Lost Pet Recovery

10/14/2026

(COLUMBUS, Ohio; COLUMBIA CITY, Ind.)

Please share. Save the next grieving owner the money and the heartache.

Be careful out there, people.

Scammers are using OUR name to prey on people whose pets are missing. NBC4 just ran the story. A Columbia City, Indiana, woman searching for her lost cat, Darla, paid a fake "Lost Pet Recovery" page more than $750. They never looked for her cat. When she asked for proof, they sent her an AI video of Darla, made from a photo she had posted herself. (The original photo of Darla and the AI video made from it are in the comments.)

Darla is home now, thanks to her owner's patience and three days of coaching from the real Lost Pet Recovery, about 175 miles away in Columbus, at no charge.

You share lost dog posts and reunion stories hundreds of times. Stories like this one get scrolled past. But this is the post that can keep the next frantic, grieving owner from handing their last dollar to someone who will never look for their pet.

So share it. Everywhere. Every neighborhood group, every lost and found page, every friend who has ever lost a pet. This is one share that actually makes a difference.

One more thing. This scam started in the comments. Several "helpful" strangers told her exactly which page to call, and they were almost certainly the scammers. Well-meaning advice from people with no experience is how pets get chased farther away and how scammers blend right in. If you have little or no actual experience, don't comment. Point people to someone who does.

Not sure a page is real? Message us. We can usually tell right away.

Don Corsmeier, founder of the Columbus nonprofit Lost Pet Recovery, is warning pet owners about scammers who impersonate his organization to steal money from those seeking help finding missing anim…

10/13/2026

Columbus, Ohio | Franklin County

🐾 SKIPPER IS HOME! 15 DAYS LOST 🐾

Skipper and Nugget went missing when the garage door wasn’t properly shut. Nugget decided the garage was a perfectly good place to stay, but Skipper? Well, he followed his inner Schipperke DNA and went on an adventure of his own!

Schipperkes are alert, energetic, fox-like little dogs with plenty of personality. We knew Skipper might be a challenge to catch, but that never stops Lost Pet Recovery from doing what needs to be done to get a lost pet safely home!

We got our bright intersection signs out while Mom went into action, passing out flyers, talking to neighbors, posting online alerts, and making frequent trips to the shelter. She was determined not to miss that critical three-day window when unclaimed dogs could become available for adoption.

Early tips helped us establish a food station near the railroad tracks, where Skipper had been seen disappearing into the woods. Then, a few days later, Mom was out walking the neighborhood and handing out flyers when a homeowner shared an important clue. They had spotted Skipper a few nights earlier and weren't even sure he was a dog! He was so frightened that they left him some turkey, which he happily ate before heading back into the woods.

Their home was directly behind the area where Skipper had been entering the woods at the railroad tracks. That told us something important: he was moving between these locations!

With the homeowners’ permission, we established a second food station in their backyard. We then created a scent trail between the two stations, hoping to guide Skipper toward a location where we could safely trap him without disturbing his movements. We also knew this backyard would give our volunteers easier access to set and monitor a trap.

After five days, Skipper finally appeared at the original food station near the railroad tracks. As volunteers headed over with the trap, he made his way through the woods and followed our scent trail right into the yard toward the second station! We were encouraged, but after the trap was placed he disappeared again.

Then came several long days with no visits to either food station. We had a couple of sightings in the area, but we couldn't help wondering if Skipper had found another food source and moved on.

Suddenly, on Day 13, there he was again at the railroad tracks food station!

We moved the trap to that location, and Skipper began testing it. A few paws went inside, but he wasn't ready to commit. So, we went into round-the-clock trapping mode, tempting him with all kinds of delicious food.

Each visit brought a little more progress. He was getting closer, but he still wasn't stepping on that trip plate.

And then, in true Skipper fashion, he stopped visiting the trap altogether! We were all left holding our breath and wondering what this little guy had up his paw now. 😂

On Day 14, while baiting the trap, volunteers spotted Skipper on the railroad tracks. He headed toward the trap, and we thought, This has to be it!

Guess who never showed up?

Skipper entered the woods and bypassed the food station completely. Of course he did! This little guy was determined to keep us guessing.

But we weren't giving up.

Another 16 hours passed before Skipper finally returned. This time, he walked all the way inside the trap, and just like that, 15 long days on the run came to an end! ❤️

Mom and Skipper were overjoyed to be reunited. And what did this little escape artist do after getting home? He grabbed his favorite toy and brought it over to show off to all the volunteers who had worked so hard to bring him back!

Because apparently, after 15 days of adventure, Skipper had a very important toy to introduce everyone to. 🧸

He's an adorable little guy, but don't let that cute face fool you. Skipper may be small, but he's Rambo at heart! 💪🐾

Welcome home, Skipper! ❤️

Tonight, Mom can finally rest easy knowing her boy is safe. Skipper can sleep in the comfort of home, and our volunteers can breathe a sigh of relief after days of monitoring cameras, adjusting the plan, and patiently waiting for the right moment.

This is what Lost Pet Recovery does. We don't give up when a dog is difficult to catch. We study their movements, adjust our strategy, and let patience and proven humane trapping methods do their work.

Because finding a lost dog is one thing. Getting that dog safely home is what matters most.

Welcome home, Skipper! Your adventure is over, buddy. 🐾❤️

10/06/2026

Great news! 🗞️

Skipper is home safe after being humanely trapped by our volunteers today. 👏❤️🐾

Please share for sightings!

ALERT AREA: GALLOWAY/COLUMBUS WEST SIDE, Ohio, near I-70 intersection with Hilliard-Rome Road in neighborhoods to the southwest.

Skipper is a 25-pound, all-black dog (like a mini shepherd) who went missing on September 27. Our most recent sighting in the area was Saturday, October 3.

Please call/text us at 614.377.1777 if you *ever* have seen Skipper. Don’t try to pursue, as this scared, skittish pup likely would run, possibly into danger. We appreciate your alert eyes and shares.

LPR 24/7 sighting hotline: 614.377.1777

09/23/2026

SHE HAD A WHOLE FOREST TO EAT. WE HAD SHEEP CRACK. 🐑

Meet Madeline, the sheep who spent over a month living on the side of I-670 near the Airport exit in Columbus.

It all started with Greg Combs, an animal lover through and through. He was headed out for a day of volunteering at Compassionate Acres Farm Sanctuary in Newark when he spotted something you don't see every day on the interstate. A sheep. Just grazing on the shoulder like she owned the place.

Greg pulled over immediately, and more friends of Compassionate Acres, Ryan and Sara Bachelor, soon arrived on the scene. A few months before that, LPR had helped this same sanctuary crew dart a sheep up near Hoover Reservoir, so we were glad to team up with them again.

The sheep quickly disappeared, but in true LPR fashion, we started digging. A call to the police dispatch office revealed that this sheep had been reported in that exact same spot as far back as three or four weeks earlier. She wasn't passing through. She had moved in.

That left everyone with a real puzzle. How do you catch a sheep who has an entire forest buffet at her disposal? Why would she ever come to you?

The answer: SHEEP CRACK. 🌾

Our friend Kristi Krumlauf started baiting the area with a special grain that no self-respecting sheep can resist. About a week in, Madeline finally showed up on one of the trail cameras… and she was interested! Then she vanished again, and everyone held their breath. Slowly, she started coming back, and then she came back regularly.

Over the next several days, a panel trap went up in some seriously heavy brush. Madeline's route was a narrow trail along the top of a small ridge beside the highway, squeezing between two trees. So the trap was set with its door right up against those two trees, in hopes that she would walk her usual path and never realize she was walking into anything at all.

She did exactly that. 🙌

Madeline was NOT happy about it. She threw herself against the panels and leapt straight up into the mesh roof that had been built for exactly this reason. An LPR volunteer raced to the trap, climbed in, and got hands on her to keep her from hurting herself, talking to her and calming her while calling for backup.

Greg, the man who started it all, came right back along with folks from the sanctuary. They held the carrier steady while our LPR volunteer wrestled Madeline inside, and together everyone carried her out of the brush to safety.

A sheep. On I-670. For over a month. And she's been safe and living her best life ever since. 💛

Huge thanks to Greg, Kristi, Ryan, Sara, and all the other friends who came out alongside the folks from Compassionate Acres to help this poor sheep.

If you ever see an animal where it shouldn't be, report it and share it. Sometimes those weeks of sightings are exactly what's needed to bring them home.

09/17/2026

Circleville, Ohio
Pickaway County

❤️ 39 DAYS. 19 MILES. AND FINALLY… HOME. ❤️

Lady slipped away from her home in Orient after being frightened by thunder. For 39 long days, her family searched and waited, with almost no sightings for the majority of the time she was missing.

Then came a report from Circleville—a possible sighting at a water treatment plant.

Lady’s family reached out to Lost Pet Recovery, and we immediately began investigating the sighting, mapping possible travel routes, and placing large intersection signs throughout the areas Lady could have traveled.

It took about another week.

Then came the call we had been waiting for.

A DoorDash driver spotted Lady late at night along US 22 - and then spotted one of our signs. They called, and Lady’s family rushed over. They actually got eyes on her and contacted LPR for guidance.

We talked the family through some luring techniques and gave them some very important instructions:

Do not pursue her.
Leave food.
Back away.

It was incredibly difficult for the family to walk away after finally seeing their girl.

They watched from a distance as Lady came out, ate the food, and then disappeared back into the darkness.

They told us it was one of the hardest things they had ever had to do.

But that decision changed everything.

Instead of chasing Lady away, they had just created the beginning of a trapping scenario—and a real opportunity to bring her home safely.

The next morning, with permission from Bowling Farms to use their property, a volunteer set up a food station and baited the area near a trail camera where Lady had previously been seen eating. Huge thank you to Bowling Farms. Without their kindness and willingness to let us set up the food station and trap, we honestly don't know if we would have gotten another opportunity to safely recover Lady.

And Lady didn't waste any time.

Just 20 minutes after the volunteer left, Lady came in to eat.

When we saw her condition, we knew there was no time to waste.

Our XL trap was in Duncan Falls, so volunteers jumped into action. They drove to get the trap, brought it back, and delivered it to Circleville.

Nearly three hours on the road. That's what our volunteers do.

Once the trap was deployed, it took only a few hours.

LADY WAS SAFELY INSIDE. ❤️

And this sweet girl couldn't have been more cooperative. She calmly laid down in the trap and even took a little nap while waiting for her es**rt home.

Then came the part we'd all been waiting for…

HOME.

When we arrived at Lady's family's house, there was an incredible homecoming party waiting for her. We have honestly never seen so many people come together for one reunion.

She has some healing and recovery to do. She has had veterinary care and she is home, she is safe, and she is surrounded by the people who love her.

Welcome home, Lady. ❤️

Sometimes the hardest thing you can do is walk away from a lost dog you've finally found.

But sometimes, walking away is exactly what brings them home.

09/12/2026

🎉Update: Thanks to those bright intersection signs, Turbo is HOME SAFE🐾❤️

🚨Please share for sightings!
ALERT AREA: Groveport, Ohio, Franklin Co.
>>> Bixby Rd & Groveport Rd
South Columbus, Obetz >>>

Turbo is a black & tan miniature pincher who went missing on September 6th. There have been a few sightings the day of in the area but our trail has gone cold.

Please let us know if you ever have seen Turbo. For his safety, please don’t try to pursue him, as he likely would run, possibly into danger. Instead, just call/text us asap, 24/7, at 614.377.1777 to provide location details. We appreciate you raising the alert for him.

📲 LPR sighting hotline: 614.377.1777

09/10/2026

🐾 UPDATE ON BAINS — LIVING THE GOOD LIFE! 🐾

Full rescue story here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1bNTSs1kiS/?mibextid=wwXIfr

We thought you’d enjoy a little update on one of the many dogs we’ve had the privilege of trapping and rescuing.

After being left to fend for himself for two years, Bains' life has completely changed. Today, this sweet boy is living his best life as the official club mascot of the historic Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky! 🥰🐾

From surviving on his own to being loved, spoiled, and surrounded by people who adore him—this is exactly why we do what we do. ❤️

A huge THANK YOU to Rhonda Wilson of Lost Pet Recovery and GRRAND – Golden Retriever Rescue & Adoption for helping make Bains' dream come true. What a transformation!

Want to keep up with this very special rescue boy? Follow Bains on Instagram!
📸 Instagram:

Full TV appearance by Bains: https://tinyurl.com/dfr4v22b

09/01/2026

Circleville, Ohio
Pickaway County

When Dutchess ran from an unfamiliar location, her family quickly reached out for help. We deployed our bright intersection signs and received several early sightings, giving us hope that she was still in the area.

However, Dutchess never found the food station we had waiting for her. With no consistent location to keep her anchored, sightings eventually dried up, and we weren't sure whether she was still nearby.

Then, after 34 long days, we finally got the call we had been waiting for.

A caller had witnessed Dutchess crossing onto a nearby property, and with permission from the homeowner, one of our volunteers was able to set up a food station and camera there. Within hours, Dutchess found it and eagerly ate the food that had been left for her.

We immediately deployed a trap and began watching the cameras, waiting for her return.

The following day, we received another call indicating that Dutchess was very close to the trap location. Our volunteers in the area even spotted her sitting in a yard near the road she had previously crossed. We knew she was close. Now we just had to wait and hope that by nightfall, hunger would bring her back to see what had been left for her.

And finally, she came.
For 1.5 hours, Dutchess carefully inspected the trap. She walked around it, investigated every inch, and tried to decide if it was safe enough to enter. But eventually, hunger won.

Dutchess finally stepped all the way inside at 1:30 am, and the trap door closed behind her—securing her safety at last.

After 35 days on the run, Dutchess was finally es**rted home and reunited with her family.

And the best part?

You can see the pure joy we got to witness when she finally recognizes family and realizes she’s home!”❤️🐾