Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Wednesday, January 13, 2010
As most of you know, my little dog, Dizzy, went missing this past weekend. I had to go out of town for work and we left Dizzy with family about 15 miles from where we live. They have a small dog also and Dizzy likes to play with her. So we dropped him off early Saturday and headed South to sing back ups for Elvis.

Sometime early Saturday evening they noticed it was getting cold in the house. They started looking and noticed the front door was open. They had company over and apparently one of the kids hadn't closed the door all the way. Now the panic started to set in. They started a frantic search of the house thinking Dizzy might just be hiding somewhere. After a half hour they moved the search outside. They decided they didn't want to worry me yet because they were sure they could find him.

James, my er, step son-in-law, jumped on his neighbor's 4 wheeler while his wife and kids and their friends started making signs and posting them in the neighborhood. They searched until 1:00 in the morning, Sunday. They live in a sub-division surrounded by wilderness. Woods, lakes, ponds, fields, wildlife...there were just so many places he could have gone.

We got the call early Sunday morning and hurriedly packed our things and started our hour and half drive to their house. So many thoughts ran through my mind. The previous night had been on of the coldest here ever with lows around 30. Not to mention the thought of the coyotes and alligators in the area. I was worried out of mind.

We began immediately searching the area he had last been seen which was in the area of the wilderness I mentioned. We called shelters, but no one would answer because it was Sunday. I asked my step-daughter to post an ad on Craig's List. We searched for hours and then headed home so I could make fliers with his picture on it.

Later that afternoon we returned to the search area and called for him until it was so dark we could no longer see. I was now devastated. Sunday night would be a colder night yet with temps dropping to 27 degrees. We returned home and I started sending e-mails to shelters and posted another ad on Craig's List with more detail and his picture attached. I cried myself to sleep on the sofa, I slept there in case somehow he found his way home. I held on to the hope that in the morning, when the shelters were opened, we would find him.

Monday morning came and I began frantically calling the shelters. No one could tell me anything on the phone, they were swamped, so I'd have to come in and look. I headed back North with more fliers in hand and began posting and leaving them with animal hospitals, groomers, businesses, anywhere I could think of. Moose, my other wonderdog, and I began our search again. Walking the fields, driving the neighborhoods, and calling out his name. We had received no calls from the shelters or from the fliers we had posted and around 2:30 I headed home to print yet more fliers to pass out.

I can't begin to tell you the overwhelming feeling of deseration that loomed over me. I was crying non-stop and trying my best to keep a positive outlook. It wasn't so much the feeling that I may never see him again that was killing me. It was the thought of what he was going through that was ripping my heart out. He was cold and alone and in a very unfamiliar place. I prayed that he had not been hurt by another animal. But if someone had found him, why were they not calling? I was a mess.

I was half way home when I got the call. A woman had seen my post on Craig's List, saw the picture, and just knew that she had seen Dizzy in her neighborhood all day Sunday, Sunday night and Monday morning. Several times Sunday night, he would scratch on their door and peer into their window, but when they would try to let him in he would run. They said it was if he was looking for me and when he saw I wasn't there, he would run. But he kept coming back. In fact, she and her husband had left the garage door slightly opened and left a blanket for him and he had spent the night Sunday in their garage. When they saw him Monday morning, they tried to close the door but he darted beneath it and ran off.

I whipped the car around and began calling in the troops. I told everyone to go to this neighborhood and start looking. Long story short, and I know it's too late, but six of us walked and drove that neighborhood for 4 hours calling for Dizzy. Lots of people had seen him earlier, but now there was no sight of him. I finally told P.J., the lady who had called me, that we were just going to park in front of her house and wait. So Moose, my husband, and I, sat in our car with the window down, freezing our butts off and waited.

Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted him walking up the sidewalk beside the car, headed for that garage. I called his name, and he froze with that "deer in the headlights" look, looking like he would bolt, but I called his name and opened the door and he ran to me and jumped in my arms. I was crying, he was crying, and we carried him up to P.J.'s front door and when she saw him she was crying.

He was in great shape. He was dirty and his fur was full of prickers and sticks, but all in all, he was great. It was a miracle to me.

I must mention that it is incredible how very thoughtful and helpful people were in my search for Diz. Even Sis Barb was searching from far away. She was finding me numbers to call and even calling numbers herself, and offering suggestions the whole way. SIS Beth sent me a very thoughtful and encouraging e-mail. And all of you sent me well wishes. I'm grateful and thankful!

SO....after all this rambling...have you ever felt so desperate and devastated and then had it turn the other way and end with a glorious ending? Please share!

SIS Bren

16 comments:

Linda Wisdom said...

That happened to me, twice, Bren. When Bogie was about 8 mos old he went missing by sneaking out when I opened the door for UPS. I was a wreck. My neighbors and kids were out there looking for him while I was positive someone had taken him or worse. Then Susan, who's like a psycho sister, found him several houses down. We all have gated courtyards and Bogie was whimpering by the front door probably wondering why Mom wasn't letting him in.

The second time was something else. My husband had taken Bogie and Cocoa, our terri/poo, out for a long walk in the fields across the road. Except Bogie was spooked by some idiot's German shepherd he didn't try to control and got away. Except this time he crossed the road and found our house since I heard him crying outside our front door. My husband was afraid to come home and tell me what happened and only came home to drop off Cocoa with plans to go back out and look.

Both times I was a total mess and both times Bogie was hugged tight.

I am so glad you have Dizzy back and all is well!

Tori Lennox said...

I'm so glad you found Dizzy and so glad good people tried to take care of him while he was lost.

SIS BJ said...

Hi Bren,

So glad your story has a happy ending. Sounds like Dizzy missed you as much as you missed him. Thank goodness for the people who tried to keep him safe.

Sisters-in-Sync said...

Linda,

Bogie sounds like he likes to explore a little but then misses his home. I'm glad he finds his way home and that he has a family to hug him and love him.

I know if my husband had lost Dizzy, he would have been afraid to come home too.

SIS Bren

Elle J Rossi said...

Hi Bren,

I lost my son last year. Does that count? My daughter was playing in a basketball game and I was talking to some friends and watching her. I turned to say something to him and he was gone. Vanished. Nowhere to be seen. According to a lot of people, I lost all color in my face. I was running from one end of the gym to the other searching for him. I was begging people to help me find him as tears streamed down my face. During the midst of all this, I kept thinking of how I was going to be on the evening news and telling people I only turned away for a minute just like all the other parents say when they lose their kids. I also wondered how I was going to tell my husband that I lost our son. Lar was out of town on a business trip.

Anyway, pure panic set in. I heard the roar in my ears. I started screaming his name. People were staring at me in sympathy and horror. I was on the verge of telling them to lock all the doors and to stop any and all cars from leaving the paring lot. After what seemed like a lifetime but was probably actually only about 5 minutes, he came walking towards me from across the gym. I ran to him and hugged and shook him at the same time. I asked over and over again where he had been and he just shrugged his shoulders and said, "Hiding."

So, yep, I kow what it's like to lose something very important to you!

SIS Barb aka Elle J Rossi

Sisters-in-Sync said...

Tori,

I was overwhelmed by the kindness and caring that this couple showed Dizzy. Did I mention that they had even put a heating pad under the blanket just in case he returned for another night in their garage? Awesome people!

SIS Bren

Linda Wisdom said...

Best kind of people, Bren. We have a cat abandoned in our neighborhood. One couple feeds him and has a bed in their garage for him, leaves the door up a bit so he can go in and out. He hangs out here because the bench by our front door is in the sun and he gets cuddles here. And he has another protected area here. Actually, about four cats hang out around here. It doesn't make Barney happy.

Sisters-in-Sync said...

B.J.,

Dizzy is my shadow. My husband always jokes about how he is "up my ass all of the time". But we have a very strong bond. I have trained him in obedience, taught him many tricks, and also trained him in some agility. I know he loves me as much as I love him!

SIS Bren

Beth Ciotta said...

Hi Bren, you know my story about how many times Billie ran off and was missing. I was always impressed by the kindness of strangers. The people who went out of their way to gain her trust and then to call us. God bless animal lovers and kind people EVERYWHERE! So glad Dizzy is back home and in your loving arms.

SIS Beth

Sisters-in-Sync said...

Barb,

Oh, I remember that story. Crazy Comedy. He was probably watching the whole thing and enjoying it thinking of how he really had Mama goin'.

It was horrible to think that Dizzy may be gone, but nothing compared to the thought of losing a child. There is nothing like it.

Once, when Grumpy was young, I lost him for only a few minutes at a store in the mall. He was hiding in the clothes rack as many children do. When I finally found him I hugged him and then proceeded to scold him for hiding and started "dragging" him through the mall headed for the car as he screamed at the top of his lungs, "You're not my mom...you're not my mom". I kept looking over my shoulder thinking the mall cops would be upon me at any moment.

SIS Bren

Sisters-in-Sync said...

Beth,

Thanks again for the warm thoughts and encouragement when Dizzy was missing. And thank goodness for animal lovers!

SIS Bren

Sisters-in-Sync said...

PS: Maybe next week you could fill us in on the 'Elvis' gig. Details, please!

SIS Beth

Sisters-in-Sync said...

Linda,

I'll bet that deep down, Barney is happy that you all are helping these kitties. I know I'm happy that you're helping them.

SIS Bren

Richard said...

I won't comment on anything other than the fact that I am SO HAPPY you FOUND Dizzy!!!!!:) If the same had happened to me with my Dear Little Buddy, Biscuit, I would be out of my mind with fear and grief!

Richard said...

Oh, and, BTW --- your tale has helped decide whether I should take My Biscuit WITH me on my up-coming out-of-town gig or not! I'll PAY that extra money for a pet-friendly hotel!!:)

Sisters-in-Sync said...

Richard,

Even though I fully trust the people we left Dizzy with, I would never do it again. I wouldn't put myself, or anyone else through that pain and anxiety again!

Enjoy your trip with Biscuit.
SIS Bren

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