10/09/2026
So folks, I wish this rescue well.
They have decided to do this own their own, and that is their prerogative.
I have screen shot all conversations, please don't text me on this dog.
Hopefully, she stays safe.
I am editing this post, so people understand, what tracking/trapping actually is and how it works.
And WHY you act accordingly!!!
1st of all, you NEVER, EVER , POST, where a dog is!!! EVER!!!!
Why?? Because, a scared dog only has to SMELL, the slightest changes, HEAR the slightest changes, SEE the slightest changes and the dog moves off.
This is NEVER about ego, this is SCIENCE, and allowing that dog to be INVISIBLE , means the dog feels SAFE, and SETTLES into an area.
Now, I will tell you that I met with the foster, and asked her to tell me how the accident happened, and tell me absolutely EVERYTHING she knew about the dog.
Every single puzzle piece is IMPORTANT to put those pieces of Melanie's story, back together.
I will also tell you that I trespassed onto property because I had to make a split decision ASAP when I saw her last Saturday.
As soon as I did see her, I called Taryn, and the foster.
I NEVER tresspass, but I made the decision to do so.
In saying that, making others aware of that area, also makes ME a sitting duck for charges.
I made Taryn aware that I PERSONALLY talked to every business along the Plank road corridor, with my card, and a COLOURED flier.
I did 100 colored fliers on my printer, Gabby Robbins was kind enough to make me 25 more.
Now, in speaking to all these businesses, I got permission to be at 3 of them, the 4th was where I was tresspassing.
The camera (which the foster was on, so could see what I could see) stopped working, and I swapped out brands, sent the foster a text to let her know, so she could download the new camera...crickets.
As it turned out, after having to but new batteries, the camera, though only a couple of years old, died.
I EXPLAINED to every single business how important it was, if any staff member was to see her, to immediately turn their back to her, and walk in the other direction. WHY? Because Melanie is in "FIGHT OR FLIGHT" mode, and posting where I saw her is the HUGEST MISTAKE!
Once again, dog search is NOT about driving around and beating the bushes!!!!
In 9 years, I have seen possibly 9 dogs while driving.
That averages one per year!
What happens when a dog comes out of a ditch, as you are driving by? If you make eye contact, and make no mistake about it, the dog see's you stop and look, that dog, in flight mode, runs for the hills!! They are ALWAYS on HIGH ALERT.
What happens when a dog settles?
They stop running, and burning calories they can't afford to lose, and Melanie is already a lean dog.
I was sent the post about not only where she was, which was posted online, but the phone number change, all good, no problem.
That also says to me, that traffic is not only going to get busier, as people go GAWK and try and see her, it also means the possibilities that she crosses the road and gets hit, and flees her "safety zone".
Tracker/trappers NEVER go into a dogs safety zone, EVER.
It also means different scents, people driving on gravel, and not following the flow of traffic , which a dog hears, then it's "ordinary", is not so ordinary anymore, it doesn't feel safe, and it moves.
People who work in the area, are NOT scanning the horizon looking for her, they know the importance of the opposite, because I talked to them all.
They are going through security footage, also knowing that at night, on camera, she will look like a coyote.
I told Taryn I pulled my cameras, for TWO reasons, it's the weekend, and those businesses have locked compounds, and I won't leave expensive cameras there for the next 4 days, with nothing to lure her to those feeding stations, and the other reason is, I have already bought at least 10 rotisserie chickens and gone through a dozen bottles of scent, each that costs me about $8.00 a bottle to make.
It adds up!
This does not include, with the help of my friend Becky Horner, delivering fliers to EVERY SINGLE MAILBOX, on Shiloh line, up Kimball, and up and down Rokeby line, the foster was to hang posters (which I brought) along every intersection that I mapped out for her.
Did I see posters out there, yes, did I see them at all the intersections, no.
Posters are the NUMBER ONE way to get sightings, not driving around, getting out of cars, bringing dogs out, and scanning the horizon on the off chance you see her.
Because every damn time you stop and get out, she may be very well watching you, and you don't even know it.
Whoever helped the foster that day, hang posters, thank you, is there enough out there? No.
Is there enough people actually putting fliers in mailboxes? No.
Not everyone is on social media, and in the country, where dogs "free roam", they may think she is someone's farm dog. And never call, BECAUSE they DON’T have a flier, and there is no poster to make the comparison and make them aware she is missing.
Driving around, thinking you are helping, isn't "cutting it".
And yet, I have been this road far, far, far too often, getting those that "care" to do the hard work of handing out fliers and posters, is like pulling teeth without novacane.
No, its not fun, but it is a necessity!
Making a couple of phone calls, is THE LAZY WAY OUT, and does nothing without actually talking to them face to face and explaining what to do, if the dog is seen.
We ALL have a life, we ALL have other things to do, but if you truly cared, any of you could have said, how can I help.
Where can I put posters, where can I flier, not where can I drive and stay in my car.
I will be here with trap ready to secure Melanie, what I won't do, is constantly pull money out of my pocket, constantly, do the work that others should be doing, and having people "think" that their idea is better, when I know it isn't.
I picked up new batteries, Everready litium which cameras take, want to take a guess what two packages of batteries cost?
16 batteries?
$72.30!!!!!
Yes, Taryn has said she will cover the cost, but how anyone thinks that a senior on a pension can go through 3 tanks of gas, 10 chickens, 12 bottles of scent, 100 coloured fliers, 9 neon posters in a span of 10 days, out of my pocket, add it up!
So? By advertising where she is/was, you have possibly put her life in danger.
If you don't agree with what works, but instead, think you know better, I cannot be a part of that thinking.
I have/ and were, 100% TRANSPARENT with Taryn, she was told where I was, who I talked to, where I had cameras set up, but was told I wasn't being transparent.
I can't stop you from doing what you want, so at this time, I will back out.
I trust science, my training, my experience, my knowledge, my intuition.
I will still be here, I will still set a trap, I will still do my best to secure her.
What I won't do, is pull more money out of my pocket.
It is NOT unusual for a dog to disappear for a week or two, then get a sighting.
Sightings will come, they always do, but it is NOT advertising where that dog felt safe.
