On August 6, 2023, Stitch escaped an open door while visiting a family member. He traveled back and forth between Canton and West Simsbury for 16 long hot rainy days. I had been searching for Stitch in collaboration with another group since the night he went missing. I saw the family's cry for help on Facebook right after he escaped and immediately went to the area to help. I met with the family at the family member's home at about 11 pm and was there until about 1 am. I filled out the online request for help for them to engage a 2nd group. I walked them through best practices for recovering the dog and reassured them I would do my best to get him back.
After 16 days of running, I safely trapped Stitch on August 22, 2023, in Simsbury.
During those 16 days, tremendous effort and heart went into finding and recovering Stitch. The volunteers and family checked out every possible lead. We endured thunderstorms, heat and humidity, mosquitos, poison ivy and lack of food and sleep. We were crestfallen each time we discovered a lead we followed was another dog that happened to resemble Stitch. We moved my cameras from location to location hoping to catch a glimpse of Stitch. I monitored the cameras myself 24/7. Lots of wildlife activity led to lots of lost sleep. During those 16 days, neither the family nor myself ever saw Stitch until August 22 – the day he was trapped.
The family received a phone call the morning of Tuesday, August 22 from a resident on Pasture Lane in West Simsbury. The caller had seen Stitch that morning and had also seen him on Sunday, August 20.
Immediately I along with his owner Jess set up a feeding station monitored by my camera in the backyard in the shade. Jess hiked up the hill and scattered bits of food and left her scent up on the ridge. Sarah and Rob from Odies Rescue and Stitch’s mom Betsy were also in the area watching for him. The other group was putting up more posters in the area. We left the area at about 1:15 pm so it would be quiet for Stitch. I felt that he was up on the ridge hiding and watching us.
At 1:53 pm Stitch appeared on my camera and ate the food. Those photos were the first time we had seen Stitch ourselves. It was imperative that we get a trap set immediately before Stitch left the area. The other group did not have a trap available until the following day because their closest trap was in Groton. I wasn't about to wait so I asked for someone to immediately go to my house and get my trap. Sarah and Rob jumped into action and transported my trap from my house to the location. Quickly, we set up the trap, set up my camera and left the area. The other group set up a camera. Then we had to wait for Stitch. When trapping, you never know if the dog will return to the area and/or will go into the trap. All you can do is wait and watch and adjust as necessary.
Since Stitch had eaten a full can of food and gotten water, he probably wouldn’t return for a while. Plus, it was quite hot and humid so my guess was that he was resting in the shade nearby and would come back after dark. Jess the owner waited around the corner in her car. I ran home to feed my dogs. At around 6 PM, I joined her. A couple hours later, Jess and Betsy switched so Jess could go home for a bit. Betsy and I waited in the car hoping the camera would go off because Stitch had returned. Note: No one from the other group was onsite.
At 9:30 pm, my camera alert went off. I held my breath. This could be Stitch. This could be a raccoon or opossum. I looked at my camera app on my phone. The photo showed Stitch at the entrance of the trap. I told Betsy he was there and that we had to wait and hope he would enter the trap. Neither of us could breathe. We waited. Less than a minute later, a photo of Stitch safely captured in the trap came through! He was caught!
Betsy called Jess as we raced over to Pasture Lane while I called Patti from the other group to tell her I trapped him.
Stitch was frightened, but safe. He calmed down once he recognized Betsy. My presence caused him fear, so I moved far away from him. Patti reached Sarah and Rob who came to help carry Stitch in the trap to Betsy’s SUV. I would not risk trying to remove him from the trap on leash. The risk was too great that he could bolt and escape. As we prepared to transport him, I called three vet emergency clinics to see if they would see him. West Hartford Vet Emergency said they could see him. Betsy and Jess with Stitch headed there while I followed in my vehicle.
Once at the ER, I asked if they would bring Stitch inside still safely locked in the trap. I was unwilling to risk him escaping from us. The staff was amazing, and he was brought in on a gurney still in my trap.
Once inside an exam room, Stitch was let out of the trap and double leashed with one slip lead around his neck and another leash attached to his martingale collar. His collar had loosened due to weight loss so that was tightened.
Stitch was uninjured, just thin, matted, smelly and exhausted. After being checked over, he was cleared to go home with instructions for feeding him small, frequent meals and allowing him plenty of water.
Stitch left the hospital wearing both leads. Safety measures prevent dogs from going missing. The family is not letting Stitch run off again.
Thank you to everyone who helped.
After 16 days of running, I safely trapped Stitch on August 22, 2023, in Simsbury.
During those 16 days, tremendous effort and heart went into finding and recovering Stitch. The volunteers and family checked out every possible lead. We endured thunderstorms, heat and humidity, mosquitos, poison ivy and lack of food and sleep. We were crestfallen each time we discovered a lead we followed was another dog that happened to resemble Stitch. We moved my cameras from location to location hoping to catch a glimpse of Stitch. I monitored the cameras myself 24/7. Lots of wildlife activity led to lots of lost sleep. During those 16 days, neither the family nor myself ever saw Stitch until August 22 – the day he was trapped.
The family received a phone call the morning of Tuesday, August 22 from a resident on Pasture Lane in West Simsbury. The caller had seen Stitch that morning and had also seen him on Sunday, August 20.
Immediately I along with his owner Jess set up a feeding station monitored by my camera in the backyard in the shade. Jess hiked up the hill and scattered bits of food and left her scent up on the ridge. Sarah and Rob from Odies Rescue and Stitch’s mom Betsy were also in the area watching for him. The other group was putting up more posters in the area. We left the area at about 1:15 pm so it would be quiet for Stitch. I felt that he was up on the ridge hiding and watching us.
At 1:53 pm Stitch appeared on my camera and ate the food. Those photos were the first time we had seen Stitch ourselves. It was imperative that we get a trap set immediately before Stitch left the area. The other group did not have a trap available until the following day because their closest trap was in Groton. I wasn't about to wait so I asked for someone to immediately go to my house and get my trap. Sarah and Rob jumped into action and transported my trap from my house to the location. Quickly, we set up the trap, set up my camera and left the area. The other group set up a camera. Then we had to wait for Stitch. When trapping, you never know if the dog will return to the area and/or will go into the trap. All you can do is wait and watch and adjust as necessary.
Since Stitch had eaten a full can of food and gotten water, he probably wouldn’t return for a while. Plus, it was quite hot and humid so my guess was that he was resting in the shade nearby and would come back after dark. Jess the owner waited around the corner in her car. I ran home to feed my dogs. At around 6 PM, I joined her. A couple hours later, Jess and Betsy switched so Jess could go home for a bit. Betsy and I waited in the car hoping the camera would go off because Stitch had returned. Note: No one from the other group was onsite.
At 9:30 pm, my camera alert went off. I held my breath. This could be Stitch. This could be a raccoon or opossum. I looked at my camera app on my phone. The photo showed Stitch at the entrance of the trap. I told Betsy he was there and that we had to wait and hope he would enter the trap. Neither of us could breathe. We waited. Less than a minute later, a photo of Stitch safely captured in the trap came through! He was caught!
Betsy called Jess as we raced over to Pasture Lane while I called Patti from the other group to tell her I trapped him.
Stitch was frightened, but safe. He calmed down once he recognized Betsy. My presence caused him fear, so I moved far away from him. Patti reached Sarah and Rob who came to help carry Stitch in the trap to Betsy’s SUV. I would not risk trying to remove him from the trap on leash. The risk was too great that he could bolt and escape. As we prepared to transport him, I called three vet emergency clinics to see if they would see him. West Hartford Vet Emergency said they could see him. Betsy and Jess with Stitch headed there while I followed in my vehicle.
Once at the ER, I asked if they would bring Stitch inside still safely locked in the trap. I was unwilling to risk him escaping from us. The staff was amazing, and he was brought in on a gurney still in my trap.
Once inside an exam room, Stitch was let out of the trap and double leashed with one slip lead around his neck and another leash attached to his martingale collar. His collar had loosened due to weight loss so that was tightened.
Stitch was uninjured, just thin, matted, smelly and exhausted. After being checked over, he was cleared to go home with instructions for feeding him small, frequent meals and allowing him plenty of water.
Stitch left the hospital wearing both leads. Safety measures prevent dogs from going missing. The family is not letting Stitch run off again.
Thank you to everyone who helped.
- Patti, Deb, and Carol from the other group,
- Eric from Zencat Visuals a drone pilot,
- the community – so many people shared his poster, looked for him, offered to help,
- the resident who called in the sighting that led to his recovery,
- Sarah and Rob from Odie’s Rescue,
- The people at West Hartford Emergency Vet Hospital,
- Rick from the Simsbury UPS store for the wonderful posters,
- Liz, Amber, Lindsay and all the wonderful people who helped with posters and hiking and searching. We don’t know the names of everyone who helped.
- Stitch’s family - Betsy, Jess, Eric, and his uncle David - for all their hard work and dedication. They were out there every single day and night looking for Stitch.
