08/13/2024
Posts about dogs lost in unfamiliar areas tug at my heart in a way that’s hard to describe. Lilly's story is one of those that I simply couldn’t ignore. She was en route to her new home when she got loose, terrified and alone in a place she’d never been before. Her journey started in California, where tragedy struck—her mom passed away suddenly, leaving behind multiple dogs that the family could no longer care for. Lilly was one of those dogs, sent on transport to what was supposed to be her fresh start in Idaho.
But things went terribly wrong. The transporter, someone who was paid to safely deliver her, made a crucial mistake. He took Lilly out of her kennel with no leash, holding only her collar. She was scared, confused, and in that vulnerable moment, she slipped away. By the next morning, she was spotted in a yard just a block away, but Lilly was too frightened to trust anyone. The kind woman who found her tried to help, offering food and alerting the new owner. The owner rushed over, hoping to bring Lilly home, but when she got close, Lilly bolted again. She was too scared to be caught, too scared to understand that she was safe.
That’s when I knew I had to step in. I quickly gathered my gear and made my way to the area, determined to bring Lilly to safety. When I arrived, the owner had spotted her again, so we knew she was still close by, just out of reach. I cooked some bacon and loaded the trap with the enticing treats. I sprayed liquid smoke to make the area more inviting. As we were packing up, Lilly appeared, just 30 feet away from us, near the trap. I urged everyone to stay calm, to not look directly at her, to just be quiet and let her feel safe. And then, in that stillness, Lilly laid down outside the trap. It was a small but significant sign of trust.
We quietly left to give her space, retreating to the owner’s home to wait. Then, the alert came in—the camera showed that Lilly was trapped! Relief washed over us. We rushed back, gently loading the trap with Lilly inside, and took her to the owner’s garage. When we opened the trap, Lilly was no longer the terrified dog who had bolted earlier. She was subdued, calm, almost as if she knew she was finally safe. She has already settled in meeting her fur siblings and beginning the next chapter of her life, filled with the love she so desperately needed.
This experience has a lesson I wish no one had to learn the hard way: always, always vet any transporter or caretaker for your dog. Paying someone doesn’t guarantee they know what they’re doing. This transporter’s mistake could have cost Lilly her life, and I hope they’ve learned a valuable lesson. It’s far too common for transporters and dog sitters to lose dogs because they don’t take the necessary precautions. A scared dog should always be double leashed—one leash on their collar, the other a slip lead. A properly fitted Martingale collar is essential because a dog can’t slip out of it. And never, ever open a kennel or door to the outside until the dog is secure.
My work is a labor of love, done on a volunteer basis, and I rely on the support of my community to continue this mission of safely trapping lost dogs. Donations are always welcome to help fund future efforts. And I can’t do this alone—I need more people who are willing to give up sleep, to monitor cameras when a trap is set. If you feel the call to help, please reach out. Together, we can make sure more dogs like Lilly find their way back to safety.
Missing Animal Response Network trained. I specialize in tracking and trapping lost and scared dogs.
