K9's On Call Missing Pet Services

13/10/2025

Another lost pup home safe and I'm feeling the 🫶

10/10/2025

Recently I was a small part of a harrowing recovery for a sweet but terrified lost beagle. She went on a 34 day run through Wilmington NC covering miles a day, crossing insanely busy roads and testing every bit of lost dog behavior knowledge that I have! There's no way to simply write up her story because it was just all too unbelievable.

An AMAZING group of people that truly love animals spent every waking moment, countless dollars and all of their energy following all the suggestions that we gave them. They were exhausted, they were frustrated, they were heartbroken but they never gave up. After 34 days the adventure came to a HAPPY ending and this sweet beagle was finally safe. Plus she found an amazing new pet parent and a place to forever call home!

Today I got this in the mail, a token of their gratitude to me. I have to say I was brought to tears and truly humbled. They are the ones who deserve all the gratitude and love for what they do. I'm blessed to have met them and I will never forget them 💜

06/10/2025

When I say large neon posters this is what I mean! This amazing pet parent put together these posters with mostly items bought at dollar general. She smartly taped cardboard to the back for reinforcement which is a great idea!

Every one I drove by was eye-catching and easy to read! Posters seem like a daunting task but they can easily (and relatively inexpensively) be put together.

Don't skip this crucial step in lost pet recovery. Get creative and get them done! 🙌🏻

*Remember, posters and flyers are NOT the same thing. Check out this link for more info
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16Uicr9ja8/

03/10/2025

Welcome home Kong, six days!

Handsome boy Kong is an indoor only kitty living in Wilmington NC. One day he was accidentally let out of the house and disappeared. His very concerned pet parents did a few things to try to find him but were having no luck. I was contacted very early on. We talked about lost cat behavior and discussed a few classic recovery techniques like searching their property and the nearby neighbors properties (with permission), using food/familiar home smells as scent lure-NOT litter boxes and passing out flyers/hanging up large neon posters. I was also able to loan a cellular trail camera for them to put out.
*Trail cameras are a vital piece of lost pet recovery! Many times a lost cat will not be seen or immediately go into a trap but that doesn't mean they are not there! Trail cameras help to monitor feeding stations, traps, the lost pet's behavior and anything else that may be going on within the target area*
Kong's family got right to work but he wasn't showing on the camera in the backyard and no one had seen him. Several neighbors mentioned feeding cats in the neighborhood and would keep an eye out for him.
Kong's mama asked about moving the camera to her front porch instead of the backyard and had already borrowed a trap from a local rescue. She scent lured heavily and within 24 hours there was Kong on camera! He didn't go in the trap but luckily Leia was watching the camera and immediately went outside. She was able to hand catch Kong who was just on the neighbors porch!
Everyone is relieved Kong is home safe and I'm happy to have been able to provide them support during this difficult time.

Welcome home Kong 🎉

28/09/2025

Welcome home Scruffy, 26 days!

Oh Scruffy, this is actually the second time we've helped Scruffy
(the previous story can be found here
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CcE1xnY9P/ ).
Scruffy is a community cat that was living outside a local government building. He had dedicated caregivers, a warm house to sleep in and wasn't bothering anyone. Unfortunately some higher ups in the government decided all the community cats needed to go 😔
Scruffy was adopted by a couple in Fayetteville but it wasn't a great fit and Scruffy was stressed to the max. They decided to let him on the patio one day to see if that helped him feel better and not very long after he squeezed through the bars and jumped off the second story. They searched, alerted the apartment complex and called Scruffy's former caregiver. Cameras were placed with food but no signs of Scruffy.
I was contacted one week after he went missing but due to some personal stuff wasn't able to go track until day 17.
Ki took scent from his bed and was off on the same trail Scruffy went before they lost sight of him around the apartment building. Ki skirted the outside of the apartment complex and let us know Scruffy was still there. Cameras were moved and food was put out but this place was FULL of stray cats and people feeding them which always makes things more difficult.
I suggested more posters be put up and bingo, a few days later a man in the trailer park along the scent trail had eyes on Scruffy in a storm drain! Scruffy was able to be lured out with his favorite treat, Churu's, and is now back with his original caregiver where he'll stay! Scruffy is the sweetest boy and I'm so relieved he's finally found his forever home 💜
Welcome home Scruffy 🎉

28/09/2025

Welcome home Moo, 43 days!!

Patience, hard work and faith-all were key in bringing Moo home safely!

Sweet Moo is a shy girl who was with her new pet parent visiting a friend when she was put outside without realizing the fence gate was open. In a flash Moo was gone. An immediate search was done but no signs of Moo anywhere. Being that she's shy and lost in an unfamiliar place it was unlikely she would approach anyone.
The previous pet parent drove down and the searching continued. It was a rural area spotted with just a few houses and a quarry. The possibilities of where Moo could be seemed endless so I was contacted on day 3 to assist. We immediately discussed scent luring back to the friends house and putting up a trail camera, since dogs lost from unfamiliar places tend to circle back, as well as flyers and large neon posters in the area.

On day 7 we went out to track/drone.
Ki immediately took off following the exact route Moo did the day she escaped until they lost sight of her. We continued on into some sweet potato fields through the woods and popped out inside the quarry. There had been heavy rains in the days prior but fresh dog paw prints were EVERYWHERE.
Ki led us around the back of the quarry and up an embankment following the dog paw prints. At the time the mud was thick and I quickly sank. I put Ki into a wait while I struggled to free myself from the mud. Once I was loose, I looked up and THERE WAS MOO!! About 20 yards in front of us. Unfortunately she ran as soon as she saw us. From there Moo circled to the front of the quarry and around to the friends house where her previous pet parent was waiting. He immediately got down to try calming signals but Moo wasn't interested.
Brian from Firefly Drones was able to track her movements and see her go into the woods next to the quarry. He continued to scan the area but Moo didn't come back out.

A trap and camera was set up near the woods along with the previous pet parent grilling for a week but Moo would not be seen again.

We tracked two more times in the next few weeks. Every time Ki told us Moo was still there but we never actually saw her in person or on camera. A total of 5 cameras were placed around the quarry since we could not place them inside the area. A variety of animals and people were seen but no Moo. We had to stop using food at the scent stations due to a healthy coyote population in the area. Other scents were used including worn items from the original pet parent, a bed from one of Moo's puppies and horse manure, a favorite "treat" of Moo's.
Flyers and posters were put up, doors were knocked on, social media was used, the previous pet parent found a person who feeds stray cats in the area and a camera was set there but still no Moo.
It was clear she was getting water from the quarry but what was she eating?? Cat food from somewhere else? Digging through the trash barrels in the quarry? Was someone feeding her?? Scavenging on animal f***s and sweet potatoes??
Everyone was exhausted and hopes were starting to fade that Moo would be found.

Then on day 43 it happened. Someone who works at the quarry saw a flyer, she called and said Moo comes out in the quarry at night and she had just seen her! The previous pet parent jumped in his car and arrived just before 2am. He parked at the house she escaped from and as he was walking towards the quarry he saw Moo. They both froze, he got down on the ground softly asking if she would like some treats. Moo sat and whined. After a few minutes Moo gave in and walked over climbing into his lap. 43 days, ONLY ONE SIGHTING and Moo was safe!!

All the right things were done, Ki was 100% correct on her tracks but after the initial sighting Moo seemed to be a ghost. Then just like that, there she was safe at home!

43 days cannot be put into words but what I can say is NEVER GIVE UP! Moo is back with her previous pet parent where she'll stay for good.
Welcome home Moo 🎉

25/09/2025

⬇️ THIS! ⬇️

Found a pet? 🐈🐕🦜 Someone may be desperately searching for them! Here are five steps to help reunite a lost pet with their family:

✅Notify shelters & animal control
✅Check for ID tags or microchips
✅Post flyers
✅Spread the word online
✅Enter a report at PetFBI.org and search the Pet FBI database

🔗Read more: https://petfbi.org/i-found-a-pet/found-pet-advice/

23/09/2025

Great idea especially with hunting season starting!
Use all resources at your disposal, you never know what might happen 💜🐾

15/08/2025

"You Should Just…" – Why This Phrase Can Harm Lost Pet Recovery Efforts

In many of the challenging lost pet cases I’ve been working lately, I’ve noticed a common theme in social media comments to owners:

You should just go to the sighting location and call your pet.

You should just try to catch your pet.

You should just put out dirty laundry or a litter box.

You should just gather a big group and search.

You should just wait and they'll come home.

You should just...

The truth is, if recovering a lost pet were that simple, it would already be done. Every case is unique—shaped by the animal’s breed, personality, how and why they went missing, and the environment in which they are lost. Each of these factors must be carefully evaluated when developing a recovery plan, which often needs to be adjusted quickly if the situation changes.

“You should just…” oversimplifies a sometimes complex process and can unintentionally cause stress or even harm. Well-meaning but uninformed advice can lead to actions that reduce the chances of safely recovering the pet.

Not every lost pet case is straightforward or resolved quickly. Effective recovery requires patience, strategy, and a tailored approach—not a one-size-fits-all suggestion.

14/08/2025

August 15th is National Check the Chip Day!

Microchips greatly increase the chances that pets will be reunited with their families if they are lost, but a microchip only works if the registration information is accurate.

Take a minute today to make sure the contact information on your pet's microchip registration is up to date! You can check your pet’s registration by contacting your microchip company.

12/08/2025

I only have myself to blame for the humid, rainy, muddy weather 🤦🏻‍♀️

Luckily Ki never complains and we love helping lost pets get home 💜🐾

08/08/2025

Our track today was just a bit muddy 🫣