My Heart is Broken – My Dogs are Missing |

My Heart is Broken – My Dogs are Missing

June 27, 2013 by Lauralynn Elliott

Let me start from the beginning. We acquired a puppy when someone dumped him off at our house. Most of you have seen the pictures. He’s a lovely mixture, but I think he might mostly be pit bull. He’s a very rambunctious fellow, and he just can’t be still. We had him on a long run with a nice doghouse, lots of shade, toys…he was a happy dog. But he was always pulling on his collar, wanting to get to us when we weren’t right there beside him. Worried that he would damage his windpipe (he was starting to wheeze), we switched him to a harness instead of a collar, and that was working out really well. Keep in mind, he still had his collar ON, it just wasn’t attached to the lead. Yesterday morning, my cats took an interest in what was going on outside on the deck. It turns out that Duke was loose, on the deck. I went to check out the harness, and it was split in two. My husband thinks it broke, but it looked cut to me. I was going to put the leash on Duke’s collar and lead him back to his run and attach it by the collar. No collar. Now, he had been hooked up to the lead on his run by this collar for months and he hadn’t gotten out of it. So why was his collar suddenly gone? And why did his harness look cut? I honestly believe someone tried to steal him. Stealing this dog would be hard because you can’t get HOLD of him…he’s too feisty. Which is also the reason I had to leave him loose all day yesterday. We had nowhere to put him, and no way to get him anywhere. He’s strong and big, and there’s no way he would let us put him anywhere. So on the way home from work, I purchased another collar for him. When I got home, he was not there. My son looked everywhere. In the woods. Up and down the road. Nothing. He wasn’t there this morning either. But I swear I think I heard him barking this morning from the direction of my nephew’s house. That was the first place my son drove by yesterday, but he couldn’t see anything. My nephew expressed interest in him before when he saw pictures on Facebook. I don’t want to accuse my nephew unjustly. But if I had to venture a guess as to who might have my dog, he would be the first in my mind. So now, what to do. Do I upset my brother by suggesting my nephew might have him? I don’t want my son going down there because there might be a fight, and that scares me. I don’t want to get the police involved because I could be wrong, plus it’s family. Oh, I didn’t mention…my other dog is missing, too, so I’m sure they went together. Chipper is old and has been loose for a long time. He doesn’t ever get into any trouble, but with Duke by his side…. I’m praying they come home. Part of me hopes my nephew has them. Part of me hopes he doesn’t, because of the family thing. But if I had to say either way, I’m leaning toward him having my dogs.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged missing dogs, my dogs | 16 Comments

16 Responses

on June 27, 2013 at 9:57 am | Reply Amber West

Oh, Lauralynn! I’m so sorry. I hope that Duke and Chipper come back to you soon.

(I have no good advice on the family front – I’m assuming relations are strained if you can’t just show up to say “hi” and see if the dog is there?)
- on June 27, 2013 at 10:14 am | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  I hope so, too. My nephew is a little…unsavory as well as unstable. Off his meds. He’s stolen from us before. And from my mom. He’s a little scary.
on June 27, 2013 at 10:01 am | Reply Kait Nolan

Yeah I’d be inclined to show up to say hey, the dogs are missing, can you help search and have you seen them?
- on June 27, 2013 at 10:14 am | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  Maybe that approach would work. Like not really accusing him of anything. I’m a little wary of him.
on June 27, 2013 at 10:06 am | Reply Rose Gordon

Yikes, I’m sorry.

If you’re on good terms (or as good as an be) with the nephew, I’d just find another reason to go over there unexpectedly in the afternoon to visit and if your dogs are there, act happy (and surprised) to be reunited. Of course, then you’d want to make a big deal and thank him for finding and keeping them, but remind him in the future he can just bring them back.

Like you said, you don’t want to falsely accuse him or it will upset the entire family, but something as innocent as showing up? No harm there.
- on June 27, 2013 at 10:17 am | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  Not on good terms. See my comment to Amber above. I would NEVER casually visit him. I could do as Kait said, maybe, and just ask if he has seen them since we live close by. We all live way off the road, so the dogs would be more likely in the woods than on the road. But they could go through the woods to my nephew’s house. And if they showed up, I think he would keep them. I keep expecting Chipper to come back without Duke.
on June 27, 2013 at 11:17 am | Reply Anya Kelleye

I hate that for you. I know you love your fur babies. I hope they are just out traversing the neighborhood and come back soon. 😦
- on June 27, 2013 at 12:09 pm | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  I hope so, too.
on June 27, 2013 at 12:27 pm | Reply Emma

I think Kait’s suggestion is sound. Let us know how this goes. They will probably turn up fine. Try not to stress.
- on June 27, 2013 at 12:56 pm | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  Thanks, Emma. I miss my dogs. I’m a cat person, and they are my main pet focus, but I sure do love my dogs, too.
on June 27, 2013 at 2:37 pm | Reply Ruth Ann Nordin

I was going to suggest popping by unannounced, but seeing the comments, I see why that is a bad idea. Can you drive by the place, slow down and take a look around? If the yard is far back and trees make it hard to see the place, this won’t work.

I don’t know what the best course of action is. Knowing the nephew has stolen before makes it so hard. I hope you get your dogs back.
- on June 27, 2013 at 2:45 pm | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  My son drove by yesterday, but he didn’t see anything. But I feel like that was Duke I heard barking this morning. I just don’t know what to do. My son’s fiancee said he was going to go looking again today.
on June 27, 2013 at 5:02 pm | Reply J.R. Pearse Nelson

So sorry to hear the dogs are missing!
- on June 27, 2013 at 6:02 pm | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  My old dog came back this evening. That tells me that someone took Duke and didn’t want Chipper. I’m pretty sure I heard him barking this evening. My nephew doesn’t have him.
on July 3, 2013 at 8:25 pm | Reply Nadja Notariani

Glad Chipper is home….sorry to hear that Duke is not, Lauralynn! 😦
- on July 4, 2013 at 8:39 am | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  Duke is still gone, Nadja. After this long, whoever has him is keeping him. We’ve looked everywhere. I just hope he really is with someone rather than something bad happening to him.