10/06/2026
⚠️ WARNING: This post discusses pet loss due to predation and contains graphic subject matter/images.
Before you continue reading or viewing any images, please understand why I am sharing this.
People need to know the REAL risks that come with delaying a search or waiting for a sighting.
And to be very clear: the family in this particular case DID NOT delay. They called immediately. Sadly, the risk was already present.
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.
It is beyond frustrating to continually hear that a “tracker” needs a sighting before they can begin.
That is simply not true.
The term tracker is used far too loosely these days, so let me simplify something:
A properly trained tracking/search dog is the one resource that can begin working a lost-pet case BLIND.
Drones and traps can be incredibly effective tools in lost-pet recovery, but they generally become most useful once you have information about where the animal may be.
A sighting should NOT be what you are waiting for before beginning your search.
Know your environment.
If you live in an area with coyotes, bobcats or other predators, waiting for a sighting can mean the difference between finding your pet, obtaining closure, or never knowing what happened at all.
This particular case was only 48 hours old when we began searching.
Had another day passed, there is a very real possibility that there would have been little or nothing left for us to recover. Perhaps the only evidence would have been predator s**t containing fur that may—or may not—have provided any answers.
I know that is graphic.
I know it is heartbreaking.
But it is reality.
The longer you wait, the greater the possibility that even obtaining 100% closure becomes impossible if your pet has fallen victim to a predator.
Over the years, people have asked me:
“But where is the collar?”
“Where is the harness?”
My dogs are not searching for a collar or harness.
They are searching for your lost pet.
And YES—many lost pets successfully evade predators. Some survive for days, weeks or longer without a single sighting.
But when you don’t know what has happened to your pet, why gamble precious time waiting for someone to see them?
In my mind, once a pet is lost and frightened, potential threats can include animals, people and even vehicles. In this particular case, however, a coyote was responsible—simply acting on its natural instinct.
I worked this case with Nova and Maggie.
We knew the environment. We knew coyotes were present. And we knew we needed to proceed carefully.
In the satellite image:
🟡 The yellow GPS line shows Nova’s track.
🔴 The red GPS line shows Maggie’s track.
❌ The red X marks where I came within approximately 10–15 feet of the coyote shown in the video.
🤍The white heart is the location where I was ultimately able to recover the dog’s remains.
I want people to understand the seriousness of that situation—not only the danger to the missing dog, but the risk involved in entering an area where a predator was actively protecting its prey.
Because I knew what I could potentially be walking into, protecting my search dogs was my priority. Allowing them to make direct contact with the target was not an option.
I stopped both dogs and entered the brush myself.
I didn’t know whether I was going to find the dog, predator s**t, another form of evidence—or nothing at all.
Instead, I found the predator and its prey approximately 10–15 feet from where I had stopped my dogs.
It sounds like a horrific ending.
And emotionally, it absolutely was.
But there is something incredibly important that came from this search:
A family now has 100% closure.
They are not spending weeks, months or years wondering:
Is my dog still out there?
Did someone take them?
Are they hurt?
Are they still alive?
They know.
Not because they waited for a sighting.
Because they called immediately.
The outcome was certainly not the one anyone prayed for, but knowing the truth is far better than a lifetime of wondering.
So PLEASE:
If your pet goes missing and you don’t know where to look, don’t guess.
Don’t assume someone will eventually see them.
Don’t lose critical time waiting for a sighting before asking for experienced help.
This case happened incredibly fast. Sometimes there is nothing anyone could have done to change the outcome.
But when there is a fighting chance, every hour matters.
DO NOT WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO SEE YOUR LOST PET BEFORE YOU START SEARCHING.
A sighting can be incredibly valuable.
But time is something you can never get back.
