Category Archives: Uncategorized

Man who self-deported to Mexico reunited with dog he left behind in Chicago

This is the kind of story that reminds us why every detail and every effort matters.

When Coffee arrived at Chicago Animal Care and Control, his microchip led to a disconnected phone number. That’s where our Microchip Hunters team stepped in. One of our dedicated volunteers went the extra mile, tracking down Coffee’s owner, Daniel, through Facebook only to learn he had made the difficult decision to return to Mexico and leave his beloved dog behind.

From there, an incredible collaboration unfolded.

Coffee was transferred to Border Tails, whose team immediately committed to helping. With the support of their transport partners, Coffee began a long journey across multiple borders, ultimately making his way back to Daniel in Mexico.

Because people refused to give up, Coffee is now back where he belongs.

This reunion is a powerful reminder:
✔ Microchips save lives—but only when someone is willing to dig deeper
✔ Collaboration between organizations makes the impossible possible
✔ Love doesn’t stop at borders

We are so proud of our Microchip Hunters team and grateful to Border Tails and all partners who made this reunion happen.

👉 Read the full story and video reported by CBS News here: https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/daniel-torres-self-deported-reunited-dog-coffee/

👉 Read the full Facebook story here: https://www.facebook.com/LostDogsIllinois/posts/pfbid027AyRYrhMQX5f2AARSrJ7nka5Fvcq55oPn6tLARG1i1N2gGMbzPQ5n2hsgn9mp5sBl

Angels in The Dark

This video, created by SmithicAir, beautifully complements a powerful and heartfelt song dedicated to all those involved in dog rescue in any capacity. It serves as an anthem dedicated to all the heroes involved in dog rescue, in every form. It stands as an anthem honoring your compassion and unwavering commitment.

Written by Donna Hoffman and performed by the Prairie Ghosts, the song follows their recent work on Apollo’s Journey and shines a light on the volunteers who work tirelessly to rescue dogs and reunite them with their families.

Watch the updated music video here: https://youtu.be/JHlBBLwBWJg

Mr. Spock Makes It Home Safe After Consulting Lost Dogs Illinois’ Best Practice Guides – A Letter From His Owner

Lost Dogs Illinois received this heartwarming email yesterday, and it moved us to tears!

Mr. Spock, or as his family refers to him, Spockie, went missing in Mars Hill, Nc on Tuesday 6/18 @ 4:30pm and was recovered around 5pm on 6/19 at the location where they lost him.

“I am reaching out to say thank you for your highly informative and helpful series of posts about finding shy and elusive dogs that enabled us to find our beloved dog, Mr. Spock.

My husband, Drew, and I lost our little guy on Tuesday when he jumped out of my car after a horrible car accident. Like Toby in the post, he had gone through a traumatic event, was in unfamiliar territory, and is by nature, weary of strangers. It felt like the odds were against us when we began the search.

We spent Tuesday evening and most of Wednesday morning searching by foot and by car , calling Mr.Spock’s name, and setting out fliers. It felt like we were going nowhere fast and we both began to lose hope.

I am a scholar by trade and learning is my superpower .So when I sensed our strategy might not be working, I decided to see what I could find out online . Your posts (Lost Dogs Illinois website) about finding shy and elusive dogs were BY FAR the most informative and instructive resources I found.

Based on what I learned, we set up feeding stations at the scene of the accident and a sighting location. We also switched from frantically calling his name to approaching the stations with calmness and quietness.

On Wednesday evening we went to check the feeding station by the scene of the accident, which happens to be by a local gas station. At the EXACT TIME we were there, someone from the gas station who had my number thanks to our fliers called me to say our dog had just been spotted AND the person who had seen our dog, saw my husband, and pointed the direction Mr.Spock was walking.

We knew from your posts to remain calm and not to panic. My husband followed our dog slowly on foot, resisting the urge to run, and threw me the keys so I could follow in the truck. Our dog turned down a sleepy side street, and my husband gestured for me to turn when I drove by.

Thanks to your posts I had a winning strategy for when I spotted him on the side street. I parked my truck far away and did not slam the door or rush. I opened a can of his favorite food and approached slowly. At first he was very hesitant, so I sat on the ground, and poured out the food. He started approaching after that, and suddenly realized it was me, and ran into my arms.

I do not think we would have been able to get him back without your posts. Not only did it give us helpful information about dog’s behavior when they are lost, but also a winning strategy and hope.

Thank you from the very bottom of my heart for sharing your resources so freely and please know that they really made a difference in our lives. Your strategies helped reunite us with our beloved Spockie in less than 24 hours.

P.S. Please feel free to share this email with anyone you like!

-With deepest gratitude”

We were honored to read this and hope others will check out our resources for ‘best practices’ in recovering missing dogs! Visit us at www.lostdogsillinois.org