Josie is lost, maybe gone forever
 

Last night at 6:20 we noticed it was too peaceful. Josie is usually causing some type of mischievousness (cuteness). My daughter was going to put her leash on, to take her out for a walk and couldn't find her any where. At first I thought she was joking with me. We looked everywhere! We're guessing between 5:40pm and 6:10 is when she must of gotten out.

We looked all over our neighborhood and a few blocks over, for hours. I called her name, so she could hear me. I asked people out for walks. Kids on the street, and nothing. It was finally too late and dark to keep looking. I woke up at 3:20 am to cuddle with her and when I realized she wasn't with me ...I lost it. I even went outside in the front porch to make sure she wasn't waiting for me to open the door.


I might have to face the hard reality that I might not ever see her again. The sad part it we don't even know when or how she got out. To make things worse she had a bath the day before and I never put her collar back on till the next day and I still had'nt. I'm so awful.

Just when I think I can't cry any more....

aw its not your fault !dont blame yourself think positive and keep searching and calling! Good Luck!!! hope you find josie really soon!!! my thoughts and prayers are with you both!

Please don't give up so soon! Call the animal shelters and vets in your area to let them know she's loose and has no collar. Is she microchipped? Let them know that too so they'll check her. Please keep looking...your baby needs you! You're in my thoughts and prayers today!

Omg
 

OMG, I'm sooo sorry to hear that. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I hope she comes home safely and soon!

Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry. I'm praying that you find her.

OMG!!! Have you posted flyers?? I would post flyers EVERYWHERE, hand them out to people, post them in vet's offices and shelters. I'd walk around and just hand them to people everywhere ... at the grocery store, at the mall, in a parking lot, just everywhere!!

I hope your find your precious baby!!

I trully your baby will just wonder back to you!!! Have you put any flyers up with pictures? It might trigger someone who saw something

Omg. prayers sent out that she comes home safe. I would too call your shelters. someone may have picked her up and called to see if someone was missing her. also you can post a lost ad here
www.petfinder.com

omg!!!! im so sorry she's lost... prayers going your way.. baby please come home..... keep looking and dont stop!!!! keep us posted...

Oh my gosh! I am so sorry for you. I know this must be very painful for you, but you cannot give up. Check your local animal shelters. Maybe try calling your local newspaper and put an ad in it for a lost dog, with her description, and a possible reward. Also put up pictures at vets offices in your area ,within a 20 mile radius if you can. Please don't give up, where ever she is, she wants to get back home with you. If their is anyway I can help, please let me know! I'm sending hugs for you and your family:hug:

OH NO! This is so terrible! :( It really isn't your fault. Don't beat yourself up. Sometimes we leave the door cracked while we put the trash out and there have been times that Hobbs has slipped out, we come back in, shut the door with him still outside, and don't even realize that he is outside! It happens all the time.

Go knock on neighbors door and tell them to look out for her. Make flyers and put them in people's mailboxes and on telephone poles. Call all your vets in the area and shelters and humane societies. Someone will find this little girl. Poor thing :(

So sorry Josie is missing. Don't give up on her. She knows how much she is loved and missed. We are praying for her quick and safe return.

I am so so sorry! I will pray that she safely comes home. :love:

So sorry your Josie is missing. Keep your faith that she will come home, there are still nice people that could have picked her up and is waiting to see a flyer. Prayers coming your way that she is home soon.

Don't give up hope just yet!!!

She has not been gone very long!!! Odds are that she is very close by!!! Maybe one of your neighbors took her in??? Jen is right!! Get flyers out!!! Get the word out!! Make calls! when you can, but Be out in the Public!!! If Someone has her... And someone sees her who knows your dog is missing... your more likely to get her back!!!!! offer a reward!!! Rewards, sad to say, bring people out of the woodwork! Rally the whole neighborhood!!! Offer all of the neighborhood kids a reward if they find her!!! Kids will do anything for a buck, and kids are NOSEY!!! They can find almost anything... even in other peoples back yards! ;)

Good luck girl... I'll be praying for ya!!!

I'll second that, Please don't give up. Just think about how long Aggie was missing & in a different state & the baby was found. Chloe made it home after being missing too.

Don't be hard on yourself, I sometimes neglect to put on Snickers collar too. We only do it to give them a break & be comfortable.

I am saying a prayer that Josie is safe & sound & comes home to her momma!

I know this might sound crazy, but since no one saw her get out, are you sure you searched the house well?

One time Ginger had disappeared. We were frantic. Couldn't imagine how she could have gotten out of the house. My husband went outside to search while I stayed inside tracing every inch of the house. I was sure she had gotten out because I was calling her name, and if she was in the house, why wasn't she coming, or at least barkin if she was stuck somewhere. I finally found her, huddled in the corner of our coat closet behind the shoe rack. She never barked or scratched or anything. She looked terrified, but when I picked her up and brought her out, she ran back into the closet to huddle in the corner. Turns out her belly wasn't feeling good, and for whatever reason, she went and hid. The vet said that it is not uncommon behavior.

Anyway, since then I've been suprised how often she gets shut into some closet (she's sniffing around in there and I close the door, etc) and she never barks or answers me when I call. I've learned to not overreact and just go around opening doors. Usually, she just runs out when I find her (except that first time when she was sick). She's not a quiet dog, but boy, when stuck in a closet she sure is mute.

Anyway, since no one saw her get out, I'd do a real thorough search inside as well as out!


My thoughts and prayers are with you for her safe return!!!!!

im so sorry to hear this, but dont give up... i felt the same way when our furbaby was m i a, and also had no collar on or microchip at the time. Keep looking and calling to her. Also with our incident a neighbor had taken her in and planned on keeping her, so please check with your neighors.. i hope and pray that you will find her and have her back with you soon. Please keep us updated :hug:

Bless you and your Baby... our prayers are with you and your baby
d
and Tootie

I would go door to door ask every one put and add in the paper when you offer a reward don't tell how much till the pup is found to be yours. Please don't give up hope. I had one that traveled ove 500 miles and still found his way home . I wish I lived closer so I could help you in the search.

Thank you everybody. At first I couldn't bring myself to posting this , and I kept deleting it. Now I know, this was the best place I could come to.

She wan't microchipped. I'm working on the poster now. We are going to the Shelter at 10:00 (I'm at work) We are very short staffed this week. They are two streets over. I will do everything I can to make sure I can find her. I'm going to give a $250.00 reward. I just don't know if I should include that in the poster.

She's NEVER been out without any of our supervision or a leash. It's just so hard.

I can't ad anymore to all the advice already given, but I will ad my prayers that she is either found safely somewhere in the house or she is found in the neighborhood. Just don’t give up and keep looking.

I agree, I am so sorry you are in pain... I feel for you, have you heard anything new? Maybe your daughter;s friends might be willing to help you organize a search party? Good luck and keep us posted! I will be praying for her safe return.

Oh, gosh, hon! My heart is breaking for you right now. Don't give up so easily! E-mail her photo to your paper or place an ad with a photo and also your local tv and radio stations.

How To Find A Lost Dog

First, search your property thoroughly. Small dogs can get into some mighty strange places.

The point is, look in EVERY nook and cranny.

Look behind, under, and inside washing machines, clothes dryers, stoves, refrigerators, and dish washers. Look behind water heaters, in boxes, under furniture, under beds, in closets, in cabinets, in shelves and bookcases, in drain pipes, in sewer drains, in culvert pipes, under vehicles, in crawl spaces under the house, inside sheds and barns, etc. In the case of cats, also look in attic crawl spaces, on the roof, in roof gutters, and up in the trees.

Walk the neighborhood, talk to everybody, and leave your phone number.

Go to each house in the area where your pet was lost and talk to the residents. Write down a description of your lost pet and your phone number and leave it with them. Leave it attached to their door if they are not home.

Talk to everybody you run across. This includes the postman, paperboy, children, parents waiting at the school bus stop, school crossing guards, neighborhood crime watch groups, garbage pick-up crews, etc. Give them a written description of your pet and your phone number as well.

Try to get all the neighborhood children involved. Kids are great at finding lost pets!

Ask everybody if they saw or heard anything unusual in the neighborhood and carefully write down everything they tell you. This could include strange vehicles, work crews, people, or activities. Get detailed descriptions of everything.

Don't travel alone. Take a friend or family member with you.

Don't write down your name or address. Because of scam artists and other criminals in our society, it is never a good idea to publicize this information.

Offer a reward, but don't state the amount.

Make some noise while you walk around the neighborhood! Animals can hear you from great distances.

Have all your family members call the pet's name.

If your pet has a favorite "squeaky toy" bring it along and use it to help you make familiar noises.

Use an "Acme Dog Whistle" to get your pet's attention. The high-pitched sound from these whistles can carry up to a mile or more. Cats are attracted to this sound as well as dogs. (Note: this whistle is the "silent" ultrasonic type, but has a simple adjustment that lowers the tone into the human audible range. Use this audible tone when searching for your pet because the sound will carry farther)

Carry a box of your pet's favorite biscuits, chews, or other treats and rattle it loudly while calling your pet's name.

Make any other noise that your pet is familiar with.

It's also important to stop regularly, be quiet, and listen for your pet to make a noise in reply.

The neighbors will think you're crazy, but hey, this is your pet's life we're talking about here!

Bring a powerful flashlight (even during daylight hours) for checking in dark spaces.

A frightened or injured cat will hide in dark spaces and will not come to you. An injured dog will also hide in dark places.

Use your flashlight for checking under houses and other dark spots. Also check storage sheds, garages, dumpsters, trash cans, and under cars.

Place strong-scented articles outside your home to attract your pet. Animals find their way by scent as well as sound.

Place some of your dirty clothes outdoors. Sweaty gym socks and jogging suits are great for this!

Place a dogs bedding and favorite toys outside.

Put out some smelly food such as tuna, sardines, or warm, freshly cooked chicken, liver, or other savory meat. Be sure to protect the food if you can, so that other animals don't eat it!

Call local veterinarian offices during the day. After 5 PM, call veterinarian emergency clinics.

Find out if your pet was injured and taken to any of these offices or clinics for treatment.

If an office has taken in or treated any animal that even remotely resembles your pet, VISIT THE OFFICE IN PERSON. Your description of your pet and their description of the same pet rarely match. YOU MUST GO SEE FOR YOURSELF!

Also ask them for the phone numbers of local rescue organizations. They generally keep a list and may even work with them.

Call each of the rescue organizations and ask for their help and find out if they have your pet. These groups generally network with each other and will pass the word about your case.

VISIT your local Animal Control, humane societies, and animal shelters, including the ones in surrounding areas.

You must actually visit the animal control and humane shelters every day or two. It works well if several family members can take turns visiting the shelters.

Your description of your pet and their description rarely match. YOU MUST GO LOOK! Be sure to check all areas of the shelter, including the infirmary. Also be aware that dogs may be housed in the cat section and vice-versa.

Leave a picture of your pet and your phone number at each shelter. Befriend them.

Find out the holding period of each animal control and humane shelter. Be aware of how much time you have to claim your pet before it is euthanized!

Government Animal Control agencies usually keep an animal for only 3 days and then they either adopt it out or kill it. You only get one chance at this. Be there!

Ask Animal Control, humane societies, and shelters about pet rescue organizations in your area.

Usually there are smaller pet rescue groups that work with the local humane shelter. They often take pets from the shelter to save them from euthanasia and adopt them out to new homes.

Call the rescue groups regularly to see if they have your pet.

Find out if your pet has been killed on the road.

This is a very sad but necessary task. Otherwise, you may never know what happened to your pet and it could haunt you for years.

The road crews for your local and state department of transportation (DOT) usually pick up dead animals from the roadside and city streets. In some cases Animal Control does this as well. You have to call around and find out which agencies do this service in your area. Be sure to find them all!

Dogs are usually picked up within 24 hours, but cats often are not.

Call the city, county, and state road crews, DOT, and Animal Control EVERY DAY to see if they have found your pet's body.

Make arrangements to visit their offices so you can speak with them face to face. Befriend them and leave a photo of your pet so the road crews can be on the lookout for it.

If any of them do not cooperate with your efforts, contact City Hall as a last resort and complain. This usually gets a response. But remember, you will get better results with courteous personal visits.

If your pet is wearing an ID tag, the DOT and/or Animal Control agencies should contact you if they find your pet dead along the road. But don't count on it. You must put forth the effort to find out for yourself!

Sadly, this section has a higher "find" rate than anything else except posted flyers.

It is extremely important to post MANY flyers about your lost pet within a 1-mile radius of where it was lost.

Overall, flyers or posters produce more "finds" than anything else. But don't neglect the rest of the tips!

Your budget will determine how many flyers you can afford to post, but the more the better.

DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME OR ADDRESS ON YOUR FLYER!

If possible, it is best to place a color photo of your pet on each flyer.

Use 8-1/2" X 11" fluorescent paper for high visibility.

List the date and place your pet was lost, breed of dog or cat, sex, age, weight, color, markings, and your telephone number. Offer a reward, but don't state the amount.

It is very important to always withhold several identifying marks and characteristics of your lost pet. You may need to use these later to verify that a person has actually found your pet and is not trying to scam you. More on this later.

Post the flyers at waist level on telephone poles and at eye level in such places as veterinary offices, pet shops, barber & beauty shops, grocery stores, community bulletin boards, churches, pizza parlors, laundromats, convenience stores, near schools, and on school bulletin boards.

Examine your posted flyers frequently and replace the ones that are missing or damaged.

Place an Ad in your local newspaper. Some will do this for free.

Be sure to advertise in the Sunday edition as well as during the week.

Also place an ad in any "Penny Saver" type of publications you might have in your area.

Check the newspaper "found" ads every day.

Most newspapers provide free ads to people who have found lost pets.

Also check regularly in any other local publications.

Don't ever give up! Pets have been known to find their way back home after being lost for several months. Good luck!

Don't wander around looking for your pet alone, either during the day or at night. Always bring a friend or relative. This is especially important in unfamiliar neighborhoods.

I'm so sorry! I hope you find her, I will be sending positive thoughts your way.

I also think she could still be inside somewhere. Mitzi was once hiding behind an open door!

We'll pray for her save return and send positive thoughts her way. Mitzi sends Yorkie kisses. :aimeeyork

OH NO !! Don't give up !! Do what everyone suggested and talk to ALL the neighborhood kids - they'll know who has a new dog !! WISHING YOU ALL THE BEST and I really hope you find her !

Praying for a safe return. !!! i hope she comes home soon

Any updates yet?!?!?! I'm so worried!