Lost K9

A Rescuer's Heartbreak 💔
Today is a hard day for us, all of us. Earlier Lost K9 received the phone call none of us ever want to hear. One of the dogs we were searching for was found deceased.
Sweet Pea had been hit by a car and didn't make it. I choose to believe the person who hit her never wanted that to happen. I also choose to believe most people are good people and care deeply for animals and mankind. It was a horrible accident. But an accident none the less.
Sweet Pea, the miniature poodle, who escaped from her brand new owner was on her way back home. She was returning to her POF (Point of Flight) and didn't make it.
Rescuing animals has more rewards than heartbreaks but today is one of those days I couldn't stop the tears from running down my face.
Sweet Pea was a beautiful girl. A cute little 14 pound, cream colored poodle who's life was now transforming into love and kindness. She was to live out her new best life ever.
The animal rescue organization Sweet Pea came from is grounded in love, dedication and determination. This rescue operates with the help of hundreds of devoted volunteers, all working toward the common goal of saving the lives of animals in need. Many come from neglect, abuse, abandonment, hoarder situations and puppy mills. Love and kindness has been a foreign action and behavior for many of these dogs.
Sweet Pea's Foster gave her the first gentle touch she had ever consistently received. She worked hard to show Pea that she will never be hurt again. She taught her that touches are good and gentle. That she will never be shoved in a kennel that's too small, stacked one on top of the other covered in filth and forced to breed litter after litter ever again.
Her new owner is an experienced poodle lover dedicated to that breed. She has saved many pups before and loved them as if they were her children. She too had recently experienced heartbreak when her husband, the love of her life, passed away from cancer. They were robbed of many beautiful years together from a cruel disease.
The new owner was so excited to shower Sweet Pea with love, hugs, and kisses. They were to fill each others lives with new adventures and patch the painful holes they both have lived through. It was a perfect match. The vehicle was filled with carefully chosen items for her new best friend. A plush bed, fabulous toys, matched with the best food and divine treats.
As the owner was joyfully walking Sweet Pea into her new home admiring Peas matching pink harness and pink leash she stumbled. Her arms full, she just stumbled. Accidentally, causing her to drop Peas leash.
Sweet Pea coming from a horrible life got scared and bolted. In one split second she was running at full speed and gone.
The owner had never experienced such an ordeal before. She has successfully raised numerous dogs in her lifetime and was now frozen in fear. Being 70 years old she could not outrun a tiny poodle.
Now enters the search and rescue team of Lost K9. Many people don't even know we exist until they need us. We too, are a nonprofit, volunteer based organization that helps to reunite lost dogs with their families and capture strays so they can find one.
When we first contact a owner in need we hear the relief in their voices followed by their tears being shed. They need help and professional guidance to get their loved one home. There's no time for placing blame nor judgement. Those are wasted emotions and energy. Besides who would kick someone at one of their scariest moments. That's not compassion nor empathy, that's cruelty. Many of our dedicated volunteers have the experience needed to help others because they were once in their shoes. They understand that fear, helplessness and pain. If you have never gone through this ordeal I can genuinely say, "I'm grateful you haven't."
After listening to each owner we explain our process. We discuss how creating awareness in the point of flight area is key. We review the power of social media, lost dog fliers and bright colored posters placed in high traffic areas works wonders. We explain how dogs can transfer into survival mode quickly creating fight and flight behavior. We educate how calling the dog's name, whistling, or clapping their hands are counter productive and can make their dog run further and hide. Some of these dogs just coming out of rescue don't even know their new name given.
We have many tools and gadgets to help hand catch or humanely trap dogs. We have access to high tech drones, pilots and scent dogs. All of these tools are just that, tools. Sometimes these strategies or tactics work and other times we must change our game plan in seconds. Each dog is different and they don't read our manuals, policies or procedures.
Behind each action is a Lost K9 volunteer. For every owner called, flier created, blast on social media, printed out, placed in a poster, stuck in the ground, camera set, map created, trap set up, trap monitored, drone flown there's a person who dedicated their time to get someone else's dog home. That's an amazing accomplishment.
I have the honor to work alongside some of the most brilliant and committed people I've ever met. They work so hard and a lot of the time no one hears or discusses the emotional and mental side of animal rescue. Sometimes because it's just too painful. I can guarantee our hearts are invested in each and every dog getting home safely.
Today was a hard day for all of us. Many tears have been shed. We mourned for a dog we have never seen in person or touched. We have mourned for her new owner that has so much guilt and sadness. She has lost a dog she planned to spend her life with and we all mourn for Sweat Pea. Please send love to those who need it and please place judgment aside. No one ever wants to experience this type of loss.

Thank you,
~Lost K9~

🌈Update: 8/24 🌈 Sweet Pea has been found but has already crossed the rainbow bridge. Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers.

Pea is a brand new adopted dog. On their way into her new home they accidently dropped her leash and she took off. She was used as a breeder and isn't very socialized. She is scared, lost in a strange area, and very skittish. She's still dragging a leash. Please do not attempt to catch her or chase her. We really need her to stay in one place so we can humanely trap her. Please share to any local social media sites.

🚨UPDATE 8-22, 3:30 pm🚨
Dolly has been found safe!!
Another deep window well incident. Neighbors opened up a window because they heard an animal whining and knew Dolly was still missing. They followed her voice and found her.
Thank You Neighbors. ❤️
Maybe Dolly didn't noticed the deep window well due to the gorgeous landscaping around it and fell right in. But she couldn't get back out without assistance. These window well abductions are the real deal. Dolly is a 70lb Lab mix so she's not a small dog. Remember, no matter how unlikely it seems always add window well searches to your lost dog checklist. Also, Dolly is not a vocal girl. Her owners think she was only crying out because it started to rain and she doesn't like to get her hair wet.
Dolly seems unhurt but is still on her way to the vet.
Pictures in comments.
Thank you to everyone who shared and searched for Dolly.

8-22 Stillwater, please share this and help us find Dolly. She is timid and a runner so please don't chase her. We need to keep her in one area. If you see her please just call or text the number on the flyer.

8/24 🚨UPDATE: Great news, Pickle was safely trapped today and is at home resting!

Please help us find Pickle. She was recently adopted and managed to get away in North Mpls. She is lost, scared, and afraid of everything. If you see her, please do not call to her or chase her. We need to keep her in one area so we can humanely trap her. Please share to any social media sites in the area.

🚨UPDATE: 8/16/24 6:00 am. Sofie found her way back and is now safe!!

Hello Woodbury!!!!

We need your eyes to find our missing Sofie! She isn't from here. She is lost, alone and very scared. Please keep your eyes open for her and if you see her, ONLY take a picture of her. Don't call or try to catch her because she is in a place she doesn't recognize and she is very skittish. Thank you all in advance!! ~ your Lost K9 family

Ernie is the last of the four dogs that were dumped at the boat landing in Brooklyn Park. (Bert was safely trapped late last night. Videos and pics in comments) Please continue to watch for Ernie. He's still out on his own. Last seen near the old Walmart in Brooklyn Center. Please share this post to any local social media sites. Help us get Ernie safe.

🚨Update - King is safe! He cornered himself in an open garage and was safely contained.

Cottage Grove peeps, we need your help. King escaped the sitter and is not from the area. If you see him, please do not chase him or try to catch him. He could run into traffic, and we need him to stay in one place Please call the number on the flier if you see him.

ERNIE -
On July 26th four dogs were dumped at a boat ramp in Brooklyn Park. Two of the dogs have been captured and are safe at PUPS (Norman #6214 & Bates #6213). One of the remaining two was drawn to a small trap but somehow escaped from getting caught in it. Ernie (see flyer), was captured but then managed to get away. Ernie has been moving lately so we need to get a track on his locations. If you see him just take a picture and call the number on the flyer. Give as much detail as possible such as the location, direction, time of day, condition, etc. Please do not make any attempt to catch him. we need him to stay in the area so we can humanely trap him. Please share this to any local social media sights in the area. Let's get Ernie so he can start his new life.

BERT -

🚨🚨Great news. After a late night trapping Bert is safe!! Details to come.
On July 26th four dogs were dumped at a boat ramp in Brooklyn Park. Two of the dogs have been captured and are safe at PUPS (Norman #6214 & Bates #6213). One of the remaining two was captured but then managed to get away. Bert (see flyer) was drawn to a small trap but somehow escaped getting caught in it. Bert has been moving lately so we need to get a track on his locations. If you see him just take a picture and call the number on the flyer. Give as much detail as possible such as the location, direction, time of day, condition, etc. Please do not make any attempt to catch him. we need him to stay in the area so we can humanely trap him. Please share this to any local social media sights in the area. Let's get Bert so he can start his new life.

This is Auggie. On August 1st Auggie and his fur siblings escaped out of their yard when a contractor left the gate open. Within a few minutes the siblings were back in their yard, but Auggie decided to go on a little adventure. Unfortunately, shortly after his adventure began, he tried to cross a very busy road and was hit by a car. He rolled on the ground but then jumped up and ran away limping. Several minutes later he was seen a couple of blocks from his house and then he just disappeared. Auggies family, friends, and countless good citizens from Hastings spent all day and most of the night searching but had no luck.

The next day Lost K9 teammates started working with and advising Auggies owner. They created fliers, made and placed street signs, and spent several hours helping with the search. Once again there was no sign of him anywhere. With the rising temperatures we were concerned he was injured and possibly stuck somewhere and could easily get overheated or dehydrated. The family and friends continued to comb the neighborhood asking people to search their properties. There was a report of a dog howling at a nearby park, so the area was searched by several people multiple times. We had Earl from ScenePhoto360, LLC bring his thermal drone and spend a couple of hours searching but again nothing.

On August 6th Auggies owner got up before the sunrise and searched for a couple of hours and then had to go to work. While she was at work, she received a call from someone who said there is a dog that resembles Auggie laying in her back yard. Fortunately, the caller knew she shouldn’t approach the dog or try to catch it. Auggies owner grabbed a hot sandwich and ran out the door. When she arrived at the property she took the sandwich out, then slowly and calmly approached him. He watched her coming but never flinched. While she fed him part of the sandwich, she was able to get the leash on his collar. As happy as she was to finally have him secure, she was very worried that he still hadn’t moved. She also noticed some cuts on his side and some possible bruising. Then he decided it was time to go home so he got up and walked to the car.

Once in the car they went straight to the vet to get checked out. One of the Lost K9 teammates met them at the vet. Augie had a few cuts and some road rash which was healing fine, some minor bruising and stiffness in one of his legs. To the vets’ surprise, he wasn’t dehydrated and lost very little weight. They said he would be just fine and sent him home. When they arrived at home there was a very happy reunion with his fur siblings.

Auggie was found a block and a half away from his home. We have no idea how long he was in that backyard. Tonight, he is at home resting in his own bed. Once again, the Hastings community stepped up to help a lost dog they’ve never met. And a special thank you to the person who saw him in her yard. Knowing what to do and following our advice ensured that Auggie was finally safe.

Please Like, Share, and Follow our page. This helps to create awareness for owners and dogs who need help like Auggie did. Donations are greatly appreciated. Thank You! https://www.facebook.com/101008958357702/posts/157805392678058/

🚨UPDATE: 8/6/24 - Great news! Auggie has been found safe. He was being checked out at the vet but appears to be ok. We will update later.

Auggie is still missing. There have been zero sightings since day one. Please search your yard, under decks, in bushes, sheds, garages, under trailers, and window wells if you live in the area. Please ask your neighbors to do the same. If you see him call the number on the flyer ASAP. Help us get Auggie home!

INJURED LOST DOG - Hello Hastings! We desperately need your help. Auggie is a Basset Hound who got out of his yard and it's confirmed he's been hit by a car. We need everyone's eyes ONLY to help us find him. He is injured and scared and will run away, even if you just call out to him! On top of that, we are going to be dealing with high temperatures again so if you can, please help us find Auggie. We need to get Auggie medical help and then home to heal with his family.

On Saturday July 20th at about midnight, a couple of Lost K9 volunteers saw a post regarding a lost dog in MInneapolis. Luca, his human parents and sibling moved to MN on Monday, so he had only been in his new home for a few days. His parents had a vacation planned and hired a professional pet sitter. Luca managed to jump his new fence and escape within an hour of the pet sitter’s arrival. While the sitter decided to stay in and sleep, Lost K9 volunteers combed the area for several hours overnight to no avail. We never like to go home when someone’s fur baby is missing, but we also know sometimes they find a safe place to sleep overnight. And we need to sleep too. We planned to get out in the morning and find their boy. The flyer was about to be posted and the signs were just getting started.

Through the power of social media someone saw a post from earlier and remembered seeing a note posted at the local DQ. Luca marched straight down to the DQ (he is no dummy) and started to ask for help. A very nice couple got Luca into their vehicle and left a note at the DQ. They alerted his very worried owners, who had already booked a flight home. Luca is safe, and hanging out with his new friends and their fur kids until his parents arrive. Best possible outcome for all.

Please, if you find a lost dog and are able to post on social media, please do so as quickly as possible!! If social media is not really your thing, call the local animal control or police to report that you’ve found a lost dog.

Luca's owners did lots of research, read reviews, and hired the sitter through a professional dog sitting company. Unfortunately this sitter didn't really seem to care that Luca was lost, or at least not enough to lose any sleep over it. Thankfully, the very nice couple who grabbed him kept him warm and safe for the night. One of the family members cut their vacation short to stay home with a Luca since all trust is lost with the sitter.

Please Like, Share, and Follow our page. This helps to create awareness for owners and dogs who need help like Luca did. Donations are greatly appreciated. Thank You! https://www.facebook.com/101008958357702/posts/157805392678058/

🚨Update 7-16 10:00am: Great news. Cashew has been safely captured!! Other than losing weight he appears to be ok. More later...

7-15, 6:30pm
Hello everyone. Cashew is currently staying in a safe localized area. We are working very hard to keep him there.
Food/water and traps are set up. Please do not go out and search for him. If you do see Cashew please ignore him. No sounds, calling his name or eye contact.
Just call the number on the flier for his safety. Thank you 😉
(254) 681-5938

Hello Woodbury. We need your eyes! Cashew is a newly adopted pup and when his new owners were taking him out for a walk, he got away. He is lost, scared, and he should be dragging a black leash. If you live in the area, please check your yards, window wells, under trailers, etc. If you see him, please call the number on the flier ASAP.

This is Tesla. She is a 10-year-old greyhound mix. Tesla’s family was on vacation, and she was being watched by Nicky, a family friend. While at a gas station early morning on June 21st in St Paul, she managed to slip her collar and escape out the open car door. She took off running and was now lost in an extremely busy and unfamiliar place. Nicky searched for her all night and day. Other than a couple of sightings on doorbell cameras, he could not find her.
Nicky recruited some friends and family members including extended family to help with the search. With help and guidance from Lost K9 they spent the next 13 days searching, posting signs, flyers, and talking with as many people as possible. They spent multiple hours every day in the area and had posted and handed out well over 1000 fliers. Even with all the awareness the sightings were very minimal. It seemed she would only come out of hiding once a day for about 15 minutes and then disappear again. She wouldn’t let anyone get close to her. She didn’t really give us any kind of pattern but did frequent a couple of areas more than once. With this information we set up a few food stations monitored by trail cameras. Unfortunately, the only thing we captured on camera were a couple of cats, rabbits, and a family of Racoons.
On the 13th day we received conflicting reports of sightings. She was sighted in her usual area but then also spotted by a couple of people on the opposite side of I-94. There was even a video but the quality due to the distance wasn’t good enough to confirm it was her. We decided to expand our search area and placed signs and fliers in the new area. We also learned that she is afraid of fireworks which had us concerned with the 4th of July celebrations happening over the coming weekend. We didn’t want her to get scared and run into traffic.
For the next three days there were no reported sightings. We figured she may have gone into hiding because of all the constant fireworks. Then on July 7th, the 17th day we were planning on expanding our search area to an even larger part of St Paul. Before that happened, Nicky received a message that someone posted a picture of a dog that was in their backyard matching tesla’s description. He opened the picture and was ecstatic to see that this was definitely Tesla. He contacted the poster and realized she was secure in a fenced yard. Nicky and a couple of his family members hopped in their car and rushed to the location as did a teammate of Lost K9.
When they arrived, Tesla was still lying in the same spot. Nicky slowly approached her worried she would try to run but she didn’t make any attempt to even get up. He was able to get a collar on her and finally breathe a sigh of relief. Although she was happy to see him, she still wasn’t getting up so of course he thought she may have been injured. He waited for the Lost K9 teammate to show up before attempting to move her. When they arrived, they looked over Tesla together and realized that she was probably just exhausted. She had clearly lost a lot of weight, but other than some pads on her paws that were pretty raw she didn’t appear to have any other injuries. Just to be sure they put her on to a blanket to transport her. She laid on the blanket for a couple of minutes and just as they were going to move her, she jumped up, shook it off and started walking. They put her in the car and headed home. Tesla made it home and was reunited with her fur sibling. She spent a long time talking about her adventure but unfortunately the only one who could understand her was her sibling. Grandma & Grandpa were so happy and relieved to see the grand dog is now safe.
Once she settled down, Tesla spent the rest of the day sleeping and was finally able to have a good night’s sleep. She was checked out by the Vet just to be sure everything was good. The Vet said she is good and also determined her diet consisted of pinecones, grass, and wood. Her diet will be much better from now on.
Nicky and his family spent countless hours day and night doing everything that was asked of them so Tesla could get back home. We believe she was hungry, tired, sore, and done running from fireworks. She knew her adventure was over, so she just laid down and waited to be brought home. Thank you to the community for the sightings, searching, sharing, and cooperation in helping us find Tesla. We couldn’t do this with your help. Videos in the comments.

Please Like, Share, and Follow our page. This helps to create awareness for owners and dogs who need help like Tesla did. Donations are greatly appreciated. Thank You! https://www.facebook.com/101008958357702/posts/157805392678058/

Now is the time to prepare for fireworks!!

Animals are more likely to run and get lost on the 4th of July than any other time of year.

Fireworks will undoubtedly last for the entire week/end so we're here to share some tips to keep your pets safe!

- Make sure your pet has an ID tag and microchip. Ensure the microchip contact information is up-to-date.

- If your animal gets severely distressed, contact your vet right away. They may prescribe anti-anxiety medication.

- Calming vests or DIY anxiety wraps work using the theory that pressure applied to a dog's torso causes a calming effect. Licking is also a calming behavior so get your dog a frozen Kong or lickmat. You can find many recipes to fill a Kong but a favorite is using canned dog food to freeze.

- Make sure windows and doors are completely closed. Dogs and cats can and will push through screens to get out!
Use a closet or a bathroom without windows and make it cozy for them with noise to muffle the sound.

-Calmly comfort your dog but don't be anxious yourself, they can feel your anxiety.

- Leash dogs while outside even if you have a fenced-in yard or if your dog has excellent recall. Double leashing them on a collar and harness is even better! This is especially important with the increase of neighborhood fireworks at random times throughout the day and evening.

-Exercise your dog during to day to tire them out.

- Do not bring your animal to a fireworks show.

No one thinks their dog will get lost until they do so please take precautions.

We hope you have a fun and safe July 4th!

Please share to remind everyone you know!

🚨UPDATE🚨
JULY 7, 1:30
TESLA IS CAPTURED, EXHAUSTED BUT SAFE.

Tesla was lost on Friday, June 21 at the Speedway on Grand Ave & Cleveland in St Paul. There has been some sightings in this area but we still don't know her traveling route. If you reside nearby please share with your neighbors to check deep window wells and put out a bowl of water for her. Please don't try to catch her. She is a skittish and stand off dog plus she is in an unfamiliar area. Don't try to chase her, she's fast and could run into the streets.
Please just take a picture and call the number on the flier.

🚨SAD UPDATE 7/2/24: 🌈Mase has been found but has already crossed the rainbow bridge. 🌈 She was hit by train.

Hey Cottage Grove peeps, we need your help finding Mase. She was lost with her sibling several days ago. The other dog was found at Mississippi Dunes. Mase has been seen on the west side of Hwy 61 in Cottage Grove and St Paul Park. If you see her please call the number on the flyer.

UPDATE🚨
JULY 7, 1:30
TESLA IS CAPTURED, EXHAUSTED BUT SAFE.

Tesla was lost in St Paul at the Speedway gas station on Grand Ave. She is in unfamiliar territory and scared. Tesla is very skittish and will not be hand caught. Please do not make any attempt to catch her, call her, whistle at her, or try to get her attention in any way. If chased she will run and we don't want her to run into a busy street. The best thing to do is call the number on the flyer immediately so we can keep her in one place. Please share.

Nora and her fur siblings were having fun at the Otter Lake Dog park like they have done many times before. Unfortunately, this time there was an altercation with another group of dogs. Nora got scared and tried to run to the exit, but the gate was closed. She took off to a corner of the dog park where she managed to get through a hole in the fence and take off.
Nora immediately went into survival mode. When a dog is in survival mode, they see everything and everyone as a threat. Any sudden movements, loud noises, clapping, whistling, and yelling will usually make the dog run the other way. If someone is chasing them, they will just keep running until they can hide or they collapse from exhaustion. Most dogs will not even recognize their own owners right away.
Over the next 8 hours Nora was spotted several times both inside and outside of the park. She was along a busy road where some good people stopped traffic, tried to catch her, and chased her back towards the park to keep her safe.
John, who runs the park closed the half of the park where Nora was spotted. This was done with the hope that she would feel comfortable enough to return. During this time many friends, family and random people from the dog park volunteered their time to help with the search. As nightfall was approaching the sightings stopped. Nora’s owners decided they were not going to leave and prepared to spend the night in the park. They put up a tent, brought their warm clothes, bug spray, dog treats, and scent items. Companion Animal Control provided them with live traps to use overnight until a plan during daylight hours could be made. Sadly, Nora did not make an appearance overnight.
The next morning John decided that he would keep that side of the park closed for one more day. The owners continued to stay at the park hoping Nora would show up during daylight hours. That afternoon a couple of Lost K9 teammates arrived with traps, cameras, signs, and other equipment. After assessing the situation and knowing that the park was going to re-open the next morning, they decided to keep the small traps in place. Rather than setting up the large traps, they put cameras on the small traps and re-baited them with some good smelly treats. Having the cameras would allow the owners to go home and hopefully make it quiet enough in the park for Nora to come and find one of the traps. Two of Nora’s family members stayed at the entrance to help remind people about the park being closed. Still no new sightings since 8:00 pm the night before.
At 6:00 pm the Lost K9 teammates were looking in the area neighborhood when they received a notification from one of their cameras. Nora had returned! She was eating the treats outside of the trap but did not go in. They figured she was probably too intimidated to go into the small trap, so they returned to the park and immediately started setting up a large trap. They also learned shortly after she was at the small trap she walked over near the entrance of the park where the owner was sitting. He called her name, but she ignored him and just kept going. He acknowledged that he knew better than to call her name but was so excited to see her he completely forgot. This is quite a common thing and completely understandable. The new trap was set up, armed, and baited. The owners were going to stay at the park entrance until dark to ensure no one brought their dog into the park. We did not want anyone else’s dog to get into the traps. There was one last discussion about how to deal with a dog that is in survival mode in case she reappeared before they left.
With a plan in place, the Lost K9 teammates headed home with the hopes of returning very soon. At about 7:40 pm they received a call from Nora’s owner who was extremely excited to let them know they had her. As one of her owners and his son were waiting at the entrance, they saw Nora from a distance. They just continued their conversation and did not acknowledge her at all. As she started slowly moving closer to them, they wanted to jump up and go grab her, but they remembered the instructions and continued to ignore her. Eventually she was within a few feet of them and then she suddenly jumped up into his lap. They did exactly what they were instructed to do, and it worked perfectly. They brought Nora home where they looked her over for injuries, pulled several burrs off of her, and gave her three baths to get her clean. She did not appear to have any injuries.
Nora was lost due to an unfortunate situation. The Otter Lake Dog park community stepped up not only to help but to show their support and understanding while the large side of the dog park was closed. This dog park is enjoyed by many dog lovers and almost everyone was more than happy to oblige. Thanks to John who made the decision to close the park. Nora would more than likely still be missing if it stayed open. Keeping that area calm and quiet was the only way she was going to return. Today Nora is back home with her family (both fur and human). She is doing great, and everyone is happy to have her home.
Nora's owners are amazing dog parents. They did everything they could to make sure Nora was found. They never left the area, spent the night in a tent in the dog park, didn't sleep from the time she went missing until they had her safe at home. Their dedication and love for their dogs goes unquestioned. Nora is lucky to be part of this family.
Video in the comments.

Please Like, Share, and Follow our page. This helps to create awareness for owners and dogs who need help like Ruby did. Donations are greatly appreciated. Thank You! https://www.facebook.com/101008958357702/posts/157805392678058/