That Girl’s Blog: Lost Puppy

UPDATE: “Lucy” was found and reunited with her family!! 

Please feel free to read the original blog below, which is more about taking an active role in your community rather than watching from the social media side-lines. Thank you to all the folks to stepped up and helped to look for this lost puppy! 

 

There is a lost puppy in Marstons Mills. I saw a post with a picture Monday on Facebook.

When you see a “lost pet” post on facebook, what do you do? Do you look around your home for your own pets and give a sigh of relief? Do you post a supportive comment like “I hope she comes home soon”? Do you ignore it and scroll through to the next political meme? Or do you take some action?

As a pet owner who has owned more than one “escape artist”, I reached out to the pup’s owner. Apparently the dog was playing at the end of a driveway in an area close to where I grew up. When the owner turned his back to get something out of his truck, the pup wandered off. She had been missing for nearly 8 hours. It was now 6:30 at night and it was dark. I thought about a black puppy bounding around in the cold in an area without many street lights. I thought about the last time Mazzy jumped a fence.

“I will be over in a little bit.”

I will admit that I don’t know this person, nor do I know his dog. It doesn’t matter. I layered up, grabbed my best flashlight and my dog Mazzy and headed over to the power lines on West Barnstable road in Marstons Mills.

I met the pup’s owner who was clearly tired. At this point, he was wondering if someone had scooped up his lovable puppy and was already calling her by a new name. No one else was helping him look. He had called the police and animal control. I gave him a few other people to reach out to, including the Animal Inn in Sandwich, while I texted my friend at the MSPCA in Centerville.

I am sure seeing a 135 lbs polar-bear-esq dog slide out of my little car on the side of the road was a sight in the dark! Mazzy and I walked through the power lines and the neighborhoods and behind business parking lots. I am sure my flashlight and calls to “Lucy” gave more than one person a fright in the normally quiet area of Marstons Mills.

We walked around for over an hour with cars whizzing by in the dark and people peering out of their kitchen windows to see what might be going on. I was on foot (and paws) while Lucy’s owner continued to drive laps in his truck.

I thought I saw a glimpse of a black dog darting across the street closer to the buildings at the intersection at Rte 28.  We looked and walked and called. Oh, did I mention it was pitch black and 40 degrees out?  

In all the time I was walking and calling for Lucy, only one person actually came outside to see what was going on. They had seen the truck drive by a few times and most likely heard me yelling for the puppy. He was curious and seemed concerned when we told him about the missing puppy. He said he would be happy to keep an eye out. 

FAST FORWARD: It’s now the next morning. Lucy still isn’t home. I checked my facebook page and the post about Lucy has been shared well over 100 times. My question is this: if 100 people were out looking for a puppy, do you think we’d find her?

When you see a call to action post on Facebook, do you simply “like” it or make a sad face? Or do you actually take action?

I understand not everyone can drop everything every time they see a sad post on social media. But the next time you can lend a hand – even for a stranger – no matter what the outcome might be – please help.

Barnstable Animal Control: (508) 790-6274

MSPCA – Centerville: (508) 775-0940 

Please feel free to send comments to me: [email protected]

 

About Cat Wilson

Cat Wilson is "That Girl" on Cape Country 104 – a Cape Cod native and longtime Cape radio personality. She is a passionate supporter of Military and Veteran causes on the Cape and also hosts local music spotlight program, “The Cheap Seats” on Ocean 104.7.



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