FOUND!!!!!! The long-ish and exciting recap.

Diddy's Back!

Headed down to DC on I-95 to help search, and Alizabeth called saying something about a shelter, but the call kept breaking up. I was anxious to hear so she texted me, but it was just asking about whether he really was tan and black, because they were saying there aren't any black Yorkies. Stupid and random, and got my hopes up that there was something.

About an hour later, she called again and THIS TIME it really WAS something! She said one of the shelters called her (Washington Humane Society, for those tracking this sort of thing) and said "we might have found someone who has your dog, did he have on a harness with little black bones? (YES!) Okay, she gave us permission to give you her number."

Liz called her but only had a last name and no work extension and no other information, so had to give the operator the story and why she was trying to reach her. She found and connected her, and Liz said "Hi, I think you might have found my dog, can you tell me more?"

The woman told her where she found him (3-4 hours later, and 5 miles from when/where he got loose.) She was driving and saw him running around and there was a lot of traffic, and she worried why a little dog was running around there alone so she opened the door and called him and he went right over and hopped in her car. (He loves being in a car!)

She said "Oh, he's real spoiled, we love him, we've been taking care of him all week." She said they were falling in love with him but knew he was probably someone's pet because he was so friendly and well-cared for.

And she actually called the shelter for the first time on Tuesday, and they said nobody called about a lost dog (LIE, we had been calling for days and the service we paid for was to send them posters - didn't, so I'll be sure to note THAT online.) She actually tried a couple of times, and today finally got someone who looked and said "Well, we have a report, but that was for a 2-3lb dog. (LIE, as you all know everything clearly said 7-8lbs). The woman said "are you sure, I think someone must be looking for him, he's well-trained and housebroken, can you check again?" And finally after 10 minutes they said it could be him. And called Liz.

I was already halfway there so kept going and met her at school. The woman said the dog was at her mom's house and we would meet her there. Luckily the woman was an animal lover who had two Yorkies of her own (and if you own a Yorkie, you KNOW you cannot ever walk down the street without noticing one and probably saying hi!) and knew someone wanted him.

Even though she would have liked to keep him, she thought about if she lost one of hers so she said she had to do the right thing.Thank goodness, most people would either have not bothered to try, and once they did, not kept trying. She said she was planning to put up lost dog posters herself this weekend.

Soooo - cautiously optimistic, get to the house and who bounds out but Diddy himself! I had my dog Karma (his littermate) with me and they went crazy bouncing all over each other. He was bouncing from Liz to Karma to Liz and back. We talked for a while, I gave her the reward (and some new, really cute dog outfits I happened to have in the car as a bonus, which she loved). They had really spoiled him, he had bags of bacon treats, a new harness, toys and the whole nine. He also looks like he gained a pound! Her mother had been keeping him, since she had 4 dogs and he wasn't getting along too well with the male. She was really loving him and had started to get attached. (Awww.)  But she's going to get a Yorkiepoo now.

We spent about an hour chatting and thanking them so much, and then finally bundled him and his new goodies up for home. He was very comfortable there, quite at home. The whole time we sat and talked, he laid in his bed, sat on the couch, and played with his temporary family, but the minute Liz stood up he flew across the room and was at her heel. No way he was letting her leave without him!

And now, he's home, miraculously, after a whole week of being missing. And for the first time in a week I'm gonna eat, and then sleep! And then instead of spending tomorrow searching the streets of DC, I'm gonna go home and get some of the work done I haven't been able to do all week.

But first, we want to thank every, every, everybody who posted the message to their status, sent it to a friend, emailed it, called, texted, FB-inboxed us, offered assistance, prayed/chanted/sent up smoke signals for us. Thank you thank you thank you. And then thank you some more.

*grateful and exhausted*
Alizabeth, Cee, Diddy & Karma

Sharing The Good News!

Thanks For Answering The Call To Help - Here's What You Can Do

1. Tell all your friends.Tell, text or email anyone you know in the DC/MD/VA area about Diddy (7-8lb Yorkshire Terrier, Tan and Brown, very small and friendly. Answers to the name of "Diddy" and responds favorably to treats. Last seen running near 4200 13th Street in NE Washington, DC. Go to pleasefinddiddy.blogspot.com for photos and more ways to help.) 

 -- Use Your Connections. 

Do you have an "in" with a reporter, blogger, radio station, or anyone who can bring more attention to this? Use it. It's that important.

2. Post this message in your gChat status.
"My friend Alizabeth has lost her small dog and needs our help finding him. If you can and would like to help, PLEASE click here "pleasefinddiddy.blogspot.com" for a list of specific ways to help, some as simple as posting in your Facebook and gChat and passing the word along. THANK YOU SO SO MUCH."


3. Post this message on your Facebook Status (at least once a day):
My friend's dog is lost! It's 7-8lb Yorkshire Terrier, Tan and Brown, very small and friendly. Answers to the name of "Diddy" and responds favorably to treats. Last seen running near 4200 13th Street in NE Washington, DC. Please keep an eye out to see if you see a dog that fits this description anywhere on the street. Go to pleasefinddiddy.blogspot.com for photos and more ways to help.

(You can also copy or download any of these photos or the poster use when posting, which is very helpful)

WANT TO DO MORE? GREAT.

If you can do any of the following:

1. Download poster from this site (or get them from me) and put up around school (both campuses and near any other schools). On the road, post them where drivers can see.

2. Make some calls to neighboring vets, animal hospitals and further away shelters.

3. Walk around the neighborhood and area with posters and knock on doors.

4. Offer a ride around the neighborhood to cover more ground putting up posters and checking the streets.

5. Offer a ride to visit shelters.


~ Alizabeth & Diddy

You Can Help!

Please please please help spread the word that Diddy is lost! You can download this flier to email to anyone and everyone in DC or the surrounding area, or even outside of the area since they will know someone in DC!

A list to sites we have posted to, and links to view the postings, are listed here (to the right).  If you can help spread the word to more people and places, we want to know about it all! There must be a TON more places you can think of to help spread the word. Are you on any email lists? Do you visit any electronic bulletin boards? Meet up groups?  Please post to your Facebook wall, and tweet about it. The more people that know, the sooner we can find Diddy.

We've been told that kids can be a big help. Can your kids post the flier at their schools? Email addresses for the PTSAs and anyone else associated with any schools will be appreciated if you can pass them on; leave a comment here and we will reach out!

If you can help spread the word to pet related businesses and organizations in the area, that would be huge. Fliers up at animal hospitals, groomers, dog bakeries, dog parks etc etc would be a big help. Pet professionals like dog trainers, pet sitters and dog walkers -- we want them all to know. Yorkie lovers will want to help, so be sure your yorkie loving friends know to be looking if they see anyone with a new-to-them yorkie. NO QUESTIONS ASKED, we just want Diddy back!

Can you speak to your mail carrier? Give a flier to your neighbors, your co-workers and fellow worshippers? Dog lovers are everywhere, so please don't wait till you see someone with a dog of their own to tell them that Diddy is lost.

What other ideas can you think of to help spread the word? We can barely think straight for worry over Diddy, and we are desperate to get him back home!

My Dog Is Lost ... Please Help Find Him

Please help if you can - my daughter's dog slipped away from the dogsitter while she was out of town. He's not wearing a leash or collar but has a harness on. This happened on Saturday, February 19th. Here is her message:

"My dog is lost! 7-8lb Yorkshire Terrier, Tan and Brown, very small and friendly. Answers to the name of "Diddy" and responds favorably to treats. Please help me find my beloved little dog - he's not built for the streets! Last seen running near 4200 13th Street in NE Washington, DC. Please keep an eye out to see if you see a dog that fits this description anywhere on the street, or possibly being carried, someone may have rescued him but not known who/where to contact."

We have done everything we can think of, including notifying shelters, contacting service providers, filing a lost dog report, and using online sites such as petfinder.com, yelp.com, pet911.com, lostmydoggie.com and others, including Facebook and DC Craigslist.

Please reply here or if you see any dog resembling Diddy, or can offer any advice or assistance. Thank you so much.

Details:

Yorkshire Terrier, Male
Pet Color: Brown and Tan
Pet Age: 5 years old
Pet Weight: 8lbs
Date Lost: 02/19/2011
Missing Address: 4210 13th Street NE 20017
Washington, DC 20017
Reward: Yes