Missing Pets and the Summer Holiday Dilemma

So far it has been an eventful week in the Stolen and Stray Pet Recovery office. We are waiting to hear news of Teddie, a very handsome British Blue Shorthair cat who just may be on his way home.  We have everything crossed that he is the beautiful cat we were phoned about earlier this evening. Teddie has been missing for nearly two weeks.

The call we received half an hour ago sounded hopeful.

We are fast approaching the time of year when we feel even more than normal for the owners of long term missing pets, as some we know are contemplating the concern over taking a holiday (often booked long before their pet was stolen or strayed), against leaving the search for their pet for a week or two away.

Caught between the conflict of the desperate need to continue looking, or the expectations of their immediate family, the summer holidays can be fraught.

This is perhaps something that is difficult to understand until you are in their position.

For us we hear on a daily basis the devastation of pet owners whose lives are turned upside down at the loss of their pet, whether it has run off, escaped or been stolen.  Trying to deal with the complexities of the world of missing pets they are often filled with disbelief, guilt and at times despair.

It is terrible to hear kind, good people berating themselves for what they should or could have done at a particular point, unable to accept that what has happened is no more than a simple accident, or the coming together of several events, that have led to the disappearance of a much loved animal.

And so comes the issue of taking a summer holiday, one that they are desperately in need of but is linked into an endless list of what might happen whilst they are away.

After months, and in some cases years invested in searching, it is desperately hard to take a "guilt free" break.

We have just such a situation going on at the moment, where a feral dog who has been on the run for many months has managed to become a regular visitor at a peaceful location and whilst food is being left, scent trails are being made and a currently unset trap put in place, the owner is also facing a count down to a very much needed family holiday.

The sad truth is that for many people they are blissfully unaware of what a totally devastating experience it is when your dog, cat, horse or pet bird who is such a close member of your family just simply vanishes, often leaving little if any trace at all.

We consider it a privilege to help these owners and do all we can to find out what has happened to their pets, support and advice them, what ever the circumstances.

And on that note, we have just heard from Kimberley the owner of Teddie.  On getting our call earlier she went straight round to the address we gave her, to find the "stray" already secured in a cat basket.  She said she hardly dare look, but recognised Teddie immediately as he let out a plaintive meow. How wonderful is that!  Not surprisingly she cried.

Thank you so much to Tim and his lovely wife who were so quick to call the office having seen one of our posters and for scooping up Teddie, as well as making sure he had food over the last few days.  Fantastic work.