Adventures of the Runaway Foster Dog

the poster that went up locally

On Oct. 30 at 6 p.m., Tom's mom called us and told us that their foster dog, Duncan, pulled out of his collar during a walk and ran into the woods behind their house. We were in the area so we drove over and spent over an hour combing the neighborhood before the sun set.
  Foster dogs will do that. It happened to us TWICE right after we took in Tyler (the terror) our little black and tan dachshund and I chased him down our street both times and caught him.
DUNCAN AFRAID OF PEOPLE - 
  Duncan, however, was afraid of people, while Tyler was not. So, Duncan remained hidden in the woods around Tom's parents' house that night.
SEARCHING AND EFFORTS - 

The dachshund trap in the woods

   Every morning, afternoon and night, Tom's folks walked the neighborhood, put up flyers that Katie made, and notified the entire retirement community neighborhood of 1,500 people (via the local cable channel). Fortunately, they live on a peninsula, so there was one way in and out of it, and we were sure that Duncan stayed close. 
  The next day, Katie from Coast-to-Coast Dachshund rescue drove up from Virginia and brought two Dachshund traps with her to put in the woods. They contained sausages and other meats (and yes, other animals could've gone in them, but they didn't.
  Katie also posted a "lost dog blog" and we distributed information via facebook, twitter and craigslist.  Katie and Rob called the county shelters and notified them of Duncan's stats, and provided a photos.
  Of course, it rained Halloween night (no kids trick or treat in a retirement community) so Duncan got wet, wherever he was.
FINALLY - HOPE!!!
  Finally on Nov. 1 someone in the neighborhood reported a Duncan sighting: 

Ravine living was not good!

  2 blocks from rob inlaws.... shipmaster & tidewater cove.   ran into woods, towards ravine. 

Apparently, he was running back and forth along the ravine for 4 days. 

   

happy to be back, and harnessed!

FOUND!!!  - On Saturday, Nov. 3 at 3:30 a.m. Tom's folks got a call from one of their neighbors who was out walking their dogs (I guess retired folks walk their dogs at ungodly hours of the morning). They reported that Duncan had gone into one of the dog rescue traps!!!  Tom's step-dad, Bob went out and got him and brought him back home!!!
  Tom's mom gave Duncan a bath and called us that morning. We drove over quickly and removed about 8 ticks off him. He was happy to see us. I'm sure he was happy to see anyone!
  Katie from the rescue returned on Nov. 3, collected the two cage/traps, and took Duncan back with her to Virginia where Duncan will be waiting just a couple of days before being adopted (someone had already filed adoption paperwork for him).  WHEW...