Last month, a small, tawny-colored dog named Roper went missing from the home he shared with his owner, Terry. The newly rescued dog had run off and was unable to find his way back. Through a series of social media posts, many from locals who had seen Roper along hiking trails or near the river around Clovis Drive and Junction Creek, Roper was found and returned to Terry.
This is just one of many reunions made possible thanks to a Facebook page run by Durango retiree Cathy Roberts.
Seven years ago, Cathy Roberts wanted an easier way to reach out to the community for help in locating a missing pet. The Humane Society, where Roberts had been volunteering for several years, had its own website, but it was not enough to get La Plata County residents engaged. That’s when Cathy decided that social media, and more specifically Facebook, could be the solution.
“It took off pretty quickly, once we made the page,” Roberts said. “We have over 8,000 active followers. The Humane Society (in Durango) also connected with San Juan County in New Mexico, and they share use of the page to bring more attention to lost or stray animals.”
One quick scroll though the La Plata County Lost and Found Pets Facebook page reveals just how many animals go missing or are found wandering around rural areas of the county on a regular basis.
“We don’t keep track of all the missing pets on the Facebook page,” Roberts said, “but I can tell you that it’s a lot. More than people would think.”
Having worked with the Human Society in Durango for so long, Roberts is not surprised by the high number.
“There’s always certain areas around La Plata where pets go missing frequently,” she said, “and it’s usually areas where dogs don’t have to be leashed. A lot of times, they just go running off on a trail and don’t come back to their owner. There’s also the pets that belong to tourists and campers visiting the area. It’s so easy for dogs to wander off and get lost when they’re not leashed, and they’re in an unfamiliar area.”
Roberts emphasizes that even if the owners of the missing pets are not locals, the Humane Society and those participants on the Facebook page still work to locate the lost animal.
“We keep searching even after the owners had to go home,” Roberts said. “Most can’t stay here indefinitely to look for their pet.”
One such incident occurred when a family visiting Durango lost their dog and had to return home to Ohio.
“When we found the dog through everyone’s help, we (The Humane Society) did a fundraiser to get the dog back to Cincinnati,” Roberts said. “They were so excited to be reunited with him. It was really great.”
To reduce the number of pets going missing in La Plata County, Roberts has advice for all pet owners.
“Get your pet microchipped,” she said, “and make sure it’s registered. That’s the most important thing. We do them at The Human Society for $45. It has all of your pet’s information in it.”
Robert’s stresses the importance of the microchips when it comes to documenting vaccinations.
“When we get them at the shelter without a microchip, we don’t know anything,” she said. “We’d hate to vaccinate them, when they don’t need it. That wouldn’t be good.”
Roberts also emphasizes the need for pets to be licensed along with being microchipped.
“It’s the law in La Plata County,” Roberts said. “Your pet has to be licensed. It costs about $10. We need to know if they had their rabies shots and so forth.”
Since it is a common occurrence in La Plata County for newly adopted pets to go missing, Roberts has suggestions for new owners.
“Spend a lot of time with your pets the first few days,” she said. “Don’t just leave them alone. Make sure your windows and doors are secured. One of the recent dogs we found was a rescue who jumped through a window screen to get out. Take your dog on a leash around your yard or property so they can get to know their surroundings and mark their scent everywhere. That way, if they do get out, they know how to find their way home.”
molsen@durangoherald.com
