Missing for 4 days in upstate New York...
from Jordina...
Awesome job team!! After 4 days and nights in single
digit and below zero temperatures in snow covered wooded terrain just outside of Albany, Mickey is now home safe and warm
with his loving family! A combined effort tracking roughly 8 miles... through woods, snow covered fields, snowmobile trails,
power lines and roads. Brodie, Nash and Ruckus followed Mickey's trail from the home he went missing from New Year's eve and
eventually to where Mickey traveled to.
We started through some deep snow and wildlife trails, quickly coming up on the power line easements following snowmobile
trails leading miles from where he went missing, Mickey's Mom Hilary and I followed the motivated tracking dog team with
Hilary's Dad following closely behind in his van to chauffeur us back to the truck to switch dogs so no one got
overly tired. The dogs were keen to keep going but we had to make them stop and take turns so they could rest
in between. Rest they did not want, they were very excited to be on the job, making us work very hard to keep up!! We had
not received any sightings thus far so the job of tracking 4 days worth of Mickey's seriously large travel route was upon
us and we soon realized this boy was traveling far, far away from where he went missing.
Then we received a tip on Facebook
that someone had seen him New Years eve, incidentally on a road we had already passed while tracking. Great news but not
getting us closer on his timeline today.
Then we got the call that we all hoped and prayed for, someone calling to say they had just seen Mickey! We jumped
in our cars and rushed over, as we were checking for scent to confirm if in fact this was him, another call comes! We rushed
over to that sighting, Nash jumping out to confirm that yes it was our boy!! I sent Hillary and her Dad walking, warned them
not to call loudly but quietly talk to him. I took little Ruckus, our air scent dog out so I could determine quickly
which way Mickey had gone. When a roaming dog is nearby we work to stay back with the dog team not getting
to close so we do not spook the shy dog. Ruckus bounded down the street and made a turn onto another trail (Mickey
sure loved those!) and onto the easement (again!) and into the back of a neighborhood. Hilary was ready for him when he appeared
there but when she called he took off. We regrouped and I scanned Ruckus again for a point of direction, then 2 more calls!
The calls came from the direction dog team was now heading towards. I held the team back, just confirming and getting
a direction so Hilary and her Dad could go out to the field where Mickey had been sighted. This time moving slowly,
talking quietly and having a fence to block him, Mickey's journey came to an end. As I not so patiently stayed
back and waited to get that call from Hillary, "We Got Him!!!" I flew over there in my car, so I could meet
him! I was so unbelievably happy for Mickey's family. They had been so worried about him all alone in the woods with just
a labradoodle coat in such brutally cold temperatures. but other than desperately needing a bath Mickey looked great and clearly
was so happy to be back with his family!!
With
a roaming dog, especially one traveling such great distances as Mickey a "walk up find" is so rare, meeting our
lost boy at the end of a long day searching was a feeling I will hold on to forever, needless to say Brodie, Nash and Ruckus
slept very well on our drive home :) and were rewarded with salmon filet on their dinner last night...
Congratulations Mickey and family! Great job running miles with the dog team Hilary! Best
wishes in the future!!
Jordina, Brodie, Nash and Ruckus
