Step 3 – Working with the Family/Rescue/GS

*** Pending formatting –  maybe multiple sections?

Working With Family/Rescue

 

 

 

6. A. They should put out stinky food and scent out at home at all times.  We call this a food station. Scent can include both personal items such as worn clothing – socks are great, sweaty t-shirts, pillowcases they have slept on, etc., as well as food type scent such as Liquid Smoke or even beef or chicken broth.  Fish sauce, found in the oriental food section of the grocery store, is another option. Examples of stinky food that are good to use are: plain cheesburgers, bacon, venison, sardines, vienna sausages, potted meat, spam, rotisserie chicken (off bone),  canned dog or cat food, canned tuna or salmon, etc. They should use the liquid scent to lay a wagon wheel scent trail with home/POF at the center (see graphic).  ***MAKE SURE THESE GRAPHICS ARE ATTACHED TO THIS DOCUMENT IN THE DEN Whenever there is a sighting, the same thing should be done…stinky food and then scent trails.

 

1. B. Advise hand catching techniques. Tell them to have a slip lead with them at all times, as well as treats.  Talk them through the process, which entails getting down low and averting their eyes if they see the dog…sometimes it is necessary to turn your back completely or even lay down.  That they should not call out to the dog, but talk to them in a friendly/sing-songy type voice.  If there is more than one person or a bonded dog is with them, talk to each other or to the bonded dog, saying things like “Wouldn’t it be nice if (dog’s name) would come up to us so we can go home?” “Here’s a treat for you, do you think that (dog’s name) would like a treat too?” etc.  If you have a treat bag, crinkle the wrapper.  If the dog is watching, throw a treat over shoulder and see what the dog does. If the dog starts to approach, keep doing the same thing, tossing treats closer.  If they keep approaching, you can try to hand feed a treat (but still no direct eye contact) and all the while keep talking to the other person/dog/about the dog/etc.  If the dog will eat out of your hand then you can try to hand feed with one hand and grab the collar with the other hand, or if no collar or harness is on, have the slip lead ready and pop over their head.  ****IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO WATCH VIDEOS OF THIS PROCESS****. Some can absolutely be hand caught with enough calm patience.

 

1. Trapping – Explain we want to lure the dog to a safe area with food and scent for humane live trapping. We do this via food stations at sighting locations and sometimes right at the POF. We can even set up a trap inside a garage.  Explain that in order to trap a dog we need them to feel safe and stay in an area so it is very important that they don’t drive the dog away from a safe spot by searching. We want to use our Retrievers humane traps when possible. If we can’t physically get a trap there, we can advise the family or rescue on building  or borrowing a trap and other necessary equipment. In cases where we or a teammate can get a trap out for a case, we do that. We consider our coverage area for “boots-on-the-ground” work to be  within an hour of CM with equipment. Some CM’s do go further if they have the availability, but it is not expected. That is the CM’s and/or trapper’s call.. Not all CM’s are trappers; if a CM1 needs to trap a dog they will need to enlist the help of a CM2 – they are trained trappers. Standard live traps that can be purchased at stores, etc. are not idea;  We strongly prefer to use ours. However, we can talk them through  using a standard trap if that is the only option available due to distance etc. Standard traps are not as inviting to the dog and can have complications. But we can work with that if needed.

 

1. Advise them to make signs and put them out ASAP. Stress how important this is – SIGNS GET DOGS HOME SAFE.  Depending on area and dog, they should do 10-15 minimum to begin with, spanning out a few miles.

 

1. A flyer is created for each dog and will be in their CT. As soon as this is completed, send it to the family or the rescue.  Ask if they would prefer to have it sent by email or text or both.  This flyer can be printed and given to neighbors, posted up in area businesses such as coffee shops, grocery stores, etc., as well as given to homes by any sightings. Flyers are created in color but can be printed in black and white.  Let the family know that if they do not have a printer it is easy to send to someplace like a local printer, Office Max, etc. to be printed and picked up. The flyer can also be shared electronically to Nextdoor or other neighborhood groups, local businesses, etc.  Our awareness team will send to area businesses but they can’t always get to a new case right away so if the owner/rescue can do this themselves right away, that is great!

 

Awareness-Once a dog is posted it goes to the awareness chat, the AC team takes each dog in the order that it is posted.  The dog’s flyer is shared by the AC person to all online businesses that have Facebook.  The awareness person will post, on the dog’s thread in the den, that they are taking awareness with date and time and will also post when awareness is complete.  If you need expanded awareness tag Toni telling her you would like expanded awareness and list which towns.

 

 

 

1. If the dog is micro-chipped, advise them to call the chip company and let them know that the dog is lost. , The microchip company can flag the chip number as lost and send an alert to area vets. Advise the family/rescue to alert the police department and county sheriff (with flyer if possible), animal control, local vets. . It is very important to advise them not to post sightings on social media, because if specific sighting locations are given, well-meaning people often go to the area and try to catch the dog, often driving them away from a safe spot and sometimes into dangerous situations.  Tell them that if anyone posts a specific sighting location online, to please make note of it and then ask the person who posted to take the information down immediately.  Suggest that they contact local radio stations and place newspaper ads. You can tell them about   direct mailers, which is something that can be done through the post office.  See Files in Den for more information on this. Can we have a file put in the den that tells about this process?  I don’t think details need to be here since it is done so seldom.  But it is hard to go back and look in CM chat for details so I think we would all benefit from having it in the den.

 

• Food stations can consist of puppy kibble (this is higher in fat for more calories while they are running) as well as high value food and scent. Plain cheeseburgers, rotisserie chicken (deboned), bacon, venison, ham & cheese sandwiches from gas stations, potted meat, hot dogs, wet cat food, sardines, etc. (think high odor)… Liquid scent can be: chicken or beef broth, fish oil, worcestershire sauce, BBQ sauce (diluted), liquid smoke. Liquids can be mixed together or used alone, A large sprayer works well or pour directly on the ground. If spraying, cover the perimeter of property, spray trees, hang unwashed clothing from trees or fences. The wagon wheel pattern works great. Scent trails can also be placed on ground or down a street. Either pour out window every few feet while driving or walk and leave bits of treats, scent every few feet. The family can also cut up an unwashed clothing article into little pieces and leave in a trail. This is perfect to not draw in other critters. Food stations should be refreshed at least once daily if not twice- this also depends on if the food is being eaten by other critters. The old food should be picked up and removed from the area. Taken home and disposed of. Fresh food left.

 

 

 

 

Ongoing Collaboration With Family/Rescue

Communicate with the family regularly. Some families will want more communication than others. Be sure to check in occasionally if they aren’t reaching out to you.  We want to help the family as we are able but they need to be putting in equal time or more, if they can. . If they are able-bodied, they can do signs. They may not want to and they may feel that they are a waste of time but always stress the importance of signs.  Signs find dogs.  Not everyone is on social media and we get many dogs safe because someone saw a dog and then saw a sign and called to give the location.  They are extremely important.  If the family needs help then making signs is a way that friends and family can help them.  We will provide a tutorial link (this should be in the same file in the den with other graphics for them to download and share) as well as photos of sample signs. We will assist if they are unable, for example if they are elderly. We also need them to keep up food stations, etc. We cannot do all the work for them.

 

The family needs to be responsive in a timely manner and follow our suggestions. When there are issues, talk with them and try to find a solution. But if there are major problems, check with BOD and we may need to disengage from the case if they are not cooperating, not following instructions, not doing what is needed. When they sign the request  they are agreeing to abide by our process.  It is heartbreaking for us when we have to disengage from a case, as we are in this to get the dogs safe. But we need the family’s cooperation.

 

Beyond the basic do’s and dont’s, much depends on the dog. Although each case is different. ,the initial advisement is the same.  For example, if the dog is a young,  we want to start with a r broader coverage area for signs than we would do for a 14 year old dog who doesn’t walk well. We always want signs, but think of the dog and circumstances in each case when making those decisions.  You will learn more from every case you work on.