bonnie Posted April 1, 2013 Posted April 1, 2013 My granddaughters beloved sheltie,Sunny ran away Christmas Eve. He is a shy dog and the christmas festivities with so many strange family members and in a strange house scared him.He made a dash for the door when it opened and disappeared. The search and prayers have been constant since then and now Sunny is back home after a traumatic 96 days. Sunny is a star,he made the news on WCCO today. The Sheltie rescue volunteers deserve so much credit for their dedication in bringing home my granddaughters beloved pet.My son and family live in Ohio and Sunny disappeared in MN.A very happy family.On receiving the news my son immediately left to come and take Sunny home Hi Everyone...This is long...I apologize...but it's been a long journey for Sunny, his family and the rest of us. This is a story worth telling. Thank you all for EVERYTHING you have done to help this precious boy. A lot of hard work by all...but so very rewarding. Grab some coffee and enjoy. And please share this also, as I'm sure through the 96 days that Sunny was gone, there were a lot of people who have seen your likes & shares. Thank you...from the bottom of my heart. On March 20th, Sunny's owner called to tell us he got a call from a lady who had seen Sunny. Her name is Patti and she lives in Vadnais Heights. Patti feeds stray cats and she and her husband have a live feed video camera near the bowls. They started to see a Sheltie come around about 11pm, he had been eating at the bowls at least eight times in the last week and a half. Patti checked craigslist and was sure that dog was Sunny. We were cautiously optimistic. Almost 23 miles (via I694) from where Sunny went missing on Christmas Eve. If this was Sunny...he was heading for Ohio. MInnesota Sheltie Rescue volunteers brought a live trap over that night. Patti had a huge bowl of cut up hot dogs, another big bowl of chicken, along with cat kibble and a heated bowl for milk. We set up the trap with the chicken and hot dogs inside. We left the kibble and milk outside - usually we don't want to leave food outside the trap but a big tomcat was watching the whole time and we figured we would probably catch him multiple times if we didn't leave something out for him. The first night, Patti's husband stayed up til 2a.m. watching the video...no dog! We set up a motion-activated camera. We thought if we at least saw him come around again, then we would put the word out for flyers in the area. But the dog stopped coming by (at least not on camera or when anyone was watching the live feed). More days passed and no dog. We started thinking it must have been a neighbor dog who was sometimes let out to stroll late at night. It started to seem like nothing was going to happen here. March 28th - Patti called to say they caught a racoon in the trap! Not good, but there's always the thought that you have to catch something else before you catch the dog. 6:30 a.m. on March 29th - Patti calls to say they have the dog in the trap! What dog...must be a neighbor dog...some other dog that needs our help? Could it possibly be Sunny? Patti and her husband knew not to open the trap but they offered to bring it inside their garage until our volunteer Pat could get there. Pat and her granddaughter arrived, along with Sunny's owner's in-laws. The markings looked right, the size looked right, but there was that tiny bit of doubt that it was another Sheltie that looked a lot like Sunny. The dog sort of wagged his tail at the father-in-law. He was matted and full of burrs, but otherwise didn't look too bad. They sent pictures to Sunny's owner in Ohio, and he was on the road by mid-morning. Sunny went to Karen's for the day. Pat's granddaughter spent some time picking burrs out of his coat and he was amazingly relaxed. He got a good nap for the rest of the morning. Friday at noon, Sunny went to MNSR's vet, he was checked out and overall opinion was that he is in pretty good shape (bloodwork results will take a day or two), not thin but obviously he was tired. Sunny had to meet some more MNSR volunteers later in the afternoon, and he was quite calm for that too. He didn't approach us, but he didn't hide or cower. Maybe still somewhat in shock and maybe relief that he didn't have to run anymore. Friday evening about 7:00, Sunny's owner arrived at Karen's. Sunny looked at him, walked over and sniffed him, and then the tail started to wag a little. He never left Dick after that. Dick sat on the step and talked and Sunny looked at him and listened. Dick would say familiar words and his ears would perk up. He relaxed and laid down at his feet for a while, and we could tell all was well in Sunny's world again. Sunny left Karen's equipped with a MNSR collar, a harness and double leashed! After all that Dick carried him out to the car anyway. Sunny and Dick are driving back to Ohio Saturday morning and should be back home by evening. Thank you to everyone who helped in this 96 day search to get Sunny back home. The flyers, the craigslist ads, the Maplewood Patch and the City of Brooklyn Park, the sharing on facebook, twitter and other social media. Thank you to Patti and her husband for feeding such good food to stray cats and a lost Sheltie from Ohio. Sunny - you captured our hearts. Safe travels home, Sunny and Dick! * * * * * * Chronology of the search for Sunny December 24 - went missing. December 26th - volunteers hit the streets of Maple Grove flyering the neighborhoods. January 5th Sunny sighting south of 85th, by Fleet Farm Other Sunny sightings January 13th - Sunny sighting on the west side of Coon Rapids Dam. Volunteers are looking on both sides of the dam, the area is heavily flyered. January 15th - Three Rivers Park police report seeing Sunny near West River Road and chase him into the park. MNSR live traps are set, something is eating the food out of the traps, but nothing is ever caught. Mid- January - we get a couple reports of a Sheltie near highway 610, and also in Coon Rapids January 26th - A Sheltie is reported in Ham Lake near Constance and Urbank. Volunteers place signs in the area. The traps at the dam are still being checked. Early February - we start to get multiple sightings in Blaine. Volunteers flyer the Blaine neighborhoods. People see us posting signs and tell us they got the flyer and are watching. February 13th - sighting back in Brooklyn Park at 104th and Douglas Drive. Volunteers are back distributing flyers in that neighborhood. February 14th - 16th - multiple reports of a Sheltie near Bunker Hills Golf Course. Volunteers flyer a large area in Coon Rapids. February 18th - A woman in Blaine catches the Sheltie in a garage. He is extremely underweight, tired and scared. He's not Sunny, but he definitely needed us. February 24th - A man calls to say he saw a flyer but that he saw the dog laying on the side of northbound highway 169. I was at least 2 weeks ago. Karen goes out and drives and walks the area, looking for a dog. Mary goes out March 2 to take one more look before the next big snowstorm. No sign of a dog. March 11 - another report of a sighting at 93rd and Noble. Volunteers flyer the area. March 19th - a sighting in Andover. A live trap is set in the backyard. March 20th - a sighing in Vadnais Heights. A live trap is set next to the house. March 27th - a report about a dead animal in Blaine. Started thinking the Vadnais Heights dog wasn't Sunny. March 28th - a racoon is caught in the Vadnais Heights trap. March 29th - a dog is in the Vadnais Heights trap. A happy ending to a 96 day search for a lost Sheltie from Ohio. Written & put together by Mary McTie Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman
Members rudywoofs (Pam) Posted April 1, 2013 Members Posted April 1, 2013 awww....what a great story! I love the "happy-ending" tail-wagging endings!!! Quote Pam Meddle Not In the Affairs of Dragons; for You Are Crunchy and Taste Good with Ketchup. If we all sang the same note in the choir, there'd never be any harmony. Funny, isn't it, how we accept Grace for ourselves and demand justice for others?
bonnie Posted April 1, 2013 Author Posted April 1, 2013 awww....what a great story! I love the "happy-ending" tail-wagging endings!!! One very happy family and especially my granddaughter Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman
Members phkrause Posted April 1, 2013 Members Posted April 1, 2013 Great story is right. Love a great ending. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Administrators Gail Posted April 1, 2013 Administrators Posted April 1, 2013 I agree! I love to hear stories like this one! It could have been much, much worse. This is my lift for the day! :) Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
bonnie Posted April 1, 2013 Author Posted April 1, 2013 Fantastic!!! The dedication of the dog rescue groups is without equal. Good to know for any that lose their pet.These people never quit even after 3 months More on all those involved for one young teens pet http://nodogaboutit.wordpress.com/ Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman
Administrators Gail Posted April 1, 2013 Administrators Posted April 1, 2013 Bonnie, did the dog have tags and an ID tattoo? What can you advise from this experience? Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
bonnie Posted April 1, 2013 Author Posted April 1, 2013 Bonnie, did the dog have tags and an ID tattoo? What can you advise from this experience? I know the publicity,contacting rescue groups etc is what brought Sunny home.We have had a very cold winter and he was able to survive on his own but a stranger could never have gotten close to him as he is very reserved and shy No,he isn't tattooed. He does have tags but I believe my son changed his collar before coming home for Christmas and forgot to put the tag on. In Sunny's case tags wouldn't have helped as he was so scared no one could get near him. Of course had he been picked up as a stray without the publicity the tags would have had the information. The more identification on an animal the better of course,but for Sunny it wouldn't have mattered. I am in awe of the dedication of those searching for a strangers dog. Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.