I don't deserve to be a doggie momma!!!

[DivaDog]

I'm a total mess right now. I have to say, I'M AN IDIOT. and if everyone on this board lets me know how big an idiot they think I am after this post I won't blaim them a bit.

I LOST MAYA!!!!!!!!!!!:( :( :(

I did the biggest no no that I read about here, but have brushed off- don't leave you're dog outside when you won't be around. My husband and I went out of town over night and left the pups outside as we have done before, but when we got home, at 3am Sunday, we found part of the fence had broken off of the post and Maya gone:( At least Zitoe was there, our neighbor had seen her in her yard and put her back. Poor Zitoe keeps looking for her sister and when we finally put her to bed in the wee hours of this morning she wailed and cried. Something she hasn't done since the first couple nights we had her.

We drove everywhere, until 6am, looking on the side of the highway in case she had been hit. We spent 6 hours today calling for her, walking the neighborhoods, going door to door talking to people and handing out flyers with her picture. Only one person had seen her and said that she was running down the middle of the highway, scared as could be because of a hot air balloon that was flying over and that she almost got hit by a truck but narrowly escaped

I am so mad at myself and feeling beat up and guilty and worried and exhausted from lack of sleep and crying. This is my shy girl, out there somewhere and it's all my fault.

I'm beginning to wonder if I should be a doggie momma at all, I sure don't seem to be doing it right. :(:(

[shybird]

Call the Police and Animal Shelters in your town and couny the surrounding ones as well. Better yet, visit all the shelters you can find daily. Call vets and alert them. Get ads in the newspapers. Keep looking. Dogs can travel fast and far... Good luck, don't give up. Keep constantly looking... Bug the crap out of the police and shelters so they help look.

[DivaDog]

Thanks Shybird, for the advice. We're so distraught and definately want to do everything we can to get her back. We're especially worried about the traveling far and fast thing with Maya because she's so high energy, and jumpy, I'm afraid she'll never stop running and who knows in what directions. And we're surrounded by farms and acres of fenced in land that is good for roaming in without being detected.

[LORHEL]

Put up flyers, anything you can to find her. I am guessing since she is very young, she is not microchipped??

I hope you find her, I'm sorry this had to happen. :(

[Rott-Wiley]

I once read that putting up flyers with a picture and a reward is the most effective way of getting a lost dog back. Usually they don't go that far from home without someones help. Could you get a megaphone and try calling her in the area? I wish you the best of luck in finding her.

[Homerhomer]

obviously call every shelter or animal control office in the area, go there to put up a flyer, put flyers everywhere, talk to anyone you see, print small business card type papers with your phone number and give em to anyone you see.
We just found a dog yesterday and by driving around the area found out by the word of mouth about the people who were looking for a dog. Hopefully it will be a happy end for you.

[Carina43]

Oh...how awful! Keep getting the word out, put an ad in the paper, contact vets....

Don't beat yourself up, either. Last spring I left Cooper and Daphne outside for a couple of hours one night - somehow(we think it was where the cat jumps the gate...) the latch came loose. They were gone from about 9pm until 6 am the next morning...we were up most of the night looking, and left the local police our cell & home numbers. Someone reported them playing in a lake about 3 miles away. We got them - happy, tired, reeking of skunk and swamp mud...

But I was just ill with worry. Right after that we built this huge secure chainlinked fenced area - reinforced top & bottom, padlocked gates, the whole deal.

Keep the faith, and keep looking! I really really hope you find her OK, you must be so worried. My fingers and toes are crossed for you.

[DivaDog]

We are just sick, like you said Carina, but we are planning on passing out more fliers tomorrow and posting more of them on posts and store windows and anywhere else we are allowed. We are also adding a reward since that has been mentioned several times to us as the best way to get a dog back, especially if someone is tempted to keep her. It's sad that people would consider keeping a dog that is someone elses pet, she had tags on with her name and our phone number. You're right LORHEL, she is not microchipped.

[moondog]

Make sure to keep widening the radius of the shelters you call, too. My dad found his missing dog after 2 weeks in a shelter 20 miles away from home.

Good luck, I hope you find her! :)

[Leahjean]

I'm so sorry Diva, Homer how good of you to get the dog you found back home....I pray this happens for you too Diva,make sure to put a poster in your grocery stores, Our Dobe left once was gone for several days,went with another dog who used to come an play, she crossed a major hwy.went into a town several miles away,I had psters up everywhere with reward....Someone found her as they get tired after so long,this fellow was going to church and she followed him,which was strange as she was always so darned independant she didn't care for people tp pal with,he took her to the police station,YES<Call your Local Police too....as people tell the police about dogs especially big ones..Moriah ended up in a Jail cell that day,I was called by the chief and was so darned happy,went for her,she put her face in my lap and never left home again,,,she is still here at almost 15years...When I called the people who turned her in,the first thing they ask for was the REWARD,I was more than glad to pay it,to have her back,will say big prayers for her to be found,to be safe until then,and for you and hubby...Hang in there honey,we all make mistakes,just so we learn from them,I know you have. and will get her back home with her sister and family real soon.......hugs

[LavenderRott]

Keep looking and keep positive thoughts.

My akita, Kona, got out of the back yard once. I was so upset. I spent all night, in the middle of winter, driving around with the windo down. I hollered and hollered and shivered and shivered.

I got a phone call the next afternoon from a gentleman that had found him less then a block from my house, in a factory parking lot. Tracked my down using the county registration tag.

While I was freezing and scared to death, Kona was eating a steak and sleeping on someone else's bed! Traitor.

[Bucky's Mom]

While you are widining your search keep in mind that they MAY stay close as well - are there any SPECIAL parks or lakes or fields that you went walking in together? - She MAY have gone there - I wish you luck and I hope she comes back to you soon - take care - Lisa (Bucky's Mom)

[Sharon Marples]

I've no other suggestions other than the ones already posted, but just wanted to offer my support and best wishes for her successful recovery.

Sharon Marples

[TrishB]

Best of luck. Also - put up fliers in pet stores, vet clinics, shelters, dog parks, obedience clubs and schools. Children are wonderful finders of dogs (think back to when you were a kid ;)). Be sure to post her name, her age and that she's friendly.

I've seen other people add that they need medication / veterinary care - so people considering keeping her will reconsider.

Please keep us up to date.

My roommate lost Bridget years ago. We found her 35km from home, at a school, eating kids lunches.

Best of luck.

[DivaDog]

I wish I had good news but nothing has changed. This morning we put an ad in the paper and gave flyers to every vet and pet store around and Walmart. We've contacted every shelter and animal control office and plan on bugging the hell out of them until we find Maya. I'm trying not to beat myself up, it's hard though. My husband and I are so depressed. Early this morning we got a heavy rainstorm that lasted until noon and all I could do was picture Maya drenched and scared. I just keep thinking, the more flyers we can hand out, the better our chances.

Thank you everyone so much for being nice and supportive, I was a little worried that I would get the "I told you so" type of responses, but you guys have been very sweat, and it's nice to hear that other people have not only had the same experience, but have gotten their dogs back.:)