Category Archives: lost dogs

Please Send Our Open Letter to Police Chiefs and Superintendents

We would encourage you to email, mail, or drop off a copy at your local police district or headquarters. Thank you so much for your help! You, our fans, are the ones who help us to make small changes that benefit the animals and families. Don’t ever underestimate the power of one!

Dear Police Chief:

Thank you for helping reunite lost dogs with their families. As you well know, the status of dogs has progressed from the barnyard to the backyard to the home and now most dogs are considered a loved family member.

Even though the status of dogs has been elevated to loved family members, they are considered property according to state law.

Many times finders of lost pets are not doing their due diligence and keeping the pet as their own. That is theft of property as outlined in the state statute below.

(720 ILCS 5/16-2) (from Ch. 38, par. 16-2) Theft of lost or mislaid property.

It is a criminal offense and we are asking the police to help in these matters. Lost Dogs Illinois is encouraging owners to file a police report and bring their evidence of ownership to the police. Sometimes they are not taken serious at various police departments. We would like to see that change so this theft of personal property be considered as the serious offence that it is.

Thank you for taking the time to read our letter. We hope that your department will take these situations seriously and help reunite dogs with their rightful owners.

Regards,

Lost Dogs Illinois

To find out who the Police Chief/Superintendent for your city or district, contact your city government website.

 

A letter to those missing their pets….

I totally understand see your struggle, this is like missing your child, a part of your family… not knowing if their scared, sick, hot, cold, injured, hungry, thirsty, abused… the horrors and worries going thru your head.

People try to water it down, say it’s not important, not a priority, it’s just a pet, it’s cute, I’m sure someone else is loving it! Why don’t you get another one?

Finders crudely reply,
I don’t need to show you a pic… I know it’s not yours
If it has fleas or is skinny now, it shouldn’t go back to such a bad mom
How did you lose your pet anyways?
I gave it too a good home (as they shrug their shoulders)

A host of thousands of social media and Craigslist pages to check… with barely any finders with a half way close match at least showing respect for your worries in your search. Answering your messages with more than a one word response. You carry on watching finders, sellers, adopters, flippers, breeders…. anything! Anywhere!

People posting found pitiful mangy possibilities playing police, assuming they know the whole story, playing judge as to why no one deserves their dog back.

At the end of the day, you print more fliers, and carefully decide where to try next, and say a prayer tomorrow is better….kinder.

For those missing pets… God Bless You! My thoughts and prayers to you. Your strong! Don’t give up! Keep fighting! 

Thank you Lisa T for sharing.

Lisa’s daughter’s yorkie went missing July 29th.  Phoebe has yet been found.

Link to her posting:  Phoebe

 

 

Lose a dog – Who Me?

Ricky

Ricky

I never thought it would happen to me but it did.  In 2008, I lost two dogs; two months apart, from two different vet clinics, in two different towns.

I’ve been in animal welfare for over 34 years and my husband lovingly calls me an “over the top” dog owner.  Our backyard resembles Fort Knox with gates locked; our dogs know the command wait, there are barricades in front of the doors and a screen door to the garage.  The dogs wear martingale collars with a license, ID tag and microchip tag.  Our shy dogs also wears a sensation harness connected to their martingale collar prompting my husband to note he will grow old before I get all the dogs ready for a walk.  Still though my dogs got lost.

Both of my dogs’ escaped from vet clinics, in both cases it was an accident pure and simple.  Regardless of how they got lost I had a plan ready should this ever happen and I got both dogs back safe and sound!

Ricky, my beagle was lured in by a friendly female beagle after a sighting called in by the first person I handed a flyer to.  Ellie, the Basset, was another story, we fliered heavily, especially at intersections, to get people’s attention while they were stopped.  We received over 50 sightings in 29 days (the whole town of Huntley knew she was missing) and then she was finally captured in a humane trap.Elie

So even though you have not experienced losing a dog, and think it would “never” happen to you, please take a minute – read our articles on our website and have a lost dog packet ready.  Be prepared!!!

Susan Taney

Director/founder of Lost Dogs Illinois