Lost Dog Found

It is two weeks later and I am finally able to sit and try to put this terrible experience into words.

If I let my mind wander/think too much though, my throat closes, my breathing becomes rapid and I start to feel sick and anxious.

The Thursday before Easter we decided to head to Hilton Head for a long weekend of quality family time. I was very excited because we would be meeting up with some friends AND I felt confident in our boarding arrangements for Chloe.

Earlier in the week the kids and I had visited a boarding facility recommended by our vet. It is the place the vet/techs and even a few random folks I have met down here use. The lady who owns it is named Julie and she and her husband bought some property, installed an in ground pool and have dedicated themselves to caring for dogs. She even provides pick up and drop off service. What is not to love?

So Thursday around 11:30 when Chloe got picked up to head to doggie camp for the weekend I was feeling pretty good :)

We made our way to Hilton Head and arrived around 3:30. By 4 we were on the beach and enjoying our vacation. What I didn't know was that around this time Chloe escaped from the kennel. Apparently a dog was entering a play area through one door, and another dog was exiting through another door. Chloe got out. A careless mistake was made, Chloe took advantage and made her getaway.

I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF HER ESCAPE UNTIL 6:00 FRIDAY EVENING! She had been lost for 24 hours, during a storm, in a national forest, before I was even notified! I was immediately brought to tears and at a loss for what to say to Julie? Since I had already had a couple margaritas pool side, Pete left Hilton Head to drive back to Charleston in hopes of locating her. He searched until midnight. No Chloe. By 6 am the next morning (Saturday) he was back out searching. At 11 when he still hadn't found her (the last sighting of her was actually at 6:30 on THURSDAY night) he headed to HH to pick the kids and I up. Well, 51 miles from HH, he got a call from a neighbor of Julie that Chloe was spotted!

I will never forget where I was when I got the call from Pete. The kids and I had just walked up from the beach and were about to have lunch at the pool when Pete called. He told me he was 51 miles from us and got a call saying Chloe had been spotted and asked me what I thought he should do. My gut told me he needed to turn around and go back to find her. He agreed. Since the kids had no idea what was even going on, I knew getting them to leave HH was not going to be easy, and then by the time we got back to Charleston it would be close to dark.

While at lunch we had Izzy do a voice recording of her "calling for Chloe" as if trying to get her to come. Chloe loves Izzy and if anyone could get Chloe out of hiding it was her! Pete was able to play the recording through his car speakers and drive around searching for her.

Of course since I am able to sit here typing this at just 2 weeks out there must be a happy ending...right :) Pete resumed his search at 1:30 on Saturday and at 4:30 he rescued our Chloe girl!!!! From what I've been told, she was hesitant to come to him when he saw/called for her. He was about 40 yards away and started talking to her about Izzy and Drew. She kind of peeked out at him, became more comfortable and then Pete played Izzy's voice. It was Izzy's voice that got Chloe close enough to Pete that he was able to get her.

Pete brought Chloe home, bathed her, fed her and stayed with her for a few hours before heading to Hilton Head. Our neighbors were kind enough to keep an eye on Chloe (we knew she would just sleep) so that we were able to stay one more night in Hilton Head.

When the kids and I returned home Chloe was so excited that she barked for 6 minutes straight. She rarely barks! It was as if she was filling us in on her adventure....and probably cursing us out too.

We have taken things day by day, but for the most part I think Chloe is back to her self. I never knew how very attached I was to this silly dog (and I mean that in the nicest way) until I was faced with the real fear she might be gone. ...just typing that last sentence has put tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat so I guess I should just end there.

Welcome home Chloe-girl!