(In the car, Cindy Koch and Toby; behind the car, Susan Bates and Toby’s brother Baxter)
You might recall the saga of Toby the dog, a rescued yellow lab who had just been adopted into a new home in West Seattle when he bolted – leading to posters everywhere, sightings, and an ongoing thread in the WSB Forums. He was finally found safely, and now, 5 weeks later, Will Nothdurft sent the above photo and this story to say thanks and share more of how the story came to a happy ending:
Thank you, West Seattle!
Readers of the West Seattle Blog were instrumental in helping a very special lost dog to be found. The small yellow lab, “Toby,” had been rescued from an abusive life in Eastern Washington and cared for by the Vashon Island Pet Protectors organization, until he found a West Seattle family to adopt him.
But he wasn’t ready. Traumatized as a pup and terrified of strangers, he escaped immediately and was lost in northern West Seattle for more than a week. His Vashon caretakers posted fliers on utility poles all over West Seattle and soon caring residents began phoning in “sightings.”
Volunteers from Vashon Island cruised the streets, especially Cindy Koch and Susan Bates. A search dog was employed. A gifted animal clairvoyant added her skills. But each time the frightened dog was seen, he fled. And searchers following tips always arrived where Toby was seen last, not where he was NOW.
Then we got some great advice. When hunting dog trainers lose a dog in the back country, they put that dog’s crate where they were all together last and place a piece of the trainer’s clothing beside it. As the dog continues to circle, looking for something familiar, it comes across these comforting items and stays close. We asked a West Seattle homeowner if we could put Toby’s carrier in front of their home and put a tee shirt from one of his caretakers near it. Several days later we got a phone message: “It’s 2:00 in the morning and Toby is sleeping in front of his carrier!” We got another call: “I think I just saw your dog running down the street with a T-shirt in his mouth!”
We knew we were close and one morning, very early and ten days into the search, we saw him ourselves. We even had his brother, Baxter, with us. It worked. Toby jumped into the searcher’s car and today he is happy and safe in a new home on Vashon.
West Seattle, we can’t thank all of you enough. You never gave up on Toby, your kept calling us, your support and help never faltered.
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NOTE TO EDITOR: Individuals in photograph are: (in the car) Cindy Koch and Toby and (behind car) Susan Bates and Toby’s brother, Baxter.
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