Lost Pet Recovery

02/11/2025

SOMERSET, KY (PULASKI COUNTY):

“Should I leave him out here?”

“Yes, we can’t afford to take him in right now and we have nowhere to go with him.”

The desperate need seems impossibly formidable everywhere right now. But still, the rural areas still seem to overshadow the rest. Rhonda Wilson keeps finding dog after dog in deplorable condition in central Kentucky. We want to keep supporting her and telling her it’s okay to trap and otherwise get these dogs off the streets. But when every one seems to be a medical case and, with donations as low as they have ever been for us and maybe the rescue world in general, it gets harder and harder for us to say yes. We can’t keep helping these dogs without more support. And, believe us when we say we hate to keep asking—we would rather be out trapping and saving dogs than continually having to make attempts at fundraising.

But here we are again, begging you to consider what you would want us to do in these situations. Rhonda got a call last night about this dog, “Red”, found on a remote road in the woods, limping badly and very thin. The finder asked, “Should I leave him out here?”

“Yes, we can’t afford to take him in right now and we have nowhere to go with him.” This is the smart answer, the one that makes sense. Definitely the easy answer… on one level. But for some reason it’s not the easy answer for us. In this world that seems so short right now on understanding and compassion, how do we not show this poor dog mercy?

From the video, you might think “Red” is an older dog, arthritic and decrepit from old age. We did when we first saw him. But he’s actually quite young—only a couple years—according to the vet. How tough his life must have been, at least in his recent past, for him to be in this kind of shape, when he should be a healthy young pup in his prime.

Maybe it won’t be a choice for us for much longer, maybe we won’t be able to tell Rhonda that we can help to support her heroic efforts in rural central Kentucky. But for now, will you please help us to get this boy what he needs and to get him to safety.

This sweetheart will be needing a foster or adopter. If you are interested, please message our page or call us at 614.377.1777.

Other ways to donate:

ℹ️ LPR operates soley on donations. To help support our mission:
— The “donate” button on our page
— Venmo
— PayPal Giving Fund at https://paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/2369747
— PayPal [email protected]
— CharityNavigator.org to be a monthly sustainer
— Checks to Lost Pet Recovery, PO Box 16383, Columbus, OH 43216 ℹ️

💟 Thank you 💟

02/04/2025

REYNOLDSBURG, OH (straddling the Franklin/Licking county line):

Former puppy mill mama dog Taffy went into our humane trap this evening and is now SAFE and back in her parents’ arms after two weeks on the run! We are so grateful and relieved.

Escaping from her parents’ vehicle in the PetSmart parking lot on her way to be groomed, Taffy pushed past her parents when they opened the back car door. She bolted, pulling a leash and wearing a sweater (which, when wet, makes these cold temps so much more extreme), and made it across E Broad Street. There were no sightings for over a week.

Then late last week, a kind woman called Brenda noticed a dog hanging out in the woods at her workplace along the railroad tracks, 1.25 miles away. Brenda began leaving food for the dog, put feelers out, learned the dog she was seeing was Taffy, and connected with Taffy’s mom and dad.

It can be very difficult to lure a loose dog, even one’s own, as lost dogs go into survival mode when they are out. They become hypersensitive to everything in their environment in an effort to keep themselves safe. Plus, Taffy is a puppy mill dog, not socialized and only with her new family for 3-4 months. So luring was not going to be an effective way to get Taffy safe and, in fact, could have made her leave her comfort zone if she had been pursued.

When the family and Brenda realized that Taffy needed to be humanely trapped, they reached out to LPR. With the supportive permission of the company on whose property she was staying, LPR’s Jenn and Marty Dahlman were able to get our humane trap and cell cam out for Taffy at the spot where she had become accustomed to eating. It was dinner time, and Taffy went in 20 minutes later!

Special thanks to Brenda who was Taffy’s champion; to the company without whose cooperation and concern we would not have been able to do our work; and to her family, who gave a home to an unsocialized puppy mill dog who needs time, patience, and lots of love and security as she grows in her ability to receive and give affection. And, as always, to all of you who believe in what we do, feel the same pull of worry and hope for these lost souls, and support our mission.

>>> LPR operates solely on donations. To help support our mission:
— The “donate” button here on our page
— Venmo
— PayPal Giving Fund at https://paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/2369747 (https://paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/2369747)
— PayPal [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
— CharityNavigator.org (http://CharityNavigator.org)
to be a monthly sustainer
— Checks to Lost Pet Recovery, PO Box 16383, Columbus, OH 43216
💟 Thank you 💟

01/24/2025

RUSSELL SPRINGS, KY (RUSSEL COUNTY):

The Kentucky trappers are on fire recently!!

We were so afraid this girl wasn’t going to make it out in the elements, as she is so weak and in such bad shape. But Rhonda Wilson never lets us down and, so much more importantly, she never lets these animals down!

PLEASE HELP US to help Angel as we just found out, in additional to her horrible weak and emaciated condition from mange and/or flea dermatitis, she tested positive for heartworm and tick borne disease. 😭😭😭 It’s going to be a long, slow, and unfortunately expensive recovery for this baby. She is very scared right now and pretty sore from that terrible skin infection, but has been nothing but a sweetheart.

Here’s what Rhonda said:

‼️ This poor sweet girl, that we have now named Angel, is finally SAFE! ‼️

This girl was heartbreaking just watching her try to walk.

Her feet and legs are sooo swollen, infected and bleeding she was in so much pain and really struggling out in this cold and trying to search for food and warmth to survive. I don’t know how she survived out there, but she did and I’m sooo glad we were able to trap her.
If anyone would like to help Angel, donations can be called in to Mt Vernon Animal Clinic or sent to Lost Pet Recovery (ways to donate below).

Thank you Chris N Alisa King and Mitza Smith for all your help with this girl!

She is now being cared for at Mt. Vernon Animal Clinic and will be starting her long healing process.

**** Ellie Grant/Mandy’s Mission will be taking this sweet girl in once she’s treated and released from vet, but will still need a Rescue commitment ****

ℹ️ LPR operates soley on donations. To help support our mission:
— The “donate” button on our page
— Venmo
— PayPal Giving Fund at https://paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/2369747
— PayPal [email protected]
— CharityNavigator.org to be a monthly sustainer
— Checks to Lost Pet Recovery, PO Box 16383, Columbus, OH 43216 ℹ️

💟 Thank you 💟

01/16/2025

GREENVILLE, OH (DARKE COUNTY): PETUNIA SAFE, AFTER NINE LONG MONTHS!!

01/16/2025

GREENVILLE, OH (DARKE COUNTY): PETUNIA SAFE AFTER NINE LONG MONTHS!!

Here’s the main video:

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/14qTwyDmJU/?mibextid=wwXIfr

01/05/2025

CARROLL, OH (FAIRFIELD COUNTY): SWEET LITTLE DOXIE GIRL SAFE AFTER 3 MONTHS

To all the caring people concerned that this dog spent an extra 5 minutes out in the cold while I took the video:

Please understand that the dog had been on the run and out in the cold since October—3 months.

We, Lost Pet Recovery, had been trying to get the dog safe for the previous 4 days.

If not for people interfering—the source of my frustration in the video—we would have gotten the dog safe and she wouldn’t have been running out into the busy road and nearly getting killed multiple times. We would have gotten her safe before by at least 2 days.

That’s at least 2 days I would have had to put towards getting other dogs safe… like Petunia… or Frosty.

Instead of commenting to get the dog out of the cold and being upset with me for the dog being in the cold those extra 5 minutes… maybe understand that those few minutes gave the dog the time to calm down so she wouldn’t try as hard to get away when I did go to take her out of the trap (before the video she was running around frantically trying to find a way out of the trap). And maybe be upset with those people who, by interfering, kept her out in the cold much, much longer and kept us from getting other ones safe.

01/02/2025

SHELBY (Richland County), OH: Cookie is SAFE tonight in Shelby, Ohio!! This Norwegian Elkhound mix has been running around town for the last 34 days, causing great concern among this community and certainly for her loving family who have tried valiantly to get her safe. Cookie went into our panel trap (aka “Missy trap”) minutes ago after we placed it at a location that was a hotspot on her path of sightings.

The family had a humane box trap out in early December once they started to get sightings, but once LPR came on board to help, we realized that Cookie probably had “beaten” this box trap. One of the first questions we asked her dad was, “Has your trap ever been closed with nothing in it?” It had. Several times.

Once a dog “beats” a box trap, they often don’t want to go back into one. So we went directly to the panel trap, which is a large dog kennel with an automatic closer on it. When the dog moves to the back of the trap for the jackpot of food, she trips an infrared beam that releases the magnets holding the door open, closing the dog safely within the trap.

Grateful thanks to Abby and Kris, to Amy and her family, and to the many kind folks of Shelby who have taken Cookie into their hearts and diligently reported sightings. We are so happy that this girl is safe in the warm embrace of her family.

LPR operates soley on donations. To help support our mission:
— The “donate” button on our page
— Venmo
— PayPal Giving Fund at https://paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/2369747
— PayPal [email protected]
— CharityNavigator.org to be a monthly sustainer
— Checks to Lost Pet Recovery, PO Box 16383, Columbus, OH 43216
💟 Thank you 💟

01/01/2025

CUTSHIN, KENTUCKY: Our new year is starting off with relief and gratitude because Anne is SAFE and warm after being on the run for 12 days in a remote area of eastern Kentucky where she escaped transport. LPR’s Rhonda Wilson was able to humanely trap her last night, making the 4-hour round-trip trek twice these last two days to get the opportunity. And along with Anne, Rhonda also was able to trap a wee stray fella who had been staying in the area for the last two months and who buddied up with Anne when she found herself running the same area.

With no cell service within a 30-minute drive, our cell cams were useless for monitoring a live trap, necessitating that Rhonda be on site to manually watch and to manage the trap in order to release any critter that might go in and to be there when Anne went in. Fortunately, the first day she traveled to the area, Rhonda got eyes on Anne and was able to place her trap with some confidence that Anne would find it.

Anne had puppies, recently weaned, who preceded her to rescue. While Anne was being transported to rescue, she managed to escape her crate within the vehicle and jumped out when the door opened.

For now, Anne and the little buddy she met on the run are back together in time to ring in the New Year. We hope it will be a bright and beautiful one for them. For you. For us all.

LPR operates soley on donations. To help support our mission:
— The “donate” button on our page
— Venmo
— PayPal Giving Fund at https://paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/2369747
— PayPal [email protected]
— CharityNavigator.org to be a monthly sustainer
— Checks to Lost Pet Recovery, PO Box 16383, Columbus, OH 43216
💟 Thank you 💟

12/26/2024

And just last year, Lori Miller and a wonderful local family secured this little smoosh-faced man. We are ecstatic to update that he had the surgery to repair his palate and is doing fantastic, much loved by his original foster momma, Tracy Kim! He has lots of little fur-sisters for playmates and he is just the sweetest, happiest boy!

12/26/2024

“Just dart the dog.”

It doesn’t work the way everyone thinks it works, the way they’ve seen it in the nature videos where the dart shot is shown, and then the camera cuts immediately to the animal staggering and falling down.

Hopefully this video coverage of the drone support Matt so kindly provided on his Christmas Day will give an appreciation of how it works. I posted the full clip because, towards the end, Matt pans back to give a view to the road which gives some idea of the distance Barnaby covered—and he went down fairly quickly and was not even at a full run as some dogs will do.

Suggestions on the best way to capture lost or stray dogs are made all the time on social media by people with no real experience base. They see new technology or hear about a way one particular animal was captured, and they champion the method, completely oblivious to the risks and dangers involved, or even the true effectiveness of the method.

Well, we have seen all the things that can go wrong and have even experienced a few, and therefore do not have the luxury to ignore these risks and dangers. First of all, we would not have attempted to dart this dog in this cold of weather without the drone support. If you don’t get to them quickly enough, they can go hypothermic and die. Additionally, they can run for several minutes and up to a mile or more before the anesthetic agent overtakes the adrenaline. In this time, you have a panicked animal in a drugged state. This can cause them to make bad decisions, such as running into roadways. Also, aside from the risks that come with the use of anesthesia in general and, especially with an unfamiliar animal quite possibly with compromised health status, when they do finally go down, it can be in a bad situation, such as a roadway or body of water.

We have had cases in which it has taken hours to track and find the dog, in heavily wooded situations. Dogs will often follow paths along creek lines and we have had a couple now that, when we have caught up to them, they had gone down within mere inches of a high, fast running creek. We have had a call from an ecstatic Dog Warden that asked us how we trapped a dog that he reported he had “darted 3 times and despite having a team of experienced people tracking the dog, they were unable to find it any of those 3 times.”

So no, it’s not the simple matter of “just dart the dog.“

Hopefully you enjoy the video and can appreciate the risks and considerations involved in making the decision to attempt to dart a lost or stray dog.

You can read the full story about Barnaby here:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15W7K9K2Mq/?mibextid=wwXIfr

12/26/2024

VAN BUREN (Hancock County), OH

Tranquilizing, “darting,” a dog as a recovery method is a last-resort choice. The risk of anesthesia is real. Colder temperatures like we are experiencing now can magnify the risks of sedation. But the hound dumped along Township Road 218 in Van Buren early Thanksgiving week is now SAFE after a month living along the side of the road.

Within days of this boy (now called “Barnaby”) being seen dumped with a female hound along Township Road 218, the female was secured and is doing well in the care of the Hancock County Dog Shelter. But Barnaby was more skittish, stubborn, and reluctant to be lured and leashed. A kind and concerned local woman, Tammy, immediately began feeding him twice a day, establishing a close relationship with him, but he would not allow a leash to secure him.

Tammy and our local volunteer Deb Powell connected, and various humane traps were attempted unsuccessfully. Even after 2.5 weeks of a large, kennel panel trap with an automatic closer, Barnaby would not enter far enough into the trap to trip the infrared beam and close the door behind him. Most dogs will enter a large trap like this, but Barnaby only once got all four paws inside the plane of the trap, as we saw on the two cellular trail cameras by which we were monitoring 24/7.

It soon became apparent why Barnaby was not going into the trap, even for hot, steaming, high-value food: He was being fed by numerous people along the road, in the field out of view of the cameras, and three times even inside the trap itself, as we caught on camera. At one point, our cameras were even turned off by people entering the trap and trying to get Barnaby.

We understand the worry one has for a loose dog, one showing himself in a large expanse of field, out in 12-degree temps and 50mph winds. We understand not wanting to turn away from a living creature in need. We know how hard it can be for concerned folks to stand down, not feed the dog, let the dog be, and trust the trapping process. We tried to educate those we met or those who contacted us. Several of the feeders we spoke with understood, stopped feeding, and helped us and the dog. But there were others we never met who would leave food, drawing Barnaby to the dangerous road and, in so doing, prolong his misery and jeopardize his life.

So, in the face of him spending time in the road around competing food sources, we made the difficult decision to dart Barnaby despite the frigid temps and other risks. If we continued trying to use even sophisticated trapping options, we could not help Barnaby with all of the food he was continuing to get outside of the trap.

Special thanks to Tammy, Danny, and Deb who have doted on this boy from the beginning, keeping him fed and as safe as possible given his precarious spot in that field along that road, trying relentlessly to get him safe in the various traps. More thanks to the generous property owners who allowed our equipment and presence for the last month. Grateful thanks to LPR’s Don Corsmeier and Jenn and Marty Dahlman who drove up from Columbus to get Barnaby safe with the darting effort and to Matt Morman, local thermal drone operator, who came out on Christmas Day to provide critical monitoring needed to locate Barnaby quickly once he went down so that we could get him to warmth and medical monitoring as quickly as possible.

We are grateful that the darting worked and that Barnaby survived it. We are grateful that Barnaby is in the warmth and safety of his caretakers. We are grateful for you reading this and caring about and supporting our mission to help these animals in need.

It was a meaningful and special Christmas for us. We hope yours was, too.

For those who were asking about how to donate:
— The “donate” button on our page
— Venmo
— PayPal Giving Foundation at https://paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/2369747
— PayPal [email protected]
— CharityNavigator.org
— Checks to Lost Pet Recovery, PO Box 16383, Columbus, OH 43216
*** Thank you 💟

12/21/2024

SOMERSET (Pulaski County), KENTUCKY // by LPR’s Rhonda Wilson:

Roaming downtown Somerset for several months. Posted numerous times, being seen in many areas, and no one claiming him. He’s sweet and said to be “really good with the girls” all over town. Even seeing pups in litters now that look like him. Trapped and safe for now, but does anyone know if he has a home?

Luckily, I was able to trap this boy pretty quickly after locating him and getting my trap and camera out—much quicker than most and a lot closer to home than many have been lately. Even on “easy” dogs, we invest a lot of time. I guess it’s giving me a little extra time to write this post now.

The shelter is FULL, and no doubt taking him there for the stray hold would mean one of the others there would have to be put down. How sad is that? Visit the shelter or their page and just look at those faces and see which one you would choose. What a horrible, heart-wrenching decision these shelter workers are faced with and have to deal with on a daily basis. Having to look in their eyes and then decide which ones can live another day and which ones lives they must end, at no fault of the dog.

I know sometimes people say or think that a dog roaming has a better chance to survive than if taken to the shelter. Dogs don’t always go quickly when hit by a car, attacked by another dog, after being shot, or slowly starving to death over time. It’s not a hard call with knowing and experiencing so many of these scenarios—the dog is not usually better off roaming, it’s very often worse. I decided to trap and get him off the streets and hopefully help him find a better life.

I would love to say that trapping is the easiest part of rescue, but that very often is sooo far from the truth. I do think it’s often a part of rescue that’s least thought about or appreciated after the dog is safe though.

We spend hours, days, weeks, and sometimes even months trying to trap/rescue one dog.
There’s so much more to trapping than what most people realize, and it often starts even before a trap is placed into an area, depending on the situation. There’s usually time spent combing through all the posts or any messages to gain all the info you can about the dog, any sightings here or a sighting there, certain times the dog is visiting, checking for lost dog posts to see if there’s an owner searching, mapping of locations and the area to try to find any patterns in their routine or behavior, getting a general idea of possible food sources or water sources available in the area that the dog may be visiting that’s keeping them near or may be moving or heading to, making and placing lost dog signs/posters in the area to help with other sightings, deciding the best location to set a trap, getting permission from land owners to place a trap and camera or at least a camera and food station to start, and make sure the dog will show up and find the food.

Then loading, unloading, and setting traps, baiting, then trips back and forth rebaiting daily, monitoring the cameras 24/7 (if there is a live trap out, it’s never unsupervised and myself or one of my team members is actively monitoring things), trips in the middle of the night to release cats, other dogs or wildlife, sometimes multiple trips a night to release and rebait.

Sometimes a dog may be nervous of a trap, and it’s not a quick easy catch. Sometimes other people may be feeding the dog elsewhere trying to help it, and it delays our efforts or progress and extends our—and the dog’s—time out.

From buying traps, cameras, expensive lithium batteries for each camera, broth to cover an area in, stinky wet canned food, even often a rack of ribs, rotisserie chicken, bbq, or a lot of other enticing restaurant foods, gas back and forth and back and forth again, lots of time involved, lack of sleep, mileage on vehicles, etc… Rescuing or trapping can often be very costly, and physically, mentally and emotionally draining at times.

With all that said…. This one is safe, at the moment, but next is the decision of “now what?” I really hate for him to go to the shelter and have one be put down to make space for him. Can anyone temporarily foster?

IF he has a good loving home out there somewhere and his owners see this and want him back, that’s awesome. Contact me soon (614.377.1777), and we’ll get him home to you.

That’s just the first part of what we do. Getting them safe. Many of the ones we trap are NOT always the easiest ones to adopt out or find rescue for when we take them in. They need extra time to decompress, time to build trust and confidence, and a safe place to be.

We could sure use fosters and donations to help with these sweet souls and to help us be able to continue the tireless work we do even after the process of trapping. Donations can help us provide for them until they can find forever homes or other approved rescues to take them in.

If you can’t foster or adopt right now, maybe help sponsor a dog we have taken in. Donations toward boarding or to help cover the cost of their vetting or supplies for trapping. Have you been to the vet lately and paid attention to the cost? Not only the cost of spay and neuter, but even for just the basic care, vet visits are expensive.

Everyone wants to see the dog safe, but “now what?” Their stories don’t end once they’re trapped. Help us write the best possible next chapter of their story so that we can try to ensure a happy ending.

For those who were asking about how to donate:
— The “donate” button on our page
— Venmo
— PayPal Giving Foundation at https://paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/2369747
— PayPal [email protected]
— CharityNavigator.org
— Checks to Lost Pet Recovery, PO Box 16383, Columbus, OH 43216
💟 Thank you 💟

12/07/2024

12/07/2024

UNION CITY, INDIANA: Missing since October 24 and with no sightings since November 4, Frank, the 10-pound toy poodle missing from Ansonia (Darke County), Ohio, is SAFE today, humanely trapped 10 miles from where we last knew him to be.

Frank’s mom Kim got word last night that some folks in Union City, Indiana, have been seeing a dog like Frank over the last two weeks (thank you, Jennifer and Laverne). A photo confirmed it was Frank.

Kim and bonded dog Walt got to the sighting area early this morning with the hope of luring him. A bonded dog in many cases will help bring a lost dog out of survivor mode. Kim and Walt did get eyes on Frank from a distance, and Frank barked his notice at them and stayed in the general area, but he was not willing to approach (a lost dog has to approach on his own terms; luring cannot be forced).

Fortunately, Lori Miller, our volunteer in Greenville, also was out early this morning with a humane trap, backing up Kim and Walt should Frank not succumb to luring.

Lori got a great opportunity as Frank walked by her vehicle. She quickly got a little food out in front of him as he moved on. But he saw that food, and dogs remember such things. She then quickly set the humane trap, scented it liberally with stinky broth, and removed herself from the immediate area.

After setting the trap, Lori, Kim, and Walt continued to see Frank, from a distance, make his rounds of the large expanse of athletic fields. He continued to bark his notice of them but would not approach. Then they saw him head toward the trap.

After a little investigation of the trap, he went in for the food, and after 6 weeks, this powerhouse toy poodle is SAFE, back with mom and brother dog Walt, having crossed 10 miles of rural farmland in the intense cold and winds we have been experiencing. We continue to be awed by these dogs’ resourcefulness, intelligence, and ability to survive.

We'll share reunion pics later, if possible. Lori and mom Kim wanted to get Frank quickly warm inside and transported him in the safety of the trap to be released in a contained space. Mom popped him right into the bath to warm him up and get his fur unmatted.

12/04/2024

SHALERSVILLE TWP/MANTUA, Portage County, Ohio: Very often when we have a search underway for one dog, we will learn of another dog in need. Such is the case with this beautiful stray husky we humanely trapped last week in Shalersville Township near Mantua (Portage County) after getting repeated sightings of her from the large, bright intersection signs we had placed for another husky (Spirit, gray and white, missing from Burton in Geauga County).

We learned that this stray black and white husky had been seen in this vast expanse of farms and woods since at least September 29. We found a Facebook post stating that she was seen by several people on this exact stretch of Diagonal Road where we ended up trapping her two months later.

She has a safe landing spot for now with the kind family on whose property we trapped her as we try to find a possible owner. She is not microchipped and was not wearing a collar or any identification. If you know where she might belong, please call/text us at 614.377.1777. We will stay in contact with the Portage County Dog Warden as things develop.

Her caretakers have named her “Ramona” because she was roaming, lol. Now she’s going for long leashed walks with her foster dad through the same fields and woods she roamed for two months on her own. She’s eating and sleeping well, making friends with the resident cat, and waiting for her spay/vaccination appointment should no legitimate owner come forward to claim her.

Special thanks to the helpful folks in this community, to Mike and Joyce, and to Pat, Spirit’s mom, without whom we would not have found Ramona. We are still looking for Spirit, so please stay alert for him and see the info included here for that beautiful boy.

And should you be inclined and able to contribute toward the dogs we have in our care and toward the means by which we get them safe, your support makes the difference for us. 💟