After a day of rain, at 10:20 AM on Thursday 2 December Harley was in a backyard in Framingham, MA. The homeowner provided such specific description of where Harley entered yard, stopped, what she did and where headed that my husband figured out where she was going. At 12:20 Harley was in the yard he expected.
Knowing the area well at this point and using the fact that Harley would not come to people Jim and (her dam) Tater guided her towards the house she left from where there were two humane baited traps.
Jim and Tater returned to the car and headed down the road looking for Harley on the west side. As he pulled up in front of number 39 he noticed a trap door down. Watching the trap and how black it was inside he saw slight movement and got out to check. Seeing the small amount of white on the chest he stuck his hand into the trap to feel for Harley's collar then he hit his knees crying with joy and called me.
Harley had done just what he had hoped for! (GRIN) After getting the lead on, he opened the trap and with Tater's help Harley slowly came out. When she saw Jim's car her head came up and her tail started to wag. Climbing into the back seat of his car she laid down resting her head between the two front seats on the console.
After much hugging and kissing with Harley, Jim, Tater and Debbie Hall, who was responsible for the traps, we took Harley to the vet. She had lost fourty percent of her body weight going from a beautiful physique of 48 pounds to 28 pounds of skin and bones. Severely dehydrated her temperature was normal, eyes, ears and heart were clear. We had blood drawn for extensive testing including a full tick panel and she received subcutaneous fluids. We returned to the vet that evening for more subcutaneous fluids.
Jim fixed a bed for Harley on the floor beside him and she spent the night next to him getting up twice to drink some Rebound and getting Harley's Hero to scratch her under her muzzle.
As per veterinary instructions Harley is eating three times her normal diet is back on her thyroid medication and is on homeopathic remedies and nutritional supplements.
When not lying in my lap or between Jim and me, Harley is carrying her screaming monkey around, playing tug of war with Baker or knocking my hand off the keyboard when I am on the computer.
We are so grateful for the help and education in lost dog searching as well as the emotional support we received from Debbie Hall of www.lostdogsearch.com.
I am tremendously indebted to Betty Lewis for her daily support keeping me connected with Harley, listening to my frustration, letting me sob my heart out when necessary and forbidding me to when necessary. Thanks to everyone who helped with prayers, walking the woods, aqueduct, neighborhoods, passing out flyers, making telephone calls to shelters, veterinarians, etc., bringing me food and coffee when I was living out of my van with my broken ankle and well wishes. Without your support I do not know how I could have persevered. Had I not been able to our precious Harley would not have survived.
And in the end I thank my wonderful husband for his support in giving me the best gift I could ever have -- Hugging Harley.
