Almost a week after Petra's escape, search efforts paid off when volunteers received a phone call from animal control; two police officers who patrol the Bayview, Dak Thompson and Bruce Meadors, had sighted a skinny, dirty dog with numerous scabs and abrasions, worn toe pads and shredded nails.
While a frantic Jeffrey was changing plans to return home, a GSGA volunteer sent an e-mail blast to the group's Yahoo list serve: "LOST GREYHOUND" read the subject line. Immediately, more than a dozen volunteers from all corners of the Bay Area mobilized to search for the missing dog.
The first thing they did was file reports with the San Francisco police, San Francisco Animal Care and Control, and the Peninsula Humane Society. They posted notices on Web message boards. They blanketed various districts with flyers, in English and Spanish.
When a California Highway Patrol officer reported seeing a white dog with black spots running on Highway 101 south, volunteers descended upon the Bayview district. They asked everyone they encountered about the missing greyhound. They canvassed areas where a dog might seek shelter, such as underbrush and parks. All day, into the night and over the damp, gray weekend, volunteers continued scouting the streets, knowing Petra could die from exposure or exhaustion. That is, if she wasn't first hit by a car.
According to San Francisco Animal Control, Petra was one of more than 120 dogs that go missing each month. Only 70 percent are reunited with their guardians. That means roughly 1 out of every 4 dogs is never seen again.
"The most important thing is to keep looking and don't give up," said Sheri Cardo, director of public relations at Marin Humane Society. "You'd be surprised how many dogs and cats are found months later."
She also cites the importance of filing a report with your local shelter and following up with visits twice a week. "We had a case where a Maltese ran away and was picked up by somebody who then sold the dog to another family. A few months later, the dog escaped from the second family and was found by a woman who turned her over to our shelter. Our lost-and-found representative immediately thought of the original family because they had stayed in touch. Five months later, this dog was finally home where she belonged."
Almost a week after Petra's escape, search efforts paid off when volunteers received a phone call from animal control; two police officers who patrol the Bayview, Dak Thompson and Bruce Meadors, had sighted a skinny, dirty dog with numerous scabs and abrasions, worn toe pads and shredded nails.
Thanks to GSGA's frequent phone calls and numerous flyers, the officers thought it might be the missing dog and kept her cornered in a gated parking lot until the volunteers and Jeffrey, who had since returned home, arrived on the scene. When the frightened hound saw her guardian, she bolted into Jeffrey's open arms.
What if your dog is missing? The first thing you should do is file reports with animal control and your local shelter, as well as neighboring shelters. Your pet can run fast and far, and when strays are found, people will often take them to the shelter nearest their home. From various sightings, it was estimated that Petra covered as much as 10 miles while she was lost.
"Let staff know where your dog was lost and give his description," said San Francisco Animal Control representative Deb Campbell. "The shelter can check if a dog matching that description has been brought in." She also recommends visiting shelters in person. "Even if you call about your dog and the staff can't find a match, check for yourself. One person's Lab mix could be another person's pit bull mix."
And take your search online. Pet Harbor (www.petharbor.com) is a nonprofit Web site that consolidates data from local animal care organizations such as the SPCA, Humane Society and animal control. The site is updated daily with photographs of incoming strays.
f your dog is a purebred, contact breed clubs and breed-specific rescue groups, as they may have information about your pet. They also may be able to offer behavioral advice, like Stu and Barbara Homer did when Petra went missing. Throughout the search, they kept volunteers apprised of what the ex-racer's behavior might be at particular hours of the day and night, and where she might seek food or shelter.
Finally, take preventive steps. License your dog, make sure he is wearing a current ID tag and consider microchipping. Dogs can slip out of a collar, but they can't lose a microchip.
"Lost dogs are hardly a priority in San Francisco, but we were tenacious," said one happy and relieved GSGA volunteer. "Animal control said it was because we were out there every day, following leads, that they made it their mission to help us find Petra."
- File reports at local shelters. Update the report with each visit and place in the front of the lost book to keep it current.
-- Call and whistle to your pet. She may be injured, frightened, trapped or unable to come to you. Hearing your voice may encourage your pet to respond.
-- Spread the word: Tell everyone that your pet is missing.
-- Post lost pet notices on bulletin boards in stores, churches, libraries and around your neighborhood. Include the pet's name, description, a photo and your name, address and phone number.
-- Advertise in local newspapers. Some run free lost pet columns, others charge. Offer a reward, but do not specify the amount.
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