November 13 2006 - Phoebe's adventure.

We had such a great weekend and so many adoptions – but what everyone wants to hear about is Phoebe’s great rescue. So … here ‘tis.

Saturday night, I had just slipped into a warm bath tub, a glass of red wine in my hand and one of the books Barb sent me just waiting to be read. After 8 adoptions in 3 days, I needed the break. I had turned to the first page and taken one good sip when I heard the phone ring. Then I heard my husband heading for the bathroom and talking fast and I sat up, book and wine forgotten. “Tragedy, honey,” Wayne said. I grabbed a towel with one hand and the phone with another. It was Trish, explaining that Phoebe had slipped her collar just inches from the front door and they could not find her.

I was up out of the tub and half dressed before I got off the phone. Trish was staying with her aunt, BJ Harrison, a westie rescuer. Both were out looking but we all knew that in reality, I was the one that Phoebe knew and I was the one that Phoebe would come to.

I shouted down the stairs to Wayne to please find his keys for me as I needed to take his car. I turned around to see my darling husband dressed and waiting with keys in hand. I had assumed this would be a solo trip. Wayne thought differently and I was so thankful. We grabbed Sam, my big black SP, and out the door we went.

I confess, I slept most of the hour ride to Greenville. Wayne let me doze, bless him, even though he was just as tired. The power nap refreshed me a good bit. Halfway there, my cell phone rang. Ashley had seen the posts. She and Regan (Ashley’s black SP) and Chris (her policeman husband who was fortunately on duty) were on the way. Thank goodness – backup.

It’s a good thing Ashley and Chris were willing. Wenwood has some very, very nice areas but it also has some business areas that are dark and a bit frightening at midnight on a Saturday night. Not only did Chris come, he called his buddies, all uniformed policemen in marked police cars all over the city to tell them what we were doing. There was rarely a moment that evening when I didn’t spot a cop car hovering around, keeping an eye on the crazy women (and one crazy man) out with a bunch of big poodles looking for another big poodle. It was so comforting to see them there. Thanks Ashley and Chris!

We met Trish and Trish’s aunt, BJ Harrison at the UPS station as that was the last place Phoebe was seen. The two women had been out at this point for over two hours, running and searching and spotting Phoebe and then losing her. They had seen the car coming too fast that hit and flipped Phoebe over, seen her get up and run. They were tired but determined. We kept looking.

On the way over, I called both Rebecca and Bunny and asked them to get in touch with our animal communicator friend up north. Generally, she likes to remain anonymous so I’ll not name names. This retired educator works only for rescue groups and does not charge CPR for her services. She told us that Phoebe was on asphalt, was hurt but not down, and was within sight of the townhouse complex where she ran away from. We searched all the business areas within sight of the complex, all having asphalt parking lots and all within sight of the complex. We then went into the woods where Phoebe was last seen anyway, just in case.

At 1:30 am, we decided to call a hiatus to the search and take it back up in the am. It was getting very cold and we all needed some rest. Ashley had class the next day and Trish and BJ were on their last legs. Even Regan and Sam were starting to drag a bit. I hate leaving a dog alone and lose in the dark, but it was the only sensible thing to do.

I had to chatter all the way home to keep Wayne awake. He doesn’t have a clue what I was talking about but we managed to get back to Pacolet in one piece.

Where Phoebe was Saturday night will always remain a mystery.

I got up Sunday and Wayne and I tended the kennel, then he headed to church and I headed for Greenville, Sam in tow along with his buddies Salvador (white SP) and Millie (bichie poo) and Gloria (cockapoo), all friends of Phoebe's. Doug called while I was enroute and wanted to know if I wanted help. Doug is an experienced trapper and I was very glad for his presence. I was close so went by his house and picked him up. Beth Jancse then called and said she was also on her way. Doug called Stephanie Hill, who works with animal control in Mauldin and she planned to come out in a few hours. Our crew was forming.

Phoebe was last seen Saturday night about 9:20 pm. She had been hit by a car at that point and was diving into the woods at the UPS station directly across the main road from the townhouse complex where BJ lives and where Trish was staying. We searched there Sunday am first but came up dry.

About 9:45, Rebecca called on the cell phone saying they had heard from the AC. The message was very exact:

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Phoebe says that she is sitting on concrete - not black top -- she can see the sky, she can reach out to touch a structure that is smelly (dumpster?), there is a fence around where she is now but she is NOT locked in, she can still see the place where she left her new mom and dad, she can see parked cars.

Remember that the most recent few we found were not very far from their points of exit.

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Unfortunately, there are a lot of retaining ponds and also a mechanic shop there which has a lot of enclosures and fences. I kept thinking "something stinky" could as easily be the diesel fuel that was all around the UPS garage as anything. No luck at UPS. Wewnwood is also not far from the Mauldin sewage plant! You can't see the complex from the sewage plant so I left checking the sewage plant for last.

I went by the condo to check in, and that is when Elizabeth saw me. Elizabeth is the 3 year old daughter of the adopters. Still dressed in her silk poodle pajamas, Elizabeth looked up at me with eyes filled with real tears. “Please, find my doggie,” she begged me. I had been very discouraged up until that point. I could not figure out why Phoebe ran, she was such a Velcro dog most of the time. That young child, placing her faith in me, renewed my determination. I wasn’t coming back to that condo without Elizabeth’s doggie! Whatever the reason that Phoebe chose to leave, she was coming back. The AC said she was okay and it was a matter of time and time I had.

One of my favorite sayings is that the definition of stupidity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. We had already looked and looked at UPS and through the complex. It was time for something different. I walked straight down the complex towards the other main road. Wenwood Court meets with Wenwood Drive which is more of a main road. I walked across Wenwood Drive into the back parking lot of Christ Church, an area none of us had touched yet. As I was walking into the parking lot, there was an apartment complex to my left. There was a chain link fence between the apartments and the church. I turned around and realized you can see the Wenwood complex from this complex. I could see dumpsters. There was lots of asphalt. I felt like I was playing the game "you're getting warmer" and this spot definitely felt hot!

I walked and sang her name over and over. And then......there she was. She was on the apartment side of the chain link, so she was separated from me by the fence. She heard me calling and came running. I actually spied something moving behind me out of the corner of my eye and as I turned, I realized it was exactly what I was searching for.

The problem was how to get her on the same side of the fence as me because I wasn't about to let her out of my sight! Phoebe isn't a climber but she sure can dig. She has squeezed underneath all the fences I have. I found a weak spot in the fence at the bottom and lifted that up enough for her to squeeze through. At first, she was reluctant but I had my trusty frozen Bil Jac treats with me so I started passing those through to her. She perked up and followed my hand through the fence I was holding up for her. I sat down on the ground once she was through the fence and started feeding her tidbits of Bil Jac while enticing her closer and closer. She finally snuggled up against me and I was able to keep feeding her while putting the slip lead over her head. Then and only then did I call in to tell everyone I had her. I was NOT taking any chances LOL.

The communications is what tipped me off to where to look and I am sure what kept her steady and waiting for someone. It is a tool we have used often to find our lost ones and I am so glad it is there for CPR. Believe or not as you will, I’ve seen it work too often to not believe.

The rest is rather anticlimactic. I called Doug first as his was the first number in my “recently called list.” Doug had Trish with him and Doug shouted the news and said they'd be there pronto. I then called Beth and about that time here came Trish. That smile could have lit up the sun! She was on the phone with her husband, telling him not to tell Elizabeth because we wanted to walk in with Phoebe to surprise her. Poor BJ got the news last. I don’t think she minded as she was just glad to get the news at all.

Doug went and got the truck and we loaded Phoebe up between Samson and Salvador in the quad cab while Trish and I played redneck and sat in the truck bed. We arrived back safe and sound and watched one happy reunion with Elizabeth and Phoebe. Phoebe was none the worse for wear it appeared although later on that day, BJ and Trish did decide to take her to the emergency clinic when they noticed a bit of blood from one nostril. It appears to have only been a slight bruising on that side of the face but Trish is keeping a close eye on things.

Our group photo shows, right to left, Doug, Beth, Elizabeth, Trish and Phoebe and BJ in the back and one of BJ’s rescued westies helping himself to the water while we posed.

Lessons learned? We need to send these new dogs out with slip or martingale or gentle leader collars, whatever the adopter is comfortable with. We need to emphasis more in the initial interviews and then the subsequent interviews the need for caution the first couple of weeks. I emphasis during the adoption process to always call us if a dog is lost or stolen and I think that has paid off.

We’ll learn more lessons along the way. Tonight, the important thing is Phoebe is in a loving family. That’s what it’s all about.

Good night from Dreamweaver Farms
Donna