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Follow up on Buddy, the Lost Maltese

(Update from Janet Eggen, Ferndale 115 News, Aug. 30, 2012)

On July 5th, A Pleasant Ridge resident spotted a white Maltese/Poodle  wandering on Ridge Road.  After posting a picture of the dog on the Pleasant Ridge community Facebook page, I, Janet Eggen, another P.R resident, stepped in to help. Twice daily, for three days, she walked the neighborhood looking for him. Residents started posting sightings of the dog on Facebook.  There was a definite pattern to when he appeared, early morning and early evening. However, no one was able to get close enough to catch him.

On July 7th, four Pleasant Ridge residents, including Leah Dolsea an experienced dog rescuer, and administrator of “For the Love of Louie, Michigan Lost Pet Finders” Facebook page, searched the area in hope of rescuing him.  We came very close to catching him, but he escaped through a picket fence. That was the last time we saw him that night. He must have had some really good hiding spots because we searched garages, under decks and yards. Pleasant Ridge residents were very cooperative, allowing us to search their property. Eventually, the search became a community effort.

On Sunday July 8th ten residents gathered at 4 Ridge to organize a search. We had treats, leashes and blankets.  Some residents had bikes, others drove cars, and the rest of us were on foot. We exchanged cell phone numbers and had walkie talkies.  We searched for two hours with no luck.  There were no sightings at all from anyone in P.R. I became very discouraged and feared he had left the neighborhood.

That’s when I contacted Crystal from the 115 Ferndale News. I knew if we had any chance of saving this sweet boy, we would need the help of surrounding communities. Crystal published an article on Tuesday July 10th.  She posted pictures of him and asked if anyone knew of his whereabouts to contact me. I also notified police departments of nearby cities, leaving my number in case anyone found him.

On the morning of July 11th, I began to consider that “our” little guy would not be found.  Then I got a wonderful surprise. I received a phone call from the City of Pleasant Ridge saying that a woman in Ferndale had called stating she has a white dog that fits the description of the Maltese. I knew it had to be him. What are the chances of there being two stray, small, white dogs in the area?

I made contact with the finder and made arrangements to pick him up.  When I arrived at her home, there he was, very comfortable on the living room floor.

The home owner Connie Sigler of Ferndale recounted the story of his capture. On the afternoon of July 10th, her daughter in-law, Laura Zakilpour was helping her clean out the garage. As she was carrying items to the curb, she spotted a small white dog. She tried to coax him towards her but he ran away. She went back to cleaning the garage but soon spotted him sitting under a bench on her driveway. This time the dog allowed her to pet him.  He stayed there while she fed him a can of dog food and then allowed her to bring him into the house.  Connie Sigler’s daughter, Jerry, contacted a local Maltese Rescue. They told her that there was an article in the 115 news about a missing Maltese and instructed her to contact the city of P.R.

 

I just think it’s amazing that after all our rescue efforts he walked up to someone and allowed her to get close enough to bring him to safety. I think he just wasn’t ready to be captured when he was in Pleasant Ridge. There’s an interesting twist to this story.  On the morning of July 10th, the same day he appeared in Connie Sigler’s driveway, she had taken her own 12 year old Bischon to the vet to be put down. When she saw the Maltese for the first time, she was amazed by how much he looked like her Bischon. She also told me how quickly the Maltese bonded with her. He sat on her lap and slept in her bed during the night.  As I was getting ready to take the dog, I approached the Maltese with a leash. He immediately got up and walked under Connie’s walker and laid there. It’s as if he didn’t want to leave her.  I was amazed at how bonded he was with her after just one night. I think he had a mission to complete and that was to comfort Connie after the loss of her Bischon. He wouldn’t let us catch him in P.R because he knew he had a job to do.

The Maltese is now staying with me here in Pleasant Ridge. Thanks to Dr. Burke of Little Friends of Ferndale and donations from a few Pleasant Ridge residents, he is getting the care he needs. He has been on antibiotics for an infection. He also is extremely matted and will need to be shaved down with the use of anesthesia He is adjusting well and gets along great with my two dogs and two cats. He is a very sweet, affectionate dog.  I looked for a caring family, but now I’m pretty attached to this little guy. We call him Buddy. modern tax

He’s doing great. He is 98 % healed. He was groomed, microchiped and treated for infection. He is on a high quality raw diet which has sped up the healing process. His weight is good also. He’s such a sweetie. He loves his toys and runs around chasing his ball. He’s fitting in well with my family, including my other dogs. He’s been here so long, I don’t think I’m going to be able to give him up. We are both very attached. He follows me everywhere and gets so excited to see me when I get home. I wish I knew his past, because I can’t imagine anyone intentionally giving him up or mistreating him. He’s got a passive temperament and is quite the cuddler. Aside from being a little on the hyper side , he’s delightful to have around. So it looks like Buddy is here to stay!

For the most lost pet listings and alerts, follow For the Love of Louie on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/For-the-Love-of-Louie-Michigan-Lost-Pet-Lookers/264553563570926.