Thank you so much to everyone who has offered their time, support, determination, and enthusiasm to bring little Gus back home. However it is with a heavy heart that we bring you this news: Our little doxie’s remains were found close to the golf course by an anonymous caller. While we can't say with a 100% certainty that it is Gus, there are far too many similarities to say otherwise. Our final act of love for Gus will be to cremate him and to always cherish the short time he was with us.
This finding would not have been possible if not for the help of all of you. Whether it was checking the grounds, fliering, posting to Craigslist or Facebook, donating funds, printing materials, or just hoping and praying, you all are tremendous people with very generous souls. Unfortunately, our story did not have a happy ending, but knowing there are people like you out there is a comfort for all other lost dogs. May they all be brought home safely.
With the conclusion of our search we do need volunteers to help remove the fliers that were so well posted in the area. Please check out the map to see where they were posted and if you do remove them please let us know so we can update the map and eliminate duplicate efforts. Thanks again for all that you have done.
With much gratitude,
The Find Gus Team
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Another Track for Gus
Thanks to a really successful fliering effort from Thursday evening through today, we completed the fliering we wanted to do north of Route 50. These were the most important areas since our best information has been that Gus is on the International Country Club grounds, and this area is on the north side of this busy road. We know that we need to also flier the south side of 50 -- the homes, apartments and townhomes on either side of and behind the Greenbriar shopping center -- so we are still looking for folks that can cover that side. Thanks a mil to those volunteers that have started that section! But we can breathe a little easier knowing the highest priority areas are fliered.
And that fliering came in very handy during the track that we ran this evening, with Laura Totis and her dog Chewy, with LJT Training. Just about everyone we spoke to was already aware of Gus, so the word is getting spread effectively. Thanks MUCH to everyone that helped out.
Here's how the track went down, starting at the 16th hole, where we know Gus had been:
But Chewy did get excited in a few areas. One was at this tree stump, which had been dug under. Gus couldn't fit inside it, but he may have attempted to hide there or otherwise spent time at it, given Chewy's interest in it. She was not looking up inside the tree, so it wasn't something that scurried up that had her attention.
We found a couple of ways that Gus might get out of the golf course and into the neighborhoods outside the course, which may give him another source of food if neighbors there feed outdoor cats. Chewy showed us those ways out. One was a gate with plenty of space for Gus to get through; the other was a hole in the fence that interested Chewy very much.
When we left the golf course, we went to the neighborhoods on the other side of the fence line, and got permission to go back and find the gate. (Finding the hole in the fence from the other side would require more than we could give it at this point.) While in that neighborhood, we saw an outdoor cat scooting around. In speaking with neighbors to get permission to walk back on their property, they confirmed that the cat's people feed him on their back deck. So, that could be a source of food for Gus.
When we approached the gate from the nighborhood, Chewy didn't get excited like we thought she would based on her interest when we approached it from inside the golf course. So we're now less confident that she is using that gate to move between the golf course and the neighborhood. But we do still feel it's possible, or that she is using the larger hole in the fence that we were not able to investigate.
The rest of the story, which really refers to the implications and what we need to do based on what we've learned, has to be continued. I'm beyond beat from being on my feet for so long! But check back for the rest.
And that fliering came in very handy during the track that we ran this evening, with Laura Totis and her dog Chewy, with LJT Training. Just about everyone we spoke to was already aware of Gus, so the word is getting spread effectively. Thanks MUCH to everyone that helped out.
Here's how the track went down, starting at the 16th hole, where we know Gus had been:
But Chewy did get excited in a few areas. One was at this tree stump, which had been dug under. Gus couldn't fit inside it, but he may have attempted to hide there or otherwise spent time at it, given Chewy's interest in it. She was not looking up inside the tree, so it wasn't something that scurried up that had her attention.
We found a couple of ways that Gus might get out of the golf course and into the neighborhoods outside the course, which may give him another source of food if neighbors there feed outdoor cats. Chewy showed us those ways out. One was a gate with plenty of space for Gus to get through; the other was a hole in the fence that interested Chewy very much.
When we left the golf course, we went to the neighborhoods on the other side of the fence line, and got permission to go back and find the gate. (Finding the hole in the fence from the other side would require more than we could give it at this point.) While in that neighborhood, we saw an outdoor cat scooting around. In speaking with neighbors to get permission to walk back on their property, they confirmed that the cat's people feed him on their back deck. So, that could be a source of food for Gus.
When we approached the gate from the nighborhood, Chewy didn't get excited like we thought she would based on her interest when we approached it from inside the golf course. So we're now less confident that she is using that gate to move between the golf course and the neighborhood. But we do still feel it's possible, or that she is using the larger hole in the fence that we were not able to investigate.
The rest of the story, which really refers to the implications and what we need to do based on what we've learned, has to be continued. I'm beyond beat from being on my feet for so long! But check back for the rest.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Thanks for all the effort so far!
Thanks to everyone who has come out to post the flyers for Gus these past few days. Tomorrow should hopefully take care of a good chunk of the area as well. At the adoption event today biz cards were passed out to a lot of the cars in the parking lot as well. Hopefully, Gus will be found before next Saturday though, but if anyone has time or some kids that need service hours or need to get out of the house, putting cards on cars in the Greenbriar parking lot would be fantastic. Let me know.
And a huge thank you to our CHIPIN contributors. YOU are amazing. :)
-Meg
And a huge thank you to our CHIPIN contributors. YOU are amazing. :)
-Meg
Friday, October 9, 2009
CHIPIN Widget
The CHIPIN widget is currently set to collect funds at my personal PayPal account. However, it will be changed to the HART PayPal account later on. For any of you that make a donation in the meantime, I can always send you a thank you for your donation letter for tax purposes. Thanks so much! :)
-Meg
UPDATE: Now set to HART's PayPal account. Thanks!
-Meg
UPDATE: Now set to HART's PayPal account. Thanks!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Status as of Thursday, Oct 8th
Thanks for checking in to see what's happening with the search for Gus!
MAP: A map has been added; see the margin at right (Resources/Links section) for a hyperlink to the map. Over time, the map with (hopefully) show sightings. As I'm posting this update, the map mostly shows areas we want fliered. The map should enable you to flier on your own; however, it's critical that you email us once you have fliered so that we can update the map to show the areas you have covered. (We will do this in reverse once Gus is found.)
FUNDRAISING: We know it typically takes quite a lot of money to search for a lost dog, so we are starting a fundraising effort. See the ChipIn fundraising icon at right for an easy way to donate! Any amount you can contribute will be appreciated and will help. The funds will be channeled to HART, so they are tax deductible, but ChipIn allows easy earmarking of the funds intended for the Gus search to go to it. Some of the more costly expenses we might incur include more tracking sessions by Pure Gold Pet Trackers, robo calls by FindToto, newspaper advertising, to name just a few.
Please plan to come out and flier with the group on Sunday at 1pm. But by all means, please fliers sooner if you can!
MAP: A map has been added; see the margin at right (Resources/Links section) for a hyperlink to the map. Over time, the map with (hopefully) show sightings. As I'm posting this update, the map mostly shows areas we want fliered. The map should enable you to flier on your own; however, it's critical that you email us once you have fliered so that we can update the map to show the areas you have covered. (We will do this in reverse once Gus is found.)
FUNDRAISING: We know it typically takes quite a lot of money to search for a lost dog, so we are starting a fundraising effort. See the ChipIn fundraising icon at right for an easy way to donate! Any amount you can contribute will be appreciated and will help. The funds will be channeled to HART, so they are tax deductible, but ChipIn allows easy earmarking of the funds intended for the Gus search to go to it. Some of the more costly expenses we might incur include more tracking sessions by Pure Gold Pet Trackers, robo calls by FindToto, newspaper advertising, to name just a few.
Please plan to come out and flier with the group on Sunday at 1pm. But by all means, please fliers sooner if you can!
Flyering push, 10/11/09, 1:00 pm
Please plan to join us on Sunday for a flyering push! If you can get out before Sunday, that would be great--our goal is to get about 1,000 flyers up by the end of Sunday (that's about 25 flyers per person per hour . . . so we need a lot of help!). Remember, all flyers must go up in plastic page protectors.
Where: Greenbrier Shopping Center; in front of the Petco (13053 Lee Jackson Mem Hwy)
When: Sunday, October 11, 2009, at 1PM
What: Flier the area and search for Gus.
What to bring: 50 copies of the flier (can be e-mailed to you, or we will print out extras to give to you when you arrive), 50 plastic sheet covers (to protect the fliers from rain). 50 thumbtacks to hang your fliers. Gus’ business cards, to hand out to folks you meet while fliering. Stinky treats, like hot dogs or cat food. A leash. Water and a snack for you.
What to wear: Wear comfortable walking clothing and a red shirt or jacket so we can easily identify you as part of the search team.
Please let us know if you can join us, and also where you flyer so we can both keep track in terms of organizing the search, but also so we know where to deflyer once Gus is home!
Thanks,
Daphne
Where: Greenbrier Shopping Center; in front of the Petco (13053 Lee Jackson Mem Hwy)
When: Sunday, October 11, 2009, at 1PM
What: Flier the area and search for Gus.
What to bring: 50 copies of the flier (can be e-mailed to you, or we will print out extras to give to you when you arrive), 50 plastic sheet covers (to protect the fliers from rain). 50 thumbtacks to hang your fliers. Gus’ business cards, to hand out to folks you meet while fliering. Stinky treats, like hot dogs or cat food. A leash. Water and a snack for you.
What to wear: Wear comfortable walking clothing and a red shirt or jacket so we can easily identify you as part of the search team.
Please let us know if you can join us, and also where you flyer so we can both keep track in terms of organizing the search, but also so we know where to deflyer once Gus is home!
Thanks,
Daphne
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
NEED HELP TO POST FLYERS
Howdy! We need to start postering the neighborhoods with Gus flyers ASAP! We basically need to start over because the original ones posted were not in plastic and are most likely destroyed by weather and time. Please let us know if and when you can help out. It's really important that this happens right away. I need folks for Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday efforts. Please comment if you can help. All are welcome!
I also really want to thank our new group of volunteers who came on to this search party. You are awesome. I would also like to thank a very generous kind soul who has paid for a tracking session to find Gus. Each and every one of you brings him one step closer to home. :)
If you can start flyering ahead of time, please see the attached map for the areas to target! Thanks!
I also really want to thank our new group of volunteers who came on to this search party. You are awesome. I would also like to thank a very generous kind soul who has paid for a tracking session to find Gus. Each and every one of you brings him one step closer to home. :)
If you can start flyering ahead of time, please see the attached map for the areas to target! Thanks!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
New efforts--join us as we work to bring Gus home!
We're heating up the search for Gus and need your help! Please join us!
We need help flyering the area where Gus was last seen, and expanding that area in a two mile radius. We need to get flyers to area businesses and hand out business cards. Can you help flyer?
We also need to start electronic research--this is a great way to make a HUGE difference even if you can't be on site! We want to develop email lists of schools, places of worship, and businesses, so that we can send them the flyer and have them post for us. We also need to develop lists of area listserves and civic groups, along with lists of vets and other pet-related businesses.
Please leave a comment if you can join the search and help us bring Gus home!
Thanks!
Daphne
We need help flyering the area where Gus was last seen, and expanding that area in a two mile radius. We need to get flyers to area businesses and hand out business cards. Can you help flyer?
We also need to start electronic research--this is a great way to make a HUGE difference even if you can't be on site! We want to develop email lists of schools, places of worship, and businesses, so that we can send them the flyer and have them post for us. We also need to develop lists of area listserves and civic groups, along with lists of vets and other pet-related businesses.
Please leave a comment if you can join the search and help us bring Gus home!
Thanks!
Daphne
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
SIGHTING!!!!!
At last a sighting! I know it's only been 5 days, but it feels like so much longer. The tracker, Sam and her wonderful dog, Salsa, were out on the course today with Gus' mom. For about 3 hours they went around the course and Salsa did end up picking up Gus' scent near the back of the course in the corner. They also found some more poop (kinda runny- poor guy). Then a golfer had mentioned seeing a small, brown foxy looking dog not too far from where Sam wanted to set up a feeding station! So he's stayed pretty much where we all thought he would. A trap is being set up and food has been put out. Some of his mom's stinky clothes (exercise) have been left out as well. I have a good feeling about this! :)
I had to laugh when I called the golf course to ask for permission to have the tracker on site. They said to dress appropriately.... But in all honesty, they have been very gracious and really do feel for our situation.
I will check the trap tomorrow after work. So more to come.......
I had to laugh when I called the golf course to ask for permission to have the tracker on site. They said to dress appropriately.... But in all honesty, they have been very gracious and really do feel for our situation.
I will check the trap tomorrow after work. So more to come.......
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
No sightings yet, but thanks to all who are helping!
*sigh* Nothing yet, but hope is still there. A wonderful volunteer called today telling me of her search outing. She graciously allowed herself to step out of her busy life for about two hours and post flyers and check the grounds as well as talk to some folks about our missing little guy. It sounds like her two hours were very productive. She managed to re post some signs that had gotten icky from the bad weather and she hit up some further locations in the surrounding neighborhoods. My favorite part was when she talked to all the kids getting off the school buses. They seemed excited to help look for a dog! Hopefully moms and dads will be excited to help out as well. She also went door to door talking to folks and leaving the cards behind if no one was home. Thanks so much, K! And a big thank you to everyone else who is out there doing all this stuff as well. The more folks who are aware of the situation, the more help we can get. My hat is off to each and every one of you who go out and search or spread the word.
On another note, it seems the golf course may be hitting a point of stress with us. They are very sensitive to our situation and understand the urgency of finding Gus. However, it is a private club with a very expensive membership. Random folks strolling about the course can be very distracting, especially when they are talking to golfers about a missing dog. We need to restrain ourselves with respect to the club and members. Please call before you head over there to find out if there is a less busy time to go for less distractions. The club has our flyers and our numbers though, so if they happen to come across anything we will know. The groundscrew is fabulous and have been keeping an eye out as well. In fact there is an employee who works by the guard shack house and he cruises the course with an adopted border collie. So Gus may have an in with the ground crew.
So please, please, respect the golf course. With the tracker coming, I know we will be an even bigger distraction. So if a lot of us could keep hitting the neighborhoods and keep the radius growing we should be good. Hopefully if Gus has not just hunkered down somewhere he may be enjoying one of those spacious backyards with a deck. :)
One last note. Our dear volunteer, K, just got word that her beloved pooch is sick with cancer. Please keep her and her critter in your thoughts. Thank you and have a good night.
On another note, it seems the golf course may be hitting a point of stress with us. They are very sensitive to our situation and understand the urgency of finding Gus. However, it is a private club with a very expensive membership. Random folks strolling about the course can be very distracting, especially when they are talking to golfers about a missing dog. We need to restrain ourselves with respect to the club and members. Please call before you head over there to find out if there is a less busy time to go for less distractions. The club has our flyers and our numbers though, so if they happen to come across anything we will know. The groundscrew is fabulous and have been keeping an eye out as well. In fact there is an employee who works by the guard shack house and he cruises the course with an adopted border collie. So Gus may have an in with the ground crew.
So please, please, respect the golf course. With the tracker coming, I know we will be an even bigger distraction. So if a lot of us could keep hitting the neighborhoods and keep the radius growing we should be good. Hopefully if Gus has not just hunkered down somewhere he may be enjoying one of those spacious backyards with a deck. :)
One last note. Our dear volunteer, K, just got word that her beloved pooch is sick with cancer. Please keep her and her critter in your thoughts. Thank you and have a good night.
Monday, September 28, 2009
POOP!
Poop has been spotted by the left of the front door of the club house. It looks like little dog poop. :)
The Country Club gave up permission to set up a trap on the perimeter of the grounds and our tracker will be back in town on Wednesday. We've asked Gus' owners to put some of his stuff in a bag to capture the scent and some of their stinkier clothes in another bag as well.
The Country Club gave up permission to set up a trap on the perimeter of the grounds and our tracker will be back in town on Wednesday. We've asked Gus' owners to put some of his stuff in a bag to capture the scent and some of their stinkier clothes in another bag as well.
LOST DOXIE!!!!
Poor little Gus, a 2 year old puppy mill doxie, slipped his harness and ran away from the adoption event he was at on Saturday, September 26. In front of my very own eyes he miraculously managed to get across a busy highway and run into a private country club. We are now searching high and low to find him.
Gus came to us from a West Virginia puppy mill about a year ago. The Homeless Animals Rescue Team (HART) helped raid a mill and took about 46 dachshunds. He was one of the more skittish ones and still is to this day. A lovely family ended up adopting him from us and tried extensively to work with him to help calm him down and stop being afraid. They tried everything this past year with some progress, but not enough for him to be truly happy. His fear of men is just too strong. Gus attached himself to his mom, but would never allow for his dad to get close to him. He would bark nonstop and go to the bathroom and just not relax when he was in the same room with him. After much deliberation and anxiety the family decided it would be best for Gus to be with someone he could feel safe and happy around.
I picked him up from the family and brought him to the adoption event at the Chantilly Petco. A lot of folks were interested in the cute little guy, but we really had to weed through the applications to find the perfect home for him. We had a potentially good applicant apply for Gus and they were walking him through the store and I was 5 feet behind them. We were headed outside for an interview and all of sudden, pretty much unprovoked he wriggled out of his harness and bolted out the door.
Generally chasing a dog is a bad idea because they will only keep running because they think you are playing with them. However with Gus and his skittishness it only seemed like a good idea to go after him and try to keep an eye on his location. A few of the HART volunteers ran after him through the parking lot of the shopping center and finally he stopped in the grass right before the highway. I was 2 feet from him and he stopped and looked at me. I was trying to coax him back over to me or at least away from the road and then all of a sudden he darted and I screamed as loud as I could. I think the folks driving knew something was up when a crazy lady in a red hoodie was standing by the road screaming and flailing her arms - so traffic did slow. It was enough for Gus to safely cross and get to the median, where he looked back and then ran again to the other side of the highway and into the golf course.
A few more volunteers followed him in and had a dog with them and did actually see him at one point. I believe they said he stopped to look at the other dog, but when they tried to close in on him he ran again. We spent all day looking for him in the rain and gave up when it was dark. The next morning flyers and cards were being posted and handed out to let the whole area know what was going on. It really is like looking for a needle in a haysyack, but we will find him!
Gus came to us from a West Virginia puppy mill about a year ago. The Homeless Animals Rescue Team (HART) helped raid a mill and took about 46 dachshunds. He was one of the more skittish ones and still is to this day. A lovely family ended up adopting him from us and tried extensively to work with him to help calm him down and stop being afraid. They tried everything this past year with some progress, but not enough for him to be truly happy. His fear of men is just too strong. Gus attached himself to his mom, but would never allow for his dad to get close to him. He would bark nonstop and go to the bathroom and just not relax when he was in the same room with him. After much deliberation and anxiety the family decided it would be best for Gus to be with someone he could feel safe and happy around.
I picked him up from the family and brought him to the adoption event at the Chantilly Petco. A lot of folks were interested in the cute little guy, but we really had to weed through the applications to find the perfect home for him. We had a potentially good applicant apply for Gus and they were walking him through the store and I was 5 feet behind them. We were headed outside for an interview and all of sudden, pretty much unprovoked he wriggled out of his harness and bolted out the door.
Generally chasing a dog is a bad idea because they will only keep running because they think you are playing with them. However with Gus and his skittishness it only seemed like a good idea to go after him and try to keep an eye on his location. A few of the HART volunteers ran after him through the parking lot of the shopping center and finally he stopped in the grass right before the highway. I was 2 feet from him and he stopped and looked at me. I was trying to coax him back over to me or at least away from the road and then all of a sudden he darted and I screamed as loud as I could. I think the folks driving knew something was up when a crazy lady in a red hoodie was standing by the road screaming and flailing her arms - so traffic did slow. It was enough for Gus to safely cross and get to the median, where he looked back and then ran again to the other side of the highway and into the golf course.
A few more volunteers followed him in and had a dog with them and did actually see him at one point. I believe they said he stopped to look at the other dog, but when they tried to close in on him he ran again. We spent all day looking for him in the rain and gave up when it was dark. The next morning flyers and cards were being posted and handed out to let the whole area know what was going on. It really is like looking for a needle in a haysyack, but we will find him!
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