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Columbus Bar Crawl Benefits Pet FBI

Happy Tails, News -
Columbus Bar Crawl Guys and Pet FBI Director

From left to right:
Bill, Kyle, Maresa and Ryan – the Columbus Bar Crawl Guys and Pet FBI Director

There’s a group of great guys, old school chums from Columbus Ohio, that sponsor a bar crawl each year to benefit a local charity. At this year’s Crawl on April 9 Kyle, Ryan and Bill raised $1,200 for Pet FBI!

A few months back Kyle’s fifteen year old hound dog went missing. As often happens when a pet goes missing, Kyle who is normally a well-focused, organized and rational kind of person went all to pieces.  A neighbor suggested Pet FBI. Kyle sent a post with a picture of Cody to Facebook/PetFBI Ohio. Our ace admin, Char, moved it to the timeline and messaged him with encouragement and advice. Within hours the Good Sam who had found Cody saw the Facebook post and contacted Kyle. He was so relieved he broke down in tears. It was a joyful reunion.

Now Kyle has paid it forward in spades by sponsoring a great bar crawl to benefit Pet FBI. Participating sponsors besides many friends and co-workers were Westies Gastro Pub, Valters at Mannerchor, Jimmy V’s, Hey Hey Bar and Grill, & Planks Bier garten, all in German Village.  THANK YOU, ALL!

Two Lost Kids Recovered through Facebook Post

Happy Tails, Lost and Found Pet Issues - , , , -

These two darling kids (baby goats) disappeared from a field near Plain City, a rural area of Ohio. Their caretaker was pretty worried. Had they been snatched by a passerby and turned into a tender meal? Had a coyote gotten them? Had they jumped the fence and been struck by a car?

baby goats lost thenfound

Two Kids Who Made it Back Home Thanks to Pet FBI Ohio Facebook

She posted on the Pet FBI Facebook page and within 25 hours the post was shared 621 times and reached over 24,000 feeds. One of those came across a neighbor. Goats are notorious for not keeping to where they are supposed to stay and they had evidently made their way over to a neighbor’s field. The neighbor was surprised and relieved to find they had a home elsewhere and she was able to reunite them with their caretaker.
OBJECT LESSON: Do not underestimate the power of Facebook! If you post to a popular page like Pet FBI Ohio, with 35,000 friends and growing, your chances for a match are very favorable.

“Chaos” Reclaimed at Shelter Thanks to Tip From Facebook Follower

Happy Tails, Lost and Found Pet Issues, Uncategorized - , , , , , , , -
lost dog recovered held by child

“Chaos” reunited with his “big brother”

This sweet pooch shown here with his happy “big brother” had escaped the yard and been picked up and taken to Franklin County Dog Shelter in Columbus, OH. His family had posted his picture on the Pet FBI Ohio Facebook page. Fortunately, Nicole, one of our Facebook followers, spotted him at the shelter, remembered his post and alerted the family. A happy reunion ensued.

CONVENTIONAL WISDOM: Most lost pets are reunited through a shelter.
REALITY CHECK: Relatively few strays are reclaimed before being euthanized or adopted out to others.

According to a study done by the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) only 17-30% of dogs in shelters are ever reclaimed by their owners and only 2-5 % of cats. Why so few? Basically it’s a question of timing. At most shelters, dogs and especially cats can be held for only a limited time. If the pet’s family isn’t there at the critical time…. that pet will either be put down or adopted out. Most shelters do not post their intakes to a public database. Most owners cannot check the shelters as often as necessary and it is generally useless to just call or even send a flyer. You must go to a shelter in person and see for yourself. In a large urban shelter there may be hundreds of cats and / or dogs impounded at any time. Please encourage your local shelter to take advantage of the free, searchable database at petfbi.org.

Cat Reunited After Two Weeks Thanks to Pet FBI Database

Happy Tails, Lost and Found Pet Issues - , , -
Lost Cat Reunited

“Ean” Surfaced Many Miles From Home

Missing for two whole weeks, thankfully Good Sam filed a report for him on our free lost & found pet database! www.petfbi.org

Good Sam was convinced he had a family missing him because he was a lover boy. Turns out his Mom & Dad are grad students from China and were unaware of Pet FBI. Just as they were losing hope someone suggested they search our database and there he was!

Ean had somehow traveled many, many miles and would have had to cross many busy streets! Thank goodness for www.petfbi.org!

OBJECT LESSON:
Most cats are found very close to home. Inside cats especially are unlikely to go far – at least for the first week or so – and will probably be found hiding very close by. BUT, it is not at all unusual for lost cats to turn up far from where they went missing. Sometimes they get there on their own; sometimes they have been picked up by someone and then gotten away; or maybe they were spirited off unknowingly while exploring a pickup truck or a van. When searching for a lost cat or dog be sure to extend your search beyond the immediate area. Check shelters in nearby counties and put posters up at major intersections beyond your neighborhood. Extend your search as time passes.

Pet FBI “Special Agent” Teresa Scores Another Recovery!

Happy Tails, Lost and Found Pet Issues, Uncategorized - , , , -
Nike and Niko Renuited

Nike and Niko: Lost Dogs Recovered By Pet FBI “Special Agent” Teresa

These two fellas had a quick reunion shortly after being posted on Pet FBI Ohio thanks to our very own “special agent”, pal and frequent hero, Teresa!

Teresa lives in the area where they were missing so she hopped in the car to look for them. Teresa often follows a hunch when deciding where to drive and it paid off again today! The boys were trotting along dangerously close to a busy road when Teresa pulled over. She called for them, they ran to her and then hopped in her car!

You, Too Can Become a Pet FBI “Special Agent”!
Here are some things anyone can do to get lost pets back home without officially volunteering:

  • Keep an eye out for lost pets in your neighborhood. Follow the database for reports close to your zip to see what pets have gone missing in your area. If you are in Ohio, follow our Pet FBI Ohio Facebook page.
  • Be a cross-checker! Some people post a lost or found report in one place, like Craigslist or Facebook and stop there. They have heard of these big sites, but they don’t know about Pet FBI or any other web database. If you are have a good memory or a good system, you may be able to match up lost and found reports from various sites!
  • If you live near a pound or a shelter, you could volunteer to be the “go-to” lost and found person. Follow postings for lost and found pets on Pet FBI and various other resources and look for a match at the shelter. (This kind of thing is not high priority at most shelters where volunteers have all to do to care for the many animals.)
  • When you see a lost/found flyer around town, contact the people to tell them about Pet FBI.
  • Print out some Pet FBI flyers and post them in pet supply stores, convenience stores, community bulletin boards, etc. Just carry some around with you in your purse or in your car and post them when you come across a public bulletin board. Be sure to ask for permission if required.
  • Mention Pet FBI to your vet, your groomer, or your pet sitter. Ask them to post a Pet FBI flyer so people learn about it.

Shelter Posting Leads to Unlikely Recovery

Happy Tails, Lost and Found Pet Issues, microchips, News - , -
cat in arms of dad

Beating the odds, thanks to shelter’s policy of posting to PetFBI.org

Kip, shown here in the arms of his Dad, had been missing for almost two months. A Good Samaritan found him and brought him in to Capital Area Humane Society (CAHS) , an open admission shelter in Columbus, Ohio. Fortunately, CAHS, has some enlightened policies. For one thing, they post stray intakes on the free public database at petfbi.org. The Pet FBI lost and found pet database is the core of this web site and if all shelters took advantage of it, they would increase their recovery rates and lower their euthanasia rates. They would also spare themselves the trouble of escorting distraught pet parents in search of their lost pet through one or more holding areas.

Kip’s Dad had been checking the database and that’s how he discovered – almost two months after this beautiful kitty went missing – that he was at the shelter. Without the posting he would have had to visit the shelter regularly for almost two months. This would have been virtually impossible. For one thing, the shelter is on the other side of town from where he lives.

There is often an interval of many weeks or months before a cat “surfaces” and is brought to a shelter. A cat that is lost is inclined to keep a low profile and elude people until it is really desperate. By that time the cat’s family may have already given up! So Kip really beat the odds – thanks to CAHS’s policy of posting to PetFBI.org and his Dad’s persistence. As an added bonus, Kip was neutered and microchipped, another enlightened protocol at CAHS.

If you are reading this, please encourage your local shelter to take advantage of Pet FBI’s free database. All reports are strictly managed by the poster and can be edited, updated or inactivated at any time.

Miracle Reunion!

Happy Tails, Lost and Found Pet Issues, Uncategorized - , , , -
Lost and found Kitty

The lucky Miss Kitty:
Dumped, Rescued, and Traced Back to First Mom

Our dynamite Facebook Admin, Char, posted the following:

“Friends this is one of the most amazing conclusions our page has ever experienced.

Our Facebook friend Cat (yes, that’s her name) has utilized Pet FBI Ohio a few times over the years when she has lost or found a pet.

She posted the plight of her cat Miss Kitty mentioning she knew it was a long shot, but she had to give it a try. Miss Kitty had been missing since September 2015.

Miss Kitty was being fostered by a ‘friend’ during Cat’s move and while she transitioned into her new place. The two women had a falling out and the awful ‘friend’ took it out on Miss Kitty by not only dumping her out to fend for herself, but also tossing her from a moving car! Hopefully karma will work its magic on this vile woman the rest of her life.

Once I posted Miss Kitty’s plight I gasped in amazement 8 hours later. Stephanie commented that she was pretty certain she had adopted Miss Kitty from Friends for Life rescue group at a Petsmart – about 60 miles from where Miss Kitty was last seen – in October 2015.

Her new Mom was so gracious and she invited Cat to visit to determine if her new cat was indeed Miss Kitty.

IT WAS! Can you believe that?! I still can’t. It’s just mind blowing. Thank goodness for our pal Randi for being such a good friend of our page. New Mom Stephanie saw our post thanks to Randi’s share.

Miss Kitty’s new name is “Cinder” and Cat is so relieved knowing she is safe and very much adored and loved. Cinder’s new Mom has extended the invitation for Cat to visit anytime.

Anyone else have a tear in their eye?”

OBJECT LESSON:
1 -Never give up! It’s never too late to post
2- Do not underestimate the power of Facebook! Our Pet FBI Ohio Facebook page has 30,000 likes and a reach of 300,000

“Jack” Home Again, Thanks to Pet FBI Database!

Happy Tails, Lost and Found Pet Issues, Uncategorized - , , -
Lost cat reunited

If only Jack could tell his tale of adventure!

Almost a month had gone by when Jack turned up eleven miles from where he went missing. An unlikely reunion – but it happened thanks to the Pet FBI database.

Dave & Andrea are Westerville Ohio residents that first noticed this kitty on 1/5/16. They struck out with a microchip and their search did not turn up  any lost cat flyers. They then searched the Pet FBI lost & found pet database (www.petfbi.org) and couldn’t believe their eyes. There was kitty’s lost cat report! He went missing on 12/11 and was found 11 miles from home!

Our lost & found pet database has been a central location for pet owners and finders to exchange information since 1998. It is a free service sponsored by our all-volunteer non-profit organization.

 

Boggie Found …”After 2 1/2 Very Long Freezing Cold Days”!

Happy Tails, Lost and Found Pet Issues, Uncategorized - , -
Lost Dog Found

Boggie and Mom, Right After His Recovery

Boggie’s family turned to Pet FBI when he went missing on a visit away from home. Here is his happy Mom’s account:

“I lost hope but your blog made me feel better.  Especially about dogs surviving in the cold.  We were in Cincinnati visiting my family for Christmas from Charlotte NC and the night before we were planning to leave, Boggie ran out of the yard to chase some deer around 10 pm. He was gone in minutes.  We searched until 1:30 am and started again at 5:30 am.  He has never done that before and really never leaves the yard.  He is a lab/boxer mix and such a big baby.  He sleeps on our laps and is afraid of his own shadow so the thought of him alone at night in the cold was frightening. Your site suggested that we post signs and Facebook messages, as well as visit all of the shelters and post on their sites.  We contacted the police dept and handed out flyers to postal workers in the area.  Boggie was spotted 3 miles away. We continued to search for another night and day (2 1/2 days total) until someone spotted him again being walked by someone in the area.  We went door to door and found him!!! We cannot thank you enough for your website and blog:)

OBJECT LESSONS:
1) Dogs can travel far and fast. Do not limit your search to the immediate neighborhood
2) People who lose a pet are in panic mode and not sure what to do. Follow the step-by-step action plan at petfbi.org.
3) For special situations like dogs lost way from home, consult our special advice page
4)  For hope and inspiration, read Pet FBI’s other blog posts about “Happy Tails” or successful recoveries, often against all odds.
5) Please do report “sightings” of free-roaming strays or dogs reported as lost. They help a lot.

The Importance of Microchips!

Happy Tails, Lost and Found Pet Issues, microchips, Uncategorized -
Lost Cat w microchip

Gone for a whole year – Recovered through microchip

Good Sam Darla sent us a message last month asking what steps she should take regarding this kitty that had been stopping by every evening for a few months. In addition to filing a report on our free lost and found pet database petfbi.org, I also suggested she stop by a vet to have her scanned for a microchip for free and guess what?

She had a chip! Her name is Penny and she had been missing for ONE YEAR!!!!

Unfortunately the reunion wasn’t as happy as everyone had hoped. Penny was spooked and didn’t recognize her family at first. But at least she’s home safe and sound thanks to Darla!!

About Microchips

A good permanent method of permanent pet ID is the microchip. A microchip is a tiny identification device, about the size of a grain of rice, that is implanted beneath the skin of your pet. Each chip contains a unique identification number. When a pet is found, it can be scanned at an animal shelter or veterinary clinic. All shelters and vets will provide this service free of charge.

Many companies now offer microchips for pets. They are not terribly expensive. Often humane societies offer low-cost microchipping clinics, so ask your local humane society or consult your vet.


 

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