The announcement of “Two Dogs Rescued” brings a sense of relief. When dogs go missing, you can’t help but feel for the dogs and their owners. It’s one of the toughest predicaments that a dog and their owner could face.
Both are scared, the dogs are hungry, and the owners are sleepless. Can you imagine how the owners of the two dogs trapped in an abandoned silo felt for those long 3+ weeks?
We’ve all seen many heartbreaking stories about lost dogs on Facebook or other social media. There is one major key that usually leads to a happy reunion. That key is for the owner to persevere. They can never give up the search.
Perseverance Paid Off When Two Dogs Were Rescued
Luckily for the two German Shepherds, Zeus and Ziva, their owner, Jessica Donges, was determined to find them. She did not give up. Even as the days turned into weeks, she kept looking.
The two pups were playing around in the backyard of their home in Medical Lake, Washington. All of a sudden, they were nowhere to be found. They seemed to simply disappear.
How the Nightmare Began
Jessica’s husband, who happened to be at home at that time, called her immediately. He could not delay telling her that their dogs were missing. Of course, this prompted Jessica to head for home right away.
They first performed a very thorough search around their house and throughout their neighborhood. When nighttime came and there were still no signs of either of them, Jessica became hysterical.
It was a long, sleepless night for both of them. Their only comfort was that the dogs were together and not totally alone. At least the two dogs could keep each other warm.
What They Did In An Effort to Find the Two Dogs and Rescue Them
The next day, they put out flyers and posters around town. They also used social media to put the word out. Their relatives and neighbors volunteered to help, as well.
After three weeks of searching and worrying about their safety, Zeus and Ziva were still missing. Jessica decided to investigate their backyard once more, hoping against hope to find a new lead.
Thankfully, she did. Jessica discovered that a part of their back fence was broken. She immediately followed that path. Thankfully, it led her to an abandoned missile silo, 200 yards behind their house.
They had already briefly searched this place before. However, the recently found new clue encouraged them to look at this site again. Her intuition told her that the dogs were there.
After 3 Weeks, A Clue Gave Them New Hope
Almost holding her breath, she approached the silo once more with newfound hope. Jessica heard a single, familiar-sounding bark. Quickly, she followed the sound of her pup calling for her.
It led her to a dark room where there was a giant hole just off to her right. She looked down the hole and there she found her babies. Cold, hungry, and scared, they were thrilled when they saw her smiling face.
Firefighters assisted in pulling them out and they are now back home recovering. All thanks to Jessica, who did not give up.
Credits: KREM 2 News
Remember, Jessica did not give up when having two dogs trapped for 22 days. You can be just as determined to find your dog!
Here are a few tips to help you find a missing dog. I hope and pray you never need to use this cheat sheet. However, it is better to be prepared than not.
CHEAT SHEET FOR WHEN YOUR DOG GOES MISSING
- Start at the last place he was seen and conduct a thorough search of your home and property, frequently calling him by name.
- Engage your neighbors in the search and ask them to include their property as well
- Check with shelters, rescue organizations and local vets, etc. to see if he has been brought in for care by a Good Samaritan
- Go Viral on Social Media, using current photo and plea for help
- If your dog has a micro-chip, notify the company that he is lost
- Prepare poster/flyers with a recent, clear photo and distribute widely in highly trafficked areas
- Be aware of found dog scams and don’t let your emotions place you at risk of losing large amounts of money or being placed in harm’s way physically
- Persevere! Do not give up too soon.
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Once found
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Your vet should give your dog a quick check-up to be sure he was not injured in any way
