I bet that the owners wish that she could talk to tell them what had happened!
Anyway, it was a nice message not to give up hope, and we are so glad that you are still thinking about us.
Thursday, 15 March 2012
A message of hope
Many thanks to Harriet and Harriet's mum for sending us this link to the story of a springer spaniel found after being missing for 5 years. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/Dog-missing-years-reunited-Toton-owners/story-15410637-detail/story.html
Thursday, 1 September 2011
Saturday, 27 August 2011
Thursday, 2 December 2010
Saturday, 7 August 2010
Croydon cascade
Boy the system can kick into action sometimes - which is absolutely lovely! Reassuring to know that people are still looking out for us (and Sky!) after all this time but yet again, it wasn't Sky.
This is what happened:
Phone call 23.15 this evening. Not a problem as I'd only just got in from work. I answer the phone thinking oh no, that's my sleep disappearing down the plughole, phone calls at this time generally meaning I have to go back in.
The lovely Kate from doglost.co.uk (the best lost dog website by far) said there had been 3 or 4 postings about a dog found today in Croydon which was a black labrador with a 'skin complaint' on its back. The dog was in the lady's garden and she couldn't get a dog warden to come out.
Anyway, I rang her, and it turns out she tried a vet instead and the dog was fortunately microchipped and has been successfully reunited with its owners.
Last week saw 2 Spinone's go missing (same breed as the lovely Jacob who went missing soon after Sky and is still at large). One stolen by a travelling community and the other missing in woods, who ran to the owner's car 5 days later! The stolen dog was reunited following the offer of a reward.
A large reward stands for both Sky and Jacob.
Kate says the police are getting more proactive about travellers these days and many stolen dogs have recently been reunited with their owners, which is nice.
We are still very happy tonight - when a dog matching Sky's description appears, there are lots of lovely people all over the UK jumping into action. Thank you Doglost.co.uk
This is what happened:
Phone call 23.15 this evening. Not a problem as I'd only just got in from work. I answer the phone thinking oh no, that's my sleep disappearing down the plughole, phone calls at this time generally meaning I have to go back in.
The lovely Kate from doglost.co.uk (the best lost dog website by far) said there had been 3 or 4 postings about a dog found today in Croydon which was a black labrador with a 'skin complaint' on its back. The dog was in the lady's garden and she couldn't get a dog warden to come out.
Anyway, I rang her, and it turns out she tried a vet instead and the dog was fortunately microchipped and has been successfully reunited with its owners.
Last week saw 2 Spinone's go missing (same breed as the lovely Jacob who went missing soon after Sky and is still at large). One stolen by a travelling community and the other missing in woods, who ran to the owner's car 5 days later! The stolen dog was reunited following the offer of a reward.
A large reward stands for both Sky and Jacob.
Kate says the police are getting more proactive about travellers these days and many stolen dogs have recently been reunited with their owners, which is nice.
We are still very happy tonight - when a dog matching Sky's description appears, there are lots of lovely people all over the UK jumping into action. Thank you Doglost.co.uk
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
Activity to report, but still no success.
Many thanks to the kind person (anonymous) who sent us the link to the black lab with what looked like a patch of fur missing on the animalsearch website: http://www.animalsearchuk.co.uk/view_found_pet.php?id=11109
This dog looked so like Sky from the face and the hair loss on the back. By far the best match we have seen. However the white patch on the chest was not right. For a while we dared to hope that a white patch might just develop with time (OK, silly, irrational etc, but hope can give a powerful distortion of reality!). Unfortunately when we contacted the nice lady who had taken him in it clear that it was definitely not Sky.
Val sent us a lovely story of a lost lab reunited after many years:
Made us happy and sad at the same time. Still, maybe next time it will be us.
Tuesday, 11 May 2010
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Friday, 30 April 2010
Cappuchino, Biscotti and Latte
For concerned bloggers, the good news is that Honey and Scraggy are doing fine after their little attack by a dog. We now have lovely new fencing around the orchard and outbuildings, so our hens and ducks are out of their pen again and happy. The pen's not a bad size but boy, are they good at making you feel bad, crowding around the gate clucking "let us out" in Hen. Unfortunately before the fencing was completed, one of the little white call ducks got randy and chased Mrs Mallard through the gap and was snatched by Mr Foxy in front of my eyes. I couldn't believe the bad luck - he was outside the fencing for less than a minute.
So in compensation I have 2 lovely Indian Runner females and am getting 2 duck eggs per day. We've named our remaining white call duck Latte, as the new ones are fawn coloured so were duly named Cappuchino (white and fawn) and Biscotti (all fawn). Latte's very proud of his harem, but is struggling with his hormones as he's a lot smaller than them and watching him try to hang on while he exerts his manhood is very comical. I'm sure I don't need to be more graphic; there may be children reading.....
I'll badger Tim into putting some photos of our newbies on the blog this weekend (Mrs Technophobe here). We both have both days of the weekend off and are at home (novel).
No Sky related events at all this month :-(
There was a loose black labrador near East Midlands airport for a couple of weeks, proving quite hard to catch, but eventually laying food did the trick. She was duly rescued and was lovely and friendly once calmed down apparently. We were alerted quite soon in proceedings, so yet again the system activated. People are still trying to help.
Even the lady I got the ducks from, a good 10 miles northwest, knew about Sky.
I found myself ringing the microchip company the other day, just to check there'd been no queries on his number, but no. The lady was lovely and said it was absolutely fine to check and she was so sorry he was still missing, but if there was a query they'd call us straight away. It put my mind at rest.
Lastly, there's a lady called Lyndsey in Oxfordshire who's lost an 18 month old male staffordshire bull terrier, 25th March. I will write to her today. All I can say Lyndsey is - don't give up, put lots of adverts in your local free rags to spread the word, and if you start a blog I'll happily cross post it here.
So in compensation I have 2 lovely Indian Runner females and am getting 2 duck eggs per day. We've named our remaining white call duck Latte, as the new ones are fawn coloured so were duly named Cappuchino (white and fawn) and Biscotti (all fawn). Latte's very proud of his harem, but is struggling with his hormones as he's a lot smaller than them and watching him try to hang on while he exerts his manhood is very comical. I'm sure I don't need to be more graphic; there may be children reading.....
I'll badger Tim into putting some photos of our newbies on the blog this weekend (Mrs Technophobe here). We both have both days of the weekend off and are at home (novel).
No Sky related events at all this month :-(
There was a loose black labrador near East Midlands airport for a couple of weeks, proving quite hard to catch, but eventually laying food did the trick. She was duly rescued and was lovely and friendly once calmed down apparently. We were alerted quite soon in proceedings, so yet again the system activated. People are still trying to help.
Even the lady I got the ducks from, a good 10 miles northwest, knew about Sky.
I found myself ringing the microchip company the other day, just to check there'd been no queries on his number, but no. The lady was lovely and said it was absolutely fine to check and she was so sorry he was still missing, but if there was a query they'd call us straight away. It put my mind at rest.
Lastly, there's a lady called Lyndsey in Oxfordshire who's lost an 18 month old male staffordshire bull terrier, 25th March. I will write to her today. All I can say Lyndsey is - don't give up, put lots of adverts in your local free rags to spread the word, and if you start a blog I'll happily cross post it here.
Tuesday, 30 March 2010
Not adding up, north of Odstone
While we await further information from Watermead Park, we have a conundrum north of Odstone (within the Bermuda triangle of black lab sightings). We mentioned that while we were in Mexico there was a mystery black lab, loose, seen by 2 women who know the area well and couldn't place it.
Last week we had a call from a lovely man called Simon who said he had been out on his horse all morning (does the route regularly) and had seen a black dog for a couple of hours, sitting contentedly in a field where some tyres have been dumped. This is a field which used to have maize at the height of the Bermuda triangle times so I knew it well, near a humpbacked bridge going over a disused railway with lots of nice hidey holes.
Tim and I were in work so I rang dear Tori on spec, and she leapt into action (it's 10 mins from home) with dog biscuits and the full "how to get a timid dog to come to you" training. Simon had said he thought there was a mark on the back and grey around the muzzle. I was besides myself with this information, and at the right moment Tim, whose diary said he was examining medical students' finals all day, appeared by my side saying they were overbooked with examiners and he had a free day totally unexpectedly. Within 5 mins I'd despatched him!
He arrived to find Tori who'd coaxed the dog to her, discovered it was a collie cross and not Sky, rang Ann our lovely dog warden and by the time Tim got there it was all over, with the dog en route to Animal Rescue in Hathern.
It turns out the dog was about 10 months old, didn't look like it had been "lost" for very long and remains unclaimed today, a week later.
Simon was so apologetic and there seemed to be no reassuring him that, but for people like him who make such an effort to contact us, we'll never find our little boy!
So is this the dog seen 2 weeks earlier? It doesn't sound likely but we don't know. We'll keep an open mind and remain fairly reassured that our spies are out there.
Meanwhile another doggy website has taken us on after a pleading email from me and will publicise a flyer about Sky amongst many of their connections. Thanks to Val from Barlestone who passed on their contact details.
Sad news a week ago. A neighbourhood dog attacked our hens 2 days in a row and on the 2nd day (literally we only let them out for half and hour and were with them but for 5 mins when Tim went to his tool-shed and I unloaded some washing) the dog killed beautiful Bossy (pack leader). Scraggy and Honey have been injured but are recuperating (with the aid of nice vet Linda). All are confined to barracks while we sort out additional protection (electric plus post-and-rail fencing). Poor Bossy had a slow death which had to be terminated by Tim in the end as we couldn't bear it.
And to think of all the time Tim has spent peeing around the hen run, with us thinking foxes were the main enemy (seriously, it's definitely true that this human scent keeps them away - loads of people say so................... ask anyone who keeps hens - OK, too much information LOL!)
Last week we had a call from a lovely man called Simon who said he had been out on his horse all morning (does the route regularly) and had seen a black dog for a couple of hours, sitting contentedly in a field where some tyres have been dumped. This is a field which used to have maize at the height of the Bermuda triangle times so I knew it well, near a humpbacked bridge going over a disused railway with lots of nice hidey holes.
Tim and I were in work so I rang dear Tori on spec, and she leapt into action (it's 10 mins from home) with dog biscuits and the full "how to get a timid dog to come to you" training. Simon had said he thought there was a mark on the back and grey around the muzzle. I was besides myself with this information, and at the right moment Tim, whose diary said he was examining medical students' finals all day, appeared by my side saying they were overbooked with examiners and he had a free day totally unexpectedly. Within 5 mins I'd despatched him!
He arrived to find Tori who'd coaxed the dog to her, discovered it was a collie cross and not Sky, rang Ann our lovely dog warden and by the time Tim got there it was all over, with the dog en route to Animal Rescue in Hathern.
It turns out the dog was about 10 months old, didn't look like it had been "lost" for very long and remains unclaimed today, a week later.
Simon was so apologetic and there seemed to be no reassuring him that, but for people like him who make such an effort to contact us, we'll never find our little boy!
So is this the dog seen 2 weeks earlier? It doesn't sound likely but we don't know. We'll keep an open mind and remain fairly reassured that our spies are out there.
Meanwhile another doggy website has taken us on after a pleading email from me and will publicise a flyer about Sky amongst many of their connections. Thanks to Val from Barlestone who passed on their contact details.
Sad news a week ago. A neighbourhood dog attacked our hens 2 days in a row and on the 2nd day (literally we only let them out for half and hour and were with them but for 5 mins when Tim went to his tool-shed and I unloaded some washing) the dog killed beautiful Bossy (pack leader). Scraggy and Honey have been injured but are recuperating (with the aid of nice vet Linda). All are confined to barracks while we sort out additional protection (electric plus post-and-rail fencing). Poor Bossy had a slow death which had to be terminated by Tim in the end as we couldn't bear it.
And to think of all the time Tim has spent peeing around the hen run, with us thinking foxes were the main enemy (seriously, it's definitely true that this human scent keeps them away - loads of people say so................... ask anyone who keeps hens - OK, too much information LOL!)
Monday, 22 March 2010
Watermead progress
More progress on the Watermead black lab. Our local 'detective' spotted the same van last weekend and managed to have a 'chance' chat with the driver. All seemed above board, but did not manage to get a close view as the lab had been swimming and was running (unfortunately Sky's scar was usually more visible after swimming so this dog is unlikely to be our lost boy). The dog also looked older than Sky. Still we are miles further forward in being sure about these reports as we know that he is likely to be walked on a sunny weekend day at Watermead. I think that we will be spending more time there!
Sunday, 14 March 2010
Surveillance Saturday
What is it about going on holiday? You go weeks with no calls then you're guaranteed at least one while you're several thousand miles away.
This time, being North America and us not having tri-band, we didn't pick up the message until driving up the M40 from Heathrow on Wednesday afternoon. A very nice lady called Carol had seen a black lab with a scar in (yes) Watermead Park last Saturday around 2pm. She said the scar was "at the top of its leg". He was with a man of retirement age who looked respectable, and the dog seemed healthy and happy. They were in a silver van of the Transit type, with windows on the sides.
So guess where we were yesterday 1.30-3.30pm, esconced in the Jeep with our little picnic, watching the main entrance and the car park where she'd seen him? But alas, no action.
Still it gets us a bit nearer - the publicity in that area was worth it, there is a black lab with a scar (although probably not in the right place), and hopefully sooner or later we can pin down its identity.
Meanwhile we had a message on the answering machine as we arrived home from Heathrow. Near Odstone, site of many of the Barton-area sightings, a lady who know all about Sky and is out and about a lot in that area (and know all the dogs) saw a mystery black labrador while we were away. As ever, it fled when approached and they weren't able to get close enough to see if there was a scar, and it was getting dark. But they thought that there was a collar (which would not fit for the nearest known 'wandering' black labs who come from a farm about 2 miles away). They then spent hours the next day trying to track the dog down with no luck - such fantastic help again from complete stranegrs! It is these calls from people who work outside and know all the local dogs that make us still wonder 'maybe, just maybe'. They will keep an eye out and keep us posted.
Then there was another call yesterday morning from south of Ashby de la Zouch. A black lab on its own seen wandering by the roadside. The lady's daughter said "there's a poster about a dog called Sky near my school" so they drove over there (miles) then called us. Tim set sail, but quite quickly was able to trace its owner at a house nearby (our technique of knocking on doors and talking to anyone in the street was again proven to be so much better than searching for the dog - wish we had know this from the beginning!).
So again, the system works - which is reassuring. And yet again, the helpfulness and generosity of the general public restores your faith in humanity.
John (Jasper's dad) if you're reading this can you mention the 2nd sighting to any dog owners walking around in Watermead please? Thanks.
Oh and yes, we had a brilliant time in Mexico sea kayaking around islands in the Sea of Cortez and whale watching on the Pacific coast. We're thinking of doing the same next year to hopefully get better sightings of the whales - they were close but the water was choppy and waves quite big. Tim did very well to not be sick! Top tip - Stugeron tablets. Physician heal thyself.
This time, being North America and us not having tri-band, we didn't pick up the message until driving up the M40 from Heathrow on Wednesday afternoon. A very nice lady called Carol had seen a black lab with a scar in (yes) Watermead Park last Saturday around 2pm. She said the scar was "at the top of its leg". He was with a man of retirement age who looked respectable, and the dog seemed healthy and happy. They were in a silver van of the Transit type, with windows on the sides.
So guess where we were yesterday 1.30-3.30pm, esconced in the Jeep with our little picnic, watching the main entrance and the car park where she'd seen him? But alas, no action.
Still it gets us a bit nearer - the publicity in that area was worth it, there is a black lab with a scar (although probably not in the right place), and hopefully sooner or later we can pin down its identity.
Meanwhile we had a message on the answering machine as we arrived home from Heathrow. Near Odstone, site of many of the Barton-area sightings, a lady who know all about Sky and is out and about a lot in that area (and know all the dogs) saw a mystery black labrador while we were away. As ever, it fled when approached and they weren't able to get close enough to see if there was a scar, and it was getting dark. But they thought that there was a collar (which would not fit for the nearest known 'wandering' black labs who come from a farm about 2 miles away). They then spent hours the next day trying to track the dog down with no luck - such fantastic help again from complete stranegrs! It is these calls from people who work outside and know all the local dogs that make us still wonder 'maybe, just maybe'. They will keep an eye out and keep us posted.
Then there was another call yesterday morning from south of Ashby de la Zouch. A black lab on its own seen wandering by the roadside. The lady's daughter said "there's a poster about a dog called Sky near my school" so they drove over there (miles) then called us. Tim set sail, but quite quickly was able to trace its owner at a house nearby (our technique of knocking on doors and talking to anyone in the street was again proven to be so much better than searching for the dog - wish we had know this from the beginning!).
So again, the system works - which is reassuring. And yet again, the helpfulness and generosity of the general public restores your faith in humanity.
John (Jasper's dad) if you're reading this can you mention the 2nd sighting to any dog owners walking around in Watermead please? Thanks.
Oh and yes, we had a brilliant time in Mexico sea kayaking around islands in the Sea of Cortez and whale watching on the Pacific coast. We're thinking of doing the same next year to hopefully get better sightings of the whales - they were close but the water was choppy and waves quite big. Tim did very well to not be sick! Top tip - Stugeron tablets. Physician heal thyself.
Thursday, 25 February 2010
no.10
Yesterday morning was quite eventful - and had a happy ending. A lost dog was spotted by Tim as he headed up our lane to catch a train to London at 7am. He phoned me once he'd persuaded this very frightened, beautiful, pointer bitch to come to him and get a lead around her (collarless) neck - using some old Sky biscuits. I ran up the land and took over so he didn't miss his train, and spent a good half an hour persuading this poor trembling, muddy dog to come back to our house. It took a dog bowl full of tinned ravioli to get her inside - she was starving.
After an hour of drying her off, giving her water, a slice of bread, lots of love and a bit of peace and quiet while I dived in the shower (having to leave at 9am to do some high level interviewing), she settled on one of Sky's blankets, even gave me a wag, and looked exhausted.
Stupid me didn't think to take a picture to show you all - doh!!!
I rang the farm nextdoor - Lynn said the hunt had been through the previous day.
I rang the dog warden's office and they contacted Ann, our fabulous dog warden, who came on her way to work.
She stepped through the door and like Cesar Milan (the Dog Whisperer) this dog sniffed her, looked happy, and was later seen trotting off with her to the car with a totally different body posture than 2 hours previously.
She took one look and said "she's not a pointer, she's a fox-hound" (have a look on the internet dear bloggers - not much in it!). Oh, it's Wednesday - the Atherstone hunt came through here yesterday. She picked up an ear and found a tattoo saying "10", and said she'd have her back home in no time!
Tim's very proud of himself as she says fox hounds are notoriously hard to get to come to you - they are outside, pack animals, who get very frightened when separated from the pack and will only respond to very familiar people.
So a happy ending all round - I checked this morning and the dog was returned to its owner.
Yes you can guess the next bit. Ffion had spent 2 hours thinking this was an omen from God and if the dog was unclaimed on our return from Mexico in 2 weeks' time (going in 40 mins' time and need to stop prattling on on this blog) - then this beautiful creature was destined to be ours.......
I felt strangely unsettled all day yesterday.
Anyway, today is different - off to do sea kayaking and camping in a nature reserve in the Sea of Cortez with (hopefully) close encounters with whales and dolphins and sea lions. I am like a kid at Christmas!
Wonderful Pat will be hen, duck and house-sitting for us.
Got to go!
After an hour of drying her off, giving her water, a slice of bread, lots of love and a bit of peace and quiet while I dived in the shower (having to leave at 9am to do some high level interviewing), she settled on one of Sky's blankets, even gave me a wag, and looked exhausted.
Stupid me didn't think to take a picture to show you all - doh!!!
I rang the farm nextdoor - Lynn said the hunt had been through the previous day.
I rang the dog warden's office and they contacted Ann, our fabulous dog warden, who came on her way to work.
She stepped through the door and like Cesar Milan (the Dog Whisperer) this dog sniffed her, looked happy, and was later seen trotting off with her to the car with a totally different body posture than 2 hours previously.
She took one look and said "she's not a pointer, she's a fox-hound" (have a look on the internet dear bloggers - not much in it!). Oh, it's Wednesday - the Atherstone hunt came through here yesterday. She picked up an ear and found a tattoo saying "10", and said she'd have her back home in no time!
Tim's very proud of himself as she says fox hounds are notoriously hard to get to come to you - they are outside, pack animals, who get very frightened when separated from the pack and will only respond to very familiar people.
So a happy ending all round - I checked this morning and the dog was returned to its owner.
Yes you can guess the next bit. Ffion had spent 2 hours thinking this was an omen from God and if the dog was unclaimed on our return from Mexico in 2 weeks' time (going in 40 mins' time and need to stop prattling on on this blog) - then this beautiful creature was destined to be ours.......
I felt strangely unsettled all day yesterday.
Anyway, today is different - off to do sea kayaking and camping in a nature reserve in the Sea of Cortez with (hopefully) close encounters with whales and dolphins and sea lions. I am like a kid at Christmas!
Wonderful Pat will be hen, duck and house-sitting for us.
Got to go!
Monday, 1 February 2010
Targetting Syston just in case
Spurred on by John, Jasper's dad (of the December scar on back labrador at the Syston end of Watermead Park) and the general encouragement of a number of you, we're hitting that locality a bit.
A big THANKS to Val from Barlestone, who has blasted companies in that area with posters, and given me info which has resulted in postings on Leicestershirevillages.com, the Leicester Mercury blog which is locality based, and a mention in next month's Syston Town News publication. Val, your persistence encourages us so much.
I went to Birstall (next to Syston) last Friday and the large Borrajo's vet practice had put our poster up by the front door, after I posted it to them. They were really friendly and said they always scan new animals, and just recently had reunited a cat with its owner. The "new owner" brought it there with an abscess, but the chip went ping, and the real owner said he'd been search ever since the cat went missing. So I left there feeling "in safe hands". Their sister practice does the same.
I then went to the small practice in Syston itself. John is right about the slightly eccentric vet, who operates out of a Victorian terraced. He didn't recognise Sky, but they now have a poster up, and hopefully it will stick in his memory.
So that's the end of the little flurry for now.
I suppose Sky's so healthy that he's unlikely to need to go to a vet much till he's older. Hopefully, though, he could tell his new "owners" how much he enjoyed his trip to France and persuade them to take him. Then he'll have to get a new pet passport and that's when his existing chip will ping................
A big THANKS to Val from Barlestone, who has blasted companies in that area with posters, and given me info which has resulted in postings on Leicestershirevillages.com, the Leicester Mercury blog which is locality based, and a mention in next month's Syston Town News publication. Val, your persistence encourages us so much.
I went to Birstall (next to Syston) last Friday and the large Borrajo's vet practice had put our poster up by the front door, after I posted it to them. They were really friendly and said they always scan new animals, and just recently had reunited a cat with its owner. The "new owner" brought it there with an abscess, but the chip went ping, and the real owner said he'd been search ever since the cat went missing. So I left there feeling "in safe hands". Their sister practice does the same.
I then went to the small practice in Syston itself. John is right about the slightly eccentric vet, who operates out of a Victorian terraced. He didn't recognise Sky, but they now have a poster up, and hopefully it will stick in his memory.
So that's the end of the little flurry for now.
I suppose Sky's so healthy that he's unlikely to need to go to a vet much till he's older. Hopefully, though, he could tell his new "owners" how much he enjoyed his trip to France and persuade them to take him. Then he'll have to get a new pet passport and that's when his existing chip will ping................
Sunday, 17 January 2010
Nil points at Hamilton
Happy 2010 dear bloggers
After the Watermead episode Ffion started obsessing about the phone call from nearby Hamilton last February, where a man described a black dog with a scar on the housing estate. So on Sunday, 2 weeks ago, we set off, armed with the usual flyers and posters (with the extra sentence mentioning a possible local connection, to get attention).
Tesco Extra doesn't do community noticeboards but the nice lady in Tesco's petrol station said she was "not supposed to", but she'd "put the poster up", with a friendly smile! Don't know how long that one lasted before the boss caught on...
In the Hamilton estate, which is a bit surreal - one of these new builds with quite fancy looking houses and "middle class" vibes emanating from the company car on each drive, we found a Sainsbury's 7 - 11 and put a poster up there. We put a flyer through the new-build primary school too. However, never have I seen such a dog-free zone. I know it was icy but there was only ONE dog walker out in half an hour of kerb crawling. When quizzed, he retreated (Ffion's vivid imagination judging him to have something to hide, but Tim's logical mind refuting this and declaring him a normal person), saying he didn't know anything. Not- "but I'll keep an eye out" etc - hmmmphh. The estate is heavily Southeast Asian (40% of Leicester's population) and they're not doggy people.
So here we are, 2 weeks on, and not a whisper. Nor anything from our scouts in Watermead Park. Today I took the poster down from our window onto the lane, 13 months on. That was a sad moment. Within our village Tori and Guy, and Ali and Esmond are still displaying theirs in their windows, our loyal supporters. I shall mention it next time I see them.
Tim's dad died this week. Tim is cheering himself up with amazing footage from 2 of our nesting boxes. He has infra-red cameras in an owl box, where a kestrel is in residence (!) and a blue tit box, where a little blue tit sits at night plumping up his feathers like one of those crazy puffer fish who can go spherical. Although we'd prefer to see Mrs Barn Owl in her box, we are still hoping for positive pregnancy tests all round.
Anyone got any advice for husbands addicted to their laptop while in bed, viewing 'other birds' ??
After the Watermead episode Ffion started obsessing about the phone call from nearby Hamilton last February, where a man described a black dog with a scar on the housing estate. So on Sunday, 2 weeks ago, we set off, armed with the usual flyers and posters (with the extra sentence mentioning a possible local connection, to get attention).
Tesco Extra doesn't do community noticeboards but the nice lady in Tesco's petrol station said she was "not supposed to", but she'd "put the poster up", with a friendly smile! Don't know how long that one lasted before the boss caught on...
In the Hamilton estate, which is a bit surreal - one of these new builds with quite fancy looking houses and "middle class" vibes emanating from the company car on each drive, we found a Sainsbury's 7 - 11 and put a poster up there. We put a flyer through the new-build primary school too. However, never have I seen such a dog-free zone. I know it was icy but there was only ONE dog walker out in half an hour of kerb crawling. When quizzed, he retreated (Ffion's vivid imagination judging him to have something to hide, but Tim's logical mind refuting this and declaring him a normal person), saying he didn't know anything. Not- "but I'll keep an eye out" etc - hmmmphh. The estate is heavily Southeast Asian (40% of Leicester's population) and they're not doggy people.
So here we are, 2 weeks on, and not a whisper. Nor anything from our scouts in Watermead Park. Today I took the poster down from our window onto the lane, 13 months on. That was a sad moment. Within our village Tori and Guy, and Ali and Esmond are still displaying theirs in their windows, our loyal supporters. I shall mention it next time I see them.
Tim's dad died this week. Tim is cheering himself up with amazing footage from 2 of our nesting boxes. He has infra-red cameras in an owl box, where a kestrel is in residence (!) and a blue tit box, where a little blue tit sits at night plumping up his feathers like one of those crazy puffer fish who can go spherical. Although we'd prefer to see Mrs Barn Owl in her box, we are still hoping for positive pregnancy tests all round.
Anyone got any advice for husbands addicted to their laptop while in bed, viewing 'other birds' ??
Tuesday, 22 December 2009
Merry Christmas everyone
With only 3 days to go, and us working right through to Sunday, which is the Coats' Official Christmas Day (like the Queen has an official birthday) we should wish you all a Happy Christmas at this point.
No info at all from Watermead dog owners or the 2 veterinary surgeries :-( I do hope they've put our posters up.
Maybe every man and his dog (with a scar) will be out on Boxing Day if the beautiful weather continues?
By the way, useful information sent from Diana in Cornwall, who is a blog-follower, regarding trying to post comments - "you may find it helpful to change the type of comment form you use. My browser (firefox) doesn't allow me to use the embedded-style comment box like yours. You have the option in 'settings' to use a comment form that comes up either as a separate little box, or a new page. People rarely have trouble leaving comments with those types". Thanks Diana.
No info at all from Watermead dog owners or the 2 veterinary surgeries :-( I do hope they've put our posters up.
Maybe every man and his dog (with a scar) will be out on Boxing Day if the beautiful weather continues?
By the way, useful information sent from Diana in Cornwall, who is a blog-follower, regarding trying to post comments - "you may find it helpful to change the type of comment form you use. My browser (firefox) doesn't allow me to use the embedded-style comment box like yours. You have the option in 'settings' to use a comment form that comes up either as a separate little box, or a new page. People rarely have trouble leaving comments with those types". Thanks Diana.
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
The Watermead Connection
Just a mini-update to say we're not much further forward right now.
Thanks to everyone who has emailed or sent good wishes with Christmas cards - a lot of people read Sky's blog but a number of you have difficulties posting comments. I've found that clicking on the drop down menu that says Google Accounts then typing in the letters they show you in the box does work, but those of you having difficulty are not dim, so maybe it only works from some computers!
Thanks also to Sue from doglost.co.uk who's been in contact to put an advert about Sky in a national publication which goes out in February, with the 2 pictures of him - front on and his back.
So back to "The Watermead Connection" as it is now known.
The location of Watermead Park sparked a memory which I've traced back to a call on 28th Feb from a man in a new housing estate in a place called Hamilton, really close to Wtmd Park. He specifically mentioned a scar on a black dog on a lead. He was a bit vague, it was 2 weeks previous and didn't fit with any other calls, and we had lots of other leads to follow at that time, so we took no further action. The location was tricky - he was vague and Google maps and A-Z maps didn't have the estate on them. However, if you had recently got a dog and over the next few months bothered to go beyond the estate and get in your car for a walk, Watermead is where you might go. When I re-looked at the map I did a double take!
I have emailed the 2 closest veterinary surgeries to Watermead Park and spoke to 2 very obliging receptionists. Lots of animal lovers in our area spread the word and kept eyes peeled after seeing our poster in Sky's vet surgery. The receptionists were a bit vague about the email system though and Tim and I have been working around the clock (literally - we're having a very bad patch at work at the moment) so haven't been able to pop in to the surgeries. I'm posting them each 2 posters for display this morning, with covering note.
So after 4 days of adverts in the Mercury (good sized ones which stood out in the Classifieds) no other calls about an actual scar, than Jasper's dad. We're glad we haven't been inundated with vague calls which take so much time and energy, and do feel that the softly, softly approach is right for now. If this is a real lead we don't want someone to feel hounded. Sorry, no pun intended!
Thanks to everyone who has emailed or sent good wishes with Christmas cards - a lot of people read Sky's blog but a number of you have difficulties posting comments. I've found that clicking on the drop down menu that says Google Accounts then typing in the letters they show you in the box does work, but those of you having difficulty are not dim, so maybe it only works from some computers!
Thanks also to Sue from doglost.co.uk who's been in contact to put an advert about Sky in a national publication which goes out in February, with the 2 pictures of him - front on and his back.
So back to "The Watermead Connection" as it is now known.
The location of Watermead Park sparked a memory which I've traced back to a call on 28th Feb from a man in a new housing estate in a place called Hamilton, really close to Wtmd Park. He specifically mentioned a scar on a black dog on a lead. He was a bit vague, it was 2 weeks previous and didn't fit with any other calls, and we had lots of other leads to follow at that time, so we took no further action. The location was tricky - he was vague and Google maps and A-Z maps didn't have the estate on them. However, if you had recently got a dog and over the next few months bothered to go beyond the estate and get in your car for a walk, Watermead is where you might go. When I re-looked at the map I did a double take!
I have emailed the 2 closest veterinary surgeries to Watermead Park and spoke to 2 very obliging receptionists. Lots of animal lovers in our area spread the word and kept eyes peeled after seeing our poster in Sky's vet surgery. The receptionists were a bit vague about the email system though and Tim and I have been working around the clock (literally - we're having a very bad patch at work at the moment) so haven't been able to pop in to the surgeries. I'm posting them each 2 posters for display this morning, with covering note.
So after 4 days of adverts in the Mercury (good sized ones which stood out in the Classifieds) no other calls about an actual scar, than Jasper's dad. We're glad we haven't been inundated with vague calls which take so much time and energy, and do feel that the softly, softly approach is right for now. If this is a real lead we don't want someone to feel hounded. Sorry, no pun intended!
Friday, 11 December 2009
A Watermead Day
So it felt like back to the old days - freezing fog, warm coat on, (the little red riding hood number), armed with flyers, off in the car again on another Sky mission. Little boy, if you only knew how hard we've searched for you.
I met Jasper the dalmatian's dad, who still thinks (looking at the picture on Blog 23 Feb, which is a bit different from the one we put in the Leicester Mercury) that the scar resembles the one on the black lab he saw, which he places at around a week ago.
However he, and all the many other dog owners I met (as ever - all extremely helpful), have not seen the dog at any other time. Watermead Park is a bit on the tourist map, so people can go there as a one off. He showed me the area where he saw the dog, and I spent a couple of hours getting my bearings - in case of another call. A chance meeting with a man and his wife and dog, who works for the council, meant I was put in touch with another man who could put me in touch with the Park Rangers, who will also keep an eye out.
And if I had a pound for the 25% of people who said "oh, do you mean Sky?" or the other 25% who said "oh yes, I've seen about him in the Mercury", I'd be rich.
We are refraining from putting posters around and about, in case the person who had the dog (on a lead apparently) gets scared and goes underground.
Another suggestion put to me was a local reporter for Central News, who one of the dog-walkers thought might fill a news-poor Xmas slot with a 30 second plea for Sky, with a picture of his scar. Need to give some thought to that. It could be a double edged sword. Any opinions from our bloggers would be welcomed.
Previously (as Jon and Shelley have found) the TV doesn't think a missing dog story is interesting enough. However it is a year on, and Xmas is - as we all know - short on real news.
The Mercury is carrying the advert again tonight and tomorrow night.
So here we are. Another waiting game.
Thanks Jasper's dad. It's observant people like you who might solve the mystery one day.
I met Jasper the dalmatian's dad, who still thinks (looking at the picture on Blog 23 Feb, which is a bit different from the one we put in the Leicester Mercury) that the scar resembles the one on the black lab he saw, which he places at around a week ago.
However he, and all the many other dog owners I met (as ever - all extremely helpful), have not seen the dog at any other time. Watermead Park is a bit on the tourist map, so people can go there as a one off. He showed me the area where he saw the dog, and I spent a couple of hours getting my bearings - in case of another call. A chance meeting with a man and his wife and dog, who works for the council, meant I was put in touch with another man who could put me in touch with the Park Rangers, who will also keep an eye out.
And if I had a pound for the 25% of people who said "oh, do you mean Sky?" or the other 25% who said "oh yes, I've seen about him in the Mercury", I'd be rich.
We are refraining from putting posters around and about, in case the person who had the dog (on a lead apparently) gets scared and goes underground.
Another suggestion put to me was a local reporter for Central News, who one of the dog-walkers thought might fill a news-poor Xmas slot with a 30 second plea for Sky, with a picture of his scar. Need to give some thought to that. It could be a double edged sword. Any opinions from our bloggers would be welcomed.
Previously (as Jon and Shelley have found) the TV doesn't think a missing dog story is interesting enough. However it is a year on, and Xmas is - as we all know - short on real news.
The Mercury is carrying the advert again tonight and tomorrow night.
So here we are. Another waiting game.
Thanks Jasper's dad. It's observant people like you who might solve the mystery one day.
Thursday, 10 December 2009
Flicker of hope - Sky Army, stay on standby!
Hello bloggers
Our first night of advertisement went in the Mercury last night. 3 more to go. Had lovely text today - "are you the two doctors who put and advert in a year ago? please tell us where we can go walking with our dog". Amazing that people remember.
Then this morning, the exact type of call we are looking for. A man who walks his dog Jasper the dalmation in Watermead Park (north of Leicester, nice lakes and paths, good dog-walking zone) saw a black lab 1-2 weeks ago and thought "gosh, that's a nasty scar". Obviously thought no more about it till seeing our advert so called me today.
He's 95% sure it was a weekday and was between 0930 and 1130 in the morning. Luckily I've got the day off work tomorrow, so guess where I'm heading?!
From past experience, the best way you can get to the bottom of things is just go there and walk up to anyone you can see (definitely anyone with a dog) and strike up a conversation and ask.
So I'll try that in the morning, and unless I get sufficient negatives to "call the search off" we may be calling upon the generosity of the Sky Army to do some patrolling in the area in the coming week or two.
Promise I'll keep you all posted. Trying to not get too excited but am a bit like a woman possessed tonight!
Ffion
Our first night of advertisement went in the Mercury last night. 3 more to go. Had lovely text today - "are you the two doctors who put and advert in a year ago? please tell us where we can go walking with our dog". Amazing that people remember.
Then this morning, the exact type of call we are looking for. A man who walks his dog Jasper the dalmation in Watermead Park (north of Leicester, nice lakes and paths, good dog-walking zone) saw a black lab 1-2 weeks ago and thought "gosh, that's a nasty scar". Obviously thought no more about it till seeing our advert so called me today.
He's 95% sure it was a weekday and was between 0930 and 1130 in the morning. Luckily I've got the day off work tomorrow, so guess where I'm heading?!
From past experience, the best way you can get to the bottom of things is just go there and walk up to anyone you can see (definitely anyone with a dog) and strike up a conversation and ask.
So I'll try that in the morning, and unless I get sufficient negatives to "call the search off" we may be calling upon the generosity of the Sky Army to do some patrolling in the area in the coming week or two.
Promise I'll keep you all posted. Trying to not get too excited but am a bit like a woman possessed tonight!
Ffion
Tuesday, 1 December 2009
One Year On :-(
We have just returned from a lovely 3 weeks in South Africa, combining wildlife - lots of seals, dolphins and whales, lots of sleep, seeing old friends and attending a conference. Geoff & Angela, our friends, looked after our house while we were away. Somehow, we still expected to arrive home to have Sky bolt down the drive towards us like a tornado and hear all about his escapades and funny moments.
Today it's a year since he disappeared into thin air.
Part of us can't believe it's been that long, then sometimes it feels like we can barely remember the happy days before the nightmare began. This morning it's picture postcard outside in our lovely 6 acres of land - sunny and frosty. I just went out to feed the hens and ducks (aka the girls and boys) and it's very cold out there. Unfortunately it's exactly the weather we had a year ago so it makes today feel more poignant. Could he have succumbed to cold and hunger in those early days? Everyone says not - he's a labrador, built for very cold climates and an expert scavenger. And if he'd died, I now know (didn't back then) that the farmland and villages are patrolled enough that a dead dog would probably found - most likely by another dog.
It has still got to be the most likely scenario that he's sitting on someone's couch, having a great time, being fed bananas, mackerel, carrots and the remains of meat casseroles - all his favourite things.
If he was found with his big scar, looking all pathetic and bedraggled, and larding affection on his finder, you can just imagine that they'd think "poor, abused, cast-out dog" and we know (didn't back then) that there is a substantial minority of people who think they're doing the right thing by not trying to contact the owner - or simply can't be bothered.
In which case, maybe - just maybe - one day he'll end up at a vet's or rescue centre where his microchip gets scanned and BINGO.
I think we need to do a "one year on" advert in the Leicester Mercury this week. There is a high level of readership and if the population of our county has not seen him in the last year (we'll put in the picture with the scar) then he simply can't be around here.
Of course Captain Paranoid keeps telling me the hair could have grown over the scar if cold temperatures stimulated hair growth. There was no sign of regrowth over the previous 2 years, but who knows?
In and amongst all the emotions, the overwhelming feeling I still have is still to absolutely marvel over how amazing people have been - from friends and family, to work colleagues, complete strangers and the general public. It's been incredible. There are a lot of doggy people out there.
To use a cliche it really does restore your faith in humanity.
I could list a long list of people here that I would like to thank but that would risk accidentally missing someone important out, so I won't. But I really want to thank Tori from the bottom of my heart. She has trudged the fields, accosted strangers, sat and planned strategy over maps and cups of coffee, launched off in the car at a moment's notice, kept us sane, and has been a total stalwart. Thank you Tori for everything. I know you miss Nevis your black lab, so at times it's been hard for you but you never showed it.
To everyone else who has supported us so much in so many ways, today seems a good opportunity to say a massive THANK YOU.
And to Jon and Shelley, who are still searching for Jacob in similar circumstances to us http://missingbraccojacob.blogspot.com/ - I hope we all have a happy ending one day, and thanks for the psychotherapy! If those boys return saying what a good time they've had in California chasing bitches and smoking joints, they're going to get such a telling off........
Today it's a year since he disappeared into thin air.
Part of us can't believe it's been that long, then sometimes it feels like we can barely remember the happy days before the nightmare began. This morning it's picture postcard outside in our lovely 6 acres of land - sunny and frosty. I just went out to feed the hens and ducks (aka the girls and boys) and it's very cold out there. Unfortunately it's exactly the weather we had a year ago so it makes today feel more poignant. Could he have succumbed to cold and hunger in those early days? Everyone says not - he's a labrador, built for very cold climates and an expert scavenger. And if he'd died, I now know (didn't back then) that the farmland and villages are patrolled enough that a dead dog would probably found - most likely by another dog.
It has still got to be the most likely scenario that he's sitting on someone's couch, having a great time, being fed bananas, mackerel, carrots and the remains of meat casseroles - all his favourite things.
If he was found with his big scar, looking all pathetic and bedraggled, and larding affection on his finder, you can just imagine that they'd think "poor, abused, cast-out dog" and we know (didn't back then) that there is a substantial minority of people who think they're doing the right thing by not trying to contact the owner - or simply can't be bothered.
In which case, maybe - just maybe - one day he'll end up at a vet's or rescue centre where his microchip gets scanned and BINGO.
I think we need to do a "one year on" advert in the Leicester Mercury this week. There is a high level of readership and if the population of our county has not seen him in the last year (we'll put in the picture with the scar) then he simply can't be around here.
Of course Captain Paranoid keeps telling me the hair could have grown over the scar if cold temperatures stimulated hair growth. There was no sign of regrowth over the previous 2 years, but who knows?
In and amongst all the emotions, the overwhelming feeling I still have is still to absolutely marvel over how amazing people have been - from friends and family, to work colleagues, complete strangers and the general public. It's been incredible. There are a lot of doggy people out there.
To use a cliche it really does restore your faith in humanity.
I could list a long list of people here that I would like to thank but that would risk accidentally missing someone important out, so I won't. But I really want to thank Tori from the bottom of my heart. She has trudged the fields, accosted strangers, sat and planned strategy over maps and cups of coffee, launched off in the car at a moment's notice, kept us sane, and has been a total stalwart. Thank you Tori for everything. I know you miss Nevis your black lab, so at times it's been hard for you but you never showed it.
To everyone else who has supported us so much in so many ways, today seems a good opportunity to say a massive THANK YOU.
And to Jon and Shelley, who are still searching for Jacob in similar circumstances to us http://missingbraccojacob.blogspot.com/ - I hope we all have a happy ending one day, and thanks for the psychotherapy! If those boys return saying what a good time they've had in California chasing bitches and smoking joints, they're going to get such a telling off........
Saturday, 17 October 2009
Woody and Digger
More calls this week.
Today a lovely man called Joe rang, already fully aware of the Sky saga, and happening to be a friend of Darren, the man who lent us the (fateful, stolen, never found - thanks for nothing Leics police youknowwhotookititsobvious) trap. A black lab had just run out onto a lane in front of his landrover then darted back through the hedge into the field. He rang from the road, I jumped in the Jeep and joined him, right in the middle of the Hot Zone.
Alas, 15 minutes of chat later we heard a noise crashing around the other side of the hedge, my heart in my mouth as you'd imagine, saw a black lab - and a lady owner. She of course also knew all about Sky and spent a couple of months in the winter walking around with a carrot in her pocket, prepared to call "dinner".
Woody (I think I've remembered his name right?) had espaped through the hedge and that's what Joe had seen, 25 mins earlier, she assured us. Oh well - yet again at least the system kicks in and one day the mystery might be explained.
Another Digger encounter last Monday. It took till today to figure it out. A lady who lives in the Lount (many sightings there, you'll know if you're a Skyblogger) saw a black lab who scarpered once viewed, Monday morning. Called us Tuesday. I got in late so called back Wednesday. Wanted to call Digger's owner but the nice man from Carphone Warehouse had kindly wiped all my contacts in changing me to my new mobile phone a few days ago (aaggrgh!). Called her today and yes, Digger got out last Monday and made his way to Barton in the Beans - via the Lount.
Again, at least we've got to the bottom of it. And useful to know that although Digger's usually sociable, he can just take fright and run, so we can't necessarily use behaviour to discriminate between calls.
Ho hum...
Today a lovely man called Joe rang, already fully aware of the Sky saga, and happening to be a friend of Darren, the man who lent us the (fateful, stolen, never found - thanks for nothing Leics police youknowwhotookititsobvious) trap. A black lab had just run out onto a lane in front of his landrover then darted back through the hedge into the field. He rang from the road, I jumped in the Jeep and joined him, right in the middle of the Hot Zone.
Alas, 15 minutes of chat later we heard a noise crashing around the other side of the hedge, my heart in my mouth as you'd imagine, saw a black lab - and a lady owner. She of course also knew all about Sky and spent a couple of months in the winter walking around with a carrot in her pocket, prepared to call "dinner".
Woody (I think I've remembered his name right?) had espaped through the hedge and that's what Joe had seen, 25 mins earlier, she assured us. Oh well - yet again at least the system kicks in and one day the mystery might be explained.
Another Digger encounter last Monday. It took till today to figure it out. A lady who lives in the Lount (many sightings there, you'll know if you're a Skyblogger) saw a black lab who scarpered once viewed, Monday morning. Called us Tuesday. I got in late so called back Wednesday. Wanted to call Digger's owner but the nice man from Carphone Warehouse had kindly wiped all my contacts in changing me to my new mobile phone a few days ago (aaggrgh!). Called her today and yes, Digger got out last Monday and made his way to Barton in the Beans - via the Lount.
Again, at least we've got to the bottom of it. And useful to know that although Digger's usually sociable, he can just take fright and run, so we can't necessarily use behaviour to discriminate between calls.
Ho hum...
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