Kiara's Story - Please read & keep this as a reminder...

[chocolatepuppy]

Remembering Kiaras story brought tears to my eyes Kay. I remember the 5 days she was missing. I'd come home at lunch and check PT to see if you found her. My hubby was off work that week and somedays he would update me when I'd come in the door. He was checking for updates on Kiara.
I agree with you, it could happen to anyone. A very good reminder. Please give Kiara a hug for me.

[Canis-Lupess]

I know how that feels after our Mist bolted because some idiot set a firework off in broad daylight. It was an airbomb which are now banned because they are so loud, they make houses shake.

Took 4 days to find her and she'd ended up in a kennels. She was handed into police the same evening of the day she bolted and, even though we kept ringing them, they said no dog of her description had been handed in.

We phoned the kennels after being given their number...they were a bit out of the way from us, we'd phoned all the local ones, but as soon as we described Mist, they said they had her. I could hardly contain my tears as we drove up there and, even they thought the police had been totally incompetent and obviously didn't give a damn. They even put her down as a Border collie cross and she was purebred border collie. She just had the smoother type coat so they thought she must be crossed with something else. The kennel staff knew she was full BC. Anyway, my stepdad phoned the police when we got home and gave them a right earbashing over how crap and unhelpful they'd been and it was then they finally found on their files that she'd been handed in and mentioned her being a cross and my stepdad firmly informed them she was purebred in a really sarcastic tone, it was funny.

When we went to the kennels, they took us to where mist was and we passed other dogs all at the front barking and jumping up for attention and we got to Mists and she was curled up in the little bed at the back all quiet. She saw my stepdad first and came slinking up to greet him and they opened the gate and then she saw me and she pushed past my stepdad and straight to me whining and making funny noises. I just hugged her for several minutes, it was like losing a child to me.

She was 7 years old when that happened.

Obviously, you can't keep a BC on the lead all it's life so there is always going to be a slight risk of something bad happening and you can only be sure they stay close and in site when out and make sure you have escape proof gardens for when they are at home but making sure they have ID tags on at least and microchipped also helps a lot.
Our mist had lost her tag when she went missing, blargh, and I hadn't had chance to get another when it happened. You can guarantee the few days it takes to get another is the time they'll go missing.

Our Jess has never gone missing in her whole 13 years but she glues herself to your leg for reassurance if she hears something she doesn't like whereas our Mist used to go into a trance like state and just run off in a random direction.

[luvofallhorses]

Thanks for the reminder, Kay. I don't trust any of my dogs off leash except Rocky, but I know it could happen to him, too. I am just so glad Kiara is safe and sound and where she belongs. I know it was a nightmare for us all and something we'll never forget but we're just as relieved as you are to have her back where she belongs with you and your family.

[CathyBogart]

I recently watched a hit-by-car Chow die as our wonderful vets gave it blood transfusions, oxygen, epinephrine, and everything they had in them to save it. It opened my eyes like nothing else could have. Since Jasper can slip out of his collar and would take off after a squirrel no matter what, he walks on a harness now.