to adjust.   Gretel obviously knew her family, but do not count on that if you find a dog.  A dog's recognition makes poor proof of ownership.  Some dogs will appear to know anyone.  These are the dogs who run up to strangers and do not need to be trapped.  Other dogs are in a state of shock and will recover after a day or two with their family.

In this case it was a lucky thing that Gretel was caught when she was.  The next day there was much rainfall in the area and the creek that Gretel dashed into became a river. There was property damage and animals were lost.  There is no telling what might have happened if Gretel had been caught in the storm and flash flood.

The joy of the family is the only reward Diane will accept and as you can see from the brief film, she was well paid for restoring Gretel to her loving family.

• Trapping dogs is a complex topic.  To be successful, you need to have thorough knowledge of what you are doing.  Here are a series of articles explaining some of the risks and how to set a successful trap

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Please help make this a better resource by sharing the information via social media.  

If you have information on evacuations and animal rescue efforts during a disaster, e-mail marilyn@marilynlitt.com, National Disaster Animal Reporter for the Examiner. You can also follow the National Disaster Animal News on Facebook,   Twitter, and Pinterest.

Follow these stories and writing by other Texas writers  on "Texas Animal Writers" on FaceBook.

Finding and trapping cats after a natural disaster

After a natural disaster where homes are destroyed, many people assume their cats perished. But cats are very resourceful. They stay safe and they hide, usually within six blocks of where they went missing. Sometimes they live in the debris of your home. Cats have been found hiding in bedsprings or sofas in destroyed houses. They are just waiting for their people to return.

When a lost cat does venture out, he is likely to be very wary. Friendly cats may appear feral and talky cats may keep quiet. They will revert back to their normal behavior after readjusting to being safe. If you are trying to catch a cat, you will want to wear gloves to handle any cat, even friendly ones to prevent even an accidental scratch.

Animal rescuers in Joplin, whose team perfected cat trapping, have shown that trapping cats after a disaster works best if several blocks of neighbors band together to work as a group. The idea is to trap identified cats whose families are searching for them, while taking notes and photos but leaving friendly cats whose families have not come forward.

April Brill, one of the cat trappers from Joplin shared these detailed instructions:

• Make sure the team is far enough back that animals are not spooked. (I usually drive around for a while). Periodically check the opening of the trap by using a flashlight/spotlight. If door is still up then drive around checking other trapping locations. If you leave a trap, you have to chain it to prevent loss. You should never leave a trap unattended for more than a brief period.

• Place traps near the site of the feeding station in late afternoon or early evening. Night trapping is most successful. Place newspaper inside, without covering the trip plate. Place a paper plate or saucer, with a few spoonfuls of tuna, on the trip plate. You may need a "grabber-type" tool, used to take items down from a high shelf, to slide the plate into the trap. Dribble tuna juice outside the trap in a trail for a few feet.

• Take pictures/ use wildlife cameras for descriptions and to see which animals eat after it is too dark to see.

• "In order to trap the animals, you must know where they are and who they may belong to. Trapping is only one single part of a multi-faceted plan. If you trap an animal, how do you know who the animal belongs to without a list and description of the missing ones? Here is a quick rundown:

1. Set up feeding stations which are carefully monitored so you know who is eating there.
2. Once you have a good idea of which pets are there (trapping ferals is not recommended) remove food for a day or two.
3. Get together a team of people to trap, using live traps. Be sure to test the traps for sensitivity. It doesn't do any good to use a trap designed for 15 lb animals if you aim to get smaller animals.
4. Place a light weight cover over the trap, such as dark colored sheet or light blanket. Be careful to not weigh down the area that springs the trap, and leave the opening free.
5. When traps are tripped, take the animal to a location you have previously picked. This place needs to be secure and quiet, and it is a good idea to have animal crates available. Have the potential owner look at the cat as soon as it is in a safe, contained room.. The goal is not to remove all the cats, but to get cats home who have homes. If you trap friendly cats who are the "wrong" cat, put them into the shelter system set up for disaster animals so they may be photographed, advertised and identified and claimed by their family.
6. Take pictures of each animal, and note a thorough description. If animal allows touching remove from trap and place in crate with a small amount of food and water, and a blanket for comfort."

Successfully reuniting means knowing what cats are out there. You can do this by spotlighting. Brill has really turned herself into an expert on this subject.

"In order to spotlight effectively, you need to know where the cats are feeding/gathering/bedding down.. Spotlighting discreetly is an art. You don't want to make the animals scatter and you especially don't want to draw attention to your activity.

I typically carry a small LED flashlight. Spotlighting needs to be done at night, but I start at dusk watching the designated area for activity. I drive slowly with the windows down, and quickly shine the light along the level of the ground. When I see the bright reflections of the cats eyes I stop the car and grab my million candle, hand-held spotlight.

I tend to spotlight a few nights in a row to establish the cat's patterns. Then I try to go back to that area during the day to see if I can catch another glimpse. You'd be amazed how one nighttime look can differ from the cats appearance in the daytime.

I quickly shine the light on the cat, making a mental note of every detail I can get such as size, breed/coloring, tail, etc. Most times you only have a few seconds before the cat runs off, so speed is important.

I then write down the location, date and time, and description of the cat. I compare this to our spreadsheet of lost animals. If there is a cat from the spreadsheet that matches the description of a cat I spotlighted, I will call the owner and request permission to trap. In Joplin there are laws regarding trapping. If you plan on trapping you need to research the trapping laws for your area, or you could be in violation and receive a hefty fine."

Now that you know how to locate and trap a cat, where do you find a trap? Tomahawk Traps has a page of humane cat traps. You may also fine a local feral cat initiative that will loan you a trap.

How long should you look? Read about this cat found 18 months after the Joplin tornado.

What to expect at an animal evacuation shelter

2012 "Twix & Twiz  by Alice Sillavan Bertelson

During a disaster, information is available online on how to prepare to evacuate with your animals. You may have to do research, but you should be able to find where you take your animals. But what can you expect at the animal evacuation shelter? Your experience may vary, but these are things to anticipate.

You will be asked to complete paperwork for each of your animals. This is when you want to use your best handwriting and put down not just your phone numbers, but the numbers of family members out of state. If you cannot be reached, maybe these family members can be contacted. Read the paperwork carefully. Some forms say that animals left with the shelter will become shelter property after ten days. Not ten days after the shelter closes, but ten days after you sign the paperwork! So read all the fine print.

Tell the truth about your animal's temperament. This is to protect the staff, your animal and other animals. If you have a dog who must be isolated, or can't stand to have his collar grabbed, or hates cats or dogs or people, put it on the paperwork and tell the staff.

If you did not bring vaccination records, your dog or cat may be re-vaccinated.

Write your animal's name and contact information on the crate, but chances are you may not get the same crate back. It is just not possible to keep everything you bring together with your animal. Don't expect the food you packed to be the food served your animals. They will likely get potluck, but do bring the food. It will be needed. Discuss an medication with the staff.

It is a good idea to keep your dog leash. You will need that when you pick your dog up. Ask what the policy is on collars. Sometimes they are removed because a collar can get hung up on the inside of an enclosure. If the collar is not needed, you need to keep it.

Ask what the policy is for visiting. Most animals adapt better to a shelter with visits from family. The animal is reassured that his people know where he is. Vet hospitals now encourage family to visit because it aids in recovery. The same principle is at work here. If you have the time and inclination, ask if you can volunteer. They may need help and you may want a distraction.

Before turning your animals over, make sure you have a photo of them on your phone. A photo with you is even better, but be careful! This needs to be done in a closed room. Dogs and cats are even more of a flight risk during an evacuation.

At the animal evacuation shelter, you will be helped by local animal control staff not getting paid overtime and unpaid volunteers. Some of them may be evacuees too and all of them probably have been working long hours to set up the shelter for your animals. These are the people who will be walking your dog and cleaning your cat's litter. Show them the kindness they will be showing your loved ones.

(If you are hoping to keep your animal with you, see a previous article: Motels that accept animals are welcome stop for evacuees with pets)

Motels that accept animals are welcome stop for evacuees with pets

(Written 2012) Sometimes a disaster allows people time to evacuate and go to a motel. Finding accommodations can be a problem if you have animals.

Here is a quick guide to where your whole family is welcome. Be aware that even motels with no dogpolicies may suspend that during a local emergency. (Service dogs should be allowed at any motel.)

One place you are always welcome is La Quinta. The San Antonio based chain is well known for its pet friendly policy with no surcharge. During an emergency, this is the chain that is likely to be booked up first because they are widely known for accepting animals. Call 1-800-753-3757.

Motel 6 allows animals with no surcharge. Studio 6 does charge $10.00 per day. Call 1-800-466-8356.

The Best Western chain is also an option, although they may charge extra and they do have restrictions. Again, any of this could change to accommodate evacuees and negotiation may be possible. Call 1-800-780-7234.

Best Western pet friendly properties will allow up to two domestic dogs in a rented room, with a maximum size of 80 lbs per animal. Other pet types such as cats, birds, monkeys, snakes, or other animals are allowed at the discretion of each property and require prior approval from the property.

There may be a maximum $20 per day charge for each room with a pet or multiple pets or a maximum per week charge of $100. A refundable damage deposit of up to $50 per stay may be required of all guests with a pet.

Super 8 will probably accept your dog or cat, but may charge a fee. It depends on the individual motel policy. Call 1-800-454-3213.

The Choice Hotels include the well known Comfort chain, Quality, Clarion and several others. There website says many of their locations will allow animals. However, the fees and deposits may be prohibitive. You will just need to inquire at the individual motel.

Of course there are independent motels and hotel chains that also accept people with animals. There are even motels in Texas that accommodate horses! The key is to book early before those places fill up which are the least expensive and the most friendly to your entire family.

Here is hoping that you only need this information to plan a short stay.

Your cat may have survived the wildfire

When a homeowner loses their house in a wildfire, they assume their cat has perished. That may be the case, but unless you find the sad evidence your cat did not make it, you should assume your cat has survived.

After the Bastrop, Texas wildfires last year there were anecdotal stories about pets who were locked in homes, and who were thought to have died, but who were later found in shelters. Speculation was that when the fire was inevitable, firemen broke windows on homes in case there were animals inside. In any event, heat can break glass. Of course cats are notorious for hiding during fires, but sometimes that hiding place will save the cat. Here is a story of a cat who hid in a couch and survived a house fire.

Then there is the remarkable story of two cats who survived a wildfire:

He and the firemen discovered that one of our cats, Abe, was in there and alive. He had been trapped under a table by the collapsed roof and other debris. They got him out and he seemed basically okay. [Abe in fact had lung damage and was treated in an oxygen chamber and recovered.]

Another cat, Adam, survived [this was an apartment complex burned in a California wildfire]

They went up to the apartment, broke down the door, and rescued him. He was soaking wet, covered in dirt, ash, and debris, without food and water . . . They took him down to the shelter where he was checked out by the vet, treated for smoke inhalation but was otherwise ok. He was released back to the shelter. The shelter had identified him as a 3 year old female (he is an 8.5 year old male). So when [the family] went looking for him on the web site, he was not there. [The family] did see this 3 year old female that looked a lot like Adam, but because the cat was listed a female . . . skipped over "her."

NEVER trust a FOUND listing as to sex/age/breed or spay/neuter status. If the animal pictured may be your animal, go check. Better yet, go to look at the animals that have been rescued. Take a "LOST" poster to leave there and talk to shelter staff and raise awareness about the animal you are looking for.

These are not the only instances of cats found to have survived a fire:

• Cat survived under debris of a house fire for 28 days

• Cat found in a storm drain after a wildfire

Then there is the lost cat who was rescued after a wildfire which was miles away from the safe home where he went missing.

This is not to give grieving families false hope, but you should look for evidence that your cat may have survived. If you see that a cat is in the area, contact local rescues for help in trapping the cat. The cat you save just might be your baby!