 Sheba, reunited with her owner May 4th |  Spice, reunited with her owner May 4th |
By Tip Burrows
FREEPORT, Grand Bahama -- Two happy reunions so far this week as a result of our new website www.grandbahamalostandfoundpets.com! The Freeport News ran a story about the launch of the site on Tuesday; the same afternoon a gentleman came in saying a friend had called him who saw his dog's picture in the paper!
Our Missy, brought to the shelter on March 31st, by a Good Samaritan who found her wandering...we found out her real name is Spice and she was ever so happy to see her human today. He had a video of her on his cell phone which confirmed his ownership.
Another young man came in a bit later saying he heard about our lost and found site and thought he would just come by to see if his lost dogs were at the shelter. Amazingly enough we had found one of them last week wandering in the bush near the shelter.
He was able to confirm his ownership with photos on his computer, and we have now posted his other still missing dog on the website. Our Nivea, his Sheba, was also very happy to go home today! We are all puzzled as he lives in Bahamia and she was found near the shelter.
We have good reason to believe there is a lot of dog theft happening on Grand Bahama. Many people who think their dogs have been stolen don't bother to report it. No matter under what circumstances your pet goes missing it's so important to report it both to us and the police. Just because a pet has been stolen doesn't mean it can't escape from its abductor, or that a good citizen won't see it and make a phone call.
 Picked up as a stray May 3 Regency Park |  Picked up as a stray May 4 Charthouse area |
Don't stop at simply reporting it, either. Make a flier with the dog's picture and paper the town with them. Put it online and in the newspaper. Offer a reward! It often encourages citizens to report on a sighting.
Make sure and also go to the mailboat and the airport, both private and commercial, as we hear dogs are being sent to other islands for sale or breeding purposes. Take fliers to the police and other people who are constantly out in the community...power, water, cable, and telephone company workers come to mind.
We strongly encourage pet owners to keep current (clear) photos of your pets. If the two gentlemen on Tuesday had not had videos/pictures, it would have taken us far longer to confirm their claims. Microchip your pets! Caribbean Veterinary offers this service.
Dogs that appear purebred are most at risk for theft. Pets that are unsterilized are more likely to escape your yard and end up stolen or killed in a fight. Spaying and neutering will help prevent your pet's wanderlust AND their attractiveness to thieves. Keep locks on your gates! If your pet goes missing, report it immediately. Don't assume they will come back home in a day or two. If they've been picked up by us or anyone else, they won't be able to.
Brought in by a Good Samaritan March 20, found in S. Bahamia
The public should also be aware that under the law, we are only required to hold "stray dogs" for four days, after which time we can legally put them down. While this is not our normal practice, and we abhor killing healthy, adoptable animals, we do face tremendous space and financial constraints.
If a dog or cat comes in that is not socialized and is highly aggressive to staff or other animals, its chances are not as good, plain and simple. It's even more imperative that missing pets who might not be friendly with strangers or other animals be reported to us as soon as possible.
In our experience the people most likely to find their missing pets are those who take an aggressive, proactive approach from day one. Fliers, ads, and canvassing the streets. We hope that our new website will become a useful tool, but it is by no means the only tool that should be utilized if your pet goes missing.
Call the HSGB at 352-2477 or email info@hs-gb.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.
