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Featured Rescues
*this is a small fraction of the rescues that we've completed. We do our best to highlight our missions but can't get them all listed here.
Joy- lost 14 days
WELCOME HOME JOY- Pretty wild story!!! Another cat hitched a ride in a car and ended up about 3.5 miles away!!!
Missing from Aug 5-18th- 14 days
Joy went missing from Prospector Campground while her family was visiting and camping from out of state. They were walking her in her harness and leash by the water when she got spooked and she slipped her harness. The owners looked frantically for her for a couple days before reaching out to us. Once they did, signs were hung and a FB post was shared to help spread local awareness, and the search was on. There were a couple possible sightings by some fellow campers but the owners did not see her.
On August 11th, a neighbor of our volunteer noticed a black and white cat under his car in Summit Cove. Zac went out to look for the cat but didn't see it and assumed it was a neighbor cat. A few nights later, our volunteer Shelly actually saw Joy on her security camera. We compared markings and confirmed that it was in fact Joy. We assume that Joy hitched a ride with Zac on 11th because he was at the campground that day searching. We will never know how she made it down to Summit Cove from the campground, but this is the most logical possibility. Especially since cats like to hide up inside car engines or bumpers when they are scared. A trap, scent/food station and camera was set up!
Over the next couple days, Joy wasn’t seen again and the owners had to drive back home to Texas. Finally on the 17th Joy was seen on camera and in person walking back and forth from Shelly’s to Zac’s houses, which is a few blocks away from each other, although she ran from all of us each time she was seen. We find it absolutely crazy and hysterical that Joy knew who was looking for her and made herself seen to both volunteers. The owners were already in Texas and decided to drive back yet again on the 18th. They pulled into the Cove around 7:30pm and Shelly saw Joy cross the street again heading towards Zac’s house 3 minutes later. They immediately went to Zac’s and started doing calming techniques and they were finally able to grab and secure her!
She was secured in the truck while we all celebrated and talked about how crazy this mission was. During that time, Joy decided it would be funny to lock the truck while it was running!!!! With the owners locked out now, we were getting ready to call the police, right as Joy rolled the window down to let them in!!!!
She got a clean bill of health from the vet and is truly happy to be home!!
Blaze- lost 1 day
WELCOME HOME BLAZE!! Blaze is the sweetest 5 month old puppy who escaped from his owners while playing on the beach in Dillon. He still had his leash on and ran up over the Dam Rd and down into the bike path area. Our team and owners searched into the night with no luck. The next morning a good samaritan saw our neon signs AND saw Blaze chilling in the rock scree below the Dam Rd. The owners and our team went right away and did calming techniques so he wouldn't run. We were able to close in on him and secure him! Yay for neon signs, NOT CHASING, and calming techniques for the win!! Go team go!!!
Finley -lost for 2.5 weeks
WELCOME HOME FINLEY
Finley is a black and white, long hair indoor only cat who has never been outside before. He went missing from his home near Boreas Pass Rd in Breckenridge and was nowhere to be found. Our volunteers helped the owner with our standard search protocols, dug everywhere in their and neighbors yards, hung neon signs and FB posts to try to get public awareness, hung up a camera at the owners house as they left a door or two cracked open to give him access to come back in. ( this is the best tip for anyone who loses a cat, is to leave a door cracked open).
There were a few false sightings of a different cat, but it was not Finley. Just when the owner was starting to give up hope, we got a call late last night on the July 16th. Two amazing good Samaritans found Finley at Sapphire point!!!!!!! They stopped to enjoy the sunset and Finley meowed and came directly up to them as if he was asking for help. They called Dispatch first and then they called us. They were instructed to drop the cat off at the 24 hour safety dropbox at the shelter (this is a great resource if somebody finds a dog or cat after hours and can’t hang onto it) until we were able to get there to get Finley and return him to the owners.
We would love if Finley could talk and tell us how he got alllll the way to Sapphire Point. Our thoughts are that he most likely hid inside a car when he initially went missing, as many cats do. Then the car probably took off and stopped somewhere near Sapphire Point and that’s when Finley most likely hopped out of the car and got displaced. This happens more often than people think, so always check cars if your cat goes missing!! They like to hide inside car engines, tire wells and bumpers.
We are sooooo grateful the two Good Samaritans TOOK ACTION and secured Finley and called us immediately!! We thank them for not just walking away and later telling us they saw a cat! They knew he needed help and stepped into action to be Finley’s heroes!!
These reunion pics and videos are so heartfelt!!
For more lost cat search tips, please see the picture attached.
Mae- lost 1/2 day
Mae ran off when she got spooked on her morning walk and her leash was still attached. She ran up the trail system so we asked the owner to leave a scent station at the trailhead to encourage Mae to come back down off the trail. The owners and our volunteer went to search. Mae was hiding in the woods and her sibling dog Stan sensed her. The family was there w/Stan and our SLPR volunteer, so they just stayed on the trail talking and singing to coax her out. Our volunteer had a bag of treats that crinkled. It was the sisters voice that coaxed her out as she sang real happy and playful singy songs!!
Calming Techniques WORK!!! This is why we always tell people DO NOT CHASE OR YELL!!! Our lost pet alumni Maple helped as well with her owner! (She’s the tan/white furry in the pic)
