I shared this on my personal Facebook page yesterday.  My sister’s dog, Bandit who went missing on the 12th of October has been found!!

October the 12th was a Sunday afternoon, on Monday my sister found out he’d been spotted shortly after he went missing, at a farm about 1/2 mile down the road.

My sister and brother-in-law did all the right things. They alerted all their neighbors as well as authorities.  They contacted local vet hospitals, they put up posters, they set food out by the farm and a pillowcase with their scent on it, they had volunteers helping to search, and of course, they walked the path to the farm every day.  But Bandit eluded them.

This past weekend my sister and BIL were down for a visit and my sister was fairly certain that Bandit was dead.  The farmer on the property Bandit was spotted on, told my sister the Coydogs had raised a ruckus both Sunday and Monday nights.  Typically the coydogs are only heard in their neck of the woods when they score a kill.  My sister and I parted, both with heavy hearts.

Then yesterday afternoon, almost five miles from where he went missing, Bandit was spotted again, this time by the grandson of the man who used to own the company my BIL works for.  When the grandson said he’d seen the dog, his grandfather said, “That’s Ron’s dog!” And promptly called my BIL who lit out of work like the hounds of hell were on his back.

Thankfully the people who spotted Bandit kept him in their sight so when my BIL arrived they could direct him.  When my BIL called to him, Bandit ran.   This is not surprising.  Most dogs who are lost get in the flight zone, all they can think of is escaping whatever it was that scared them. (If you are interested in learning more about how to find a lost dog, check out Mel’s posts at No Dog About It.)

Thankfully my BIL despite his emotional state had the sense to sit down.  Then he began speaking softly to Bandit.

“Bandit, want to go swimming?” (This dog LIVES for the water.)

Nothing.

He tried again using the names of their other dogs, “Bandit, want to go home and see Gordon and JD?” 

At those words Bandit launched himself at my brother-in-law.  He’d recognized something!

My brother-in-law took him immediately to the vet.  Bandit was in rough shape.  He’d lost weight, he had cuts and scratches and at some point he’d had an encounter with a porcupine.  

All told, he lost almost four pounds, had 16 quills removed and his sugar levels were high.  Thankfully the vet felt that the sugar levels were elevated due to stress. The quills were removed, he was given an antibiotic and a rabies shot and was sent home. 

My sister reports he jumped off the couch and greeted her at the door, following her around until she sat.  Then he promptly climbed into her lap where he sat for an hour and a half. 

I want to thank everyone who sent messages or reached out in some form when Bandit was missing, for all who shared his photo and said prayers, it is greatly appreciated.

If you have a lost dog, I want to offer you encouragement and tell you DO NOT GIVE UP!!  Dogs can be found after long periods of time.  They can cover great distances.  Little 18 pound Bandit covered almost five miles in 8 days. There is hope, and believe it or not, happy endings still exist.  It did for Bandit.