I am a Professional Freelance writer and I enjoy sharing dog stories with you. Particularly, from the "dog's" point of view. It is my hope that you will enjoy the stories on this site, some of which have been submitted and some that I have chosen to write and share. I do ask that you contact me directly before using any of the content from my web sites.Jo Helms**********Newsbreak! Please read the following article.**********
E M E R G E N C Y-HOW PREPARED ARE YOU?
By Jo Helms September 2005
Again in September of 2006, Susan's rescue was put to the test but there were so many others, in the area that read this story and jumped in to help, that I know, in my heart......my efforts do make a difference.
If you know of a rescue in need of help, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, don't turn away.. They need you and the furry ones that they are helping need you. Contact them and find out "how" you can help. We have helped many along the way, and let me tell you....it feels good!! We are small and we do what we can, but you know what? Every bit helps and rescues depend on the generousity of people who care enough to help, in whatever way they can. We personally can not house rescues because we do not have the room, however we have, on numerous occasions, helped with boarding, until a foster home or permanent home could be found. Transport is another issue and is a valuable and cherished entity. Supplies, while they may seem trivial are absolutely VITAL to any rescue. Adult food, puppy food, Bleach, blankets, newspapers, litter, toys, rags, kennels, are in constant demand but most importantly "TIME" is such a wonderful gift to give. Please contact your local rescue and see what you can do to help.
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FIRE!!!!!!!!
Recently, a friend of mine emailed me and asked that we keep her in our prayers. This was certainly not an uncommon request, however this email had a certain urgency that caused my heart to skip a beat and put a true sense of fear in my heart for her and her beloved rescue furkids. She was asking for prayers that the wildfires out near Spokane, WA, not reach her and her Siberian husky rescue that gave safe haven to approximately 60 dogs.
I began to wonder just how prepared any of us ever are when it comes to fires, hurricanes, floods, tornados, earthquakes and, yes, even terrorist attacks or chemical spills.
How can you prepare for the unpredictable? Can we ever be totally prepared for what may seem to be the unthinkable? Hopefully, this article will give you, the pet owner, some insight on how to make sure that you and your pets are safer, or will at least be as safe as possible.
Some things to remember in the face of imminent danger:
Did you know that most public, civil defense, and storm shelters, do NOT allow pets?
The exception being service dogs and even then there have been instances where they have not been allowed entrance.
One has only to remember the 9/11 attack on our country and the countless numbers of animals that were stranded for days and weeks in apartments and homes with no food and water to know that bad things can and do happen.
It is up to us, as pet owners, to make sure that we have a plan in place so they too are safe. Although there are many types of disasters, one thing remains common in all situations. Leave yourself and your pets an escape route and prepare for the worst possible scenario.
In the instance of FIRESTORMS, such as my friend experienced, planning ahead is vital.
Don’t wait until the flames are at your doorstep. Of major concern are handicapped or elderly pets. There is nothing disgraceful about pre-evacuating a "special needs" pet, in the event of impending danger and you will have a little more peace of mind. In fact, if you think about it, it will make it easier to concentrate on the others in the event that a fire changes direction without warning and an immediate threat becomes imminent. With the example of fire in mind; Firestorms can and DO move with incredible speed often leaving a person little time to evacuate with their pets. Not having to try to evacuate slow moving animals can make the difference between life or death for you and your pet. There are other things you can do to aid in the control of fire and losing your pets to it. Let Fire Departments in the area know if you have a rescue and will require more time to evacuate. That way, they are also aware that there are animals that will need immediate help upon evacution. Pre-arranged contacts can help you by housing your pets in a safe area. Take the time to check with others. You would be amazed to see the responses when someone needs help. You may be surprised to see how many out there are more than willing to help. This goes for anyone, not just rescues. Microchip your pets!! This can be vital in the event that your pet is accidently separated from you. They are not perfect by any means and can actually migrate away from the original site in which they are placed but at least, if the pet is scanned properly, there is a good chance that your pet will be returned to you. Keep that information in a safe place and take it with you when you evacuate. It can be vital to the safe return of your pet.
Many people don’t realize or have never actually witnessed the behavior of a pet in danger. Animals behave differently under stress. They can become disoriented, confused, and behave totally differently that you have ever see them behave. Some will run, some will cower and seek a safe place that makes it difficult to find them when an attempt is made. This is an important thing to remember. Put up signs on your front door to let rescue personnel know where your pets are and what pets you have living with you.
Pre-pack a first aid kit for your pet too. Take a class in Emergency First Aid/CPR. You never know when you may need to rely on yourself to intervene prior to emergency help arriving. Make sure that you have a current copy of their health records with you. That can be crucial. Water and food are essentials. Leashes, collars are a MUST to pack.
There are a lot of people who refuse to leave their pets behind in the event of an emergency. One day hopefully, shelters will allow free access for pets as well as people.
In lieu of the disasters in the Gulf, after Hurricane Katrina, and Rita, I hope and pray that all of us, will be a little more aware of the dangers that face, not only us, but our beloved pets as well.
I ask each and every one of you to please assist in whatever way you can, in the rescue efforts going on in Louisiana and Mississippi and the surrounding areas. It still continues....even now. They need your help. Many have died and are mourned, trapped in their homes, refusing to leave their pets behind. If you can spare blankets, food, bottled water, cash donations, anything, or if you can assist in efforts that continue even today, please contact BestFriends.org
They can let you know how you can help.
PLEASE DONATE ANYTHING YOU CAN OR OFFER TO ASSIST IN HOUSING THE DISPLACED AND LOST PETS THAT HAVE BEEN AND CONTINUED TO BE RESCUED.
Sadly, some of these pets will never see their owners again. How truly heartbreaking that must be to those who love their pets....
One day, it could be one of us, asking for help for our furry loves.
I remember receiving an email from Katrinarescue, of which we were a part, for a "shoot to kill" order issued for all stray pets found in the disaster area. I remember well the film footage...and the cries from those pets who had already been through more than most of us will ever know. The tears burned my face as I cried for those who were gunned down in the streets. They were simply trying to survive...So sad considering rescue attempts were being made but time was not always on the side of the animals or the rescues.
It is so sad that looters and gangs were given a break, and yet, lost pets were shot on sight and pay the highest price for simply being victims themselves of this horrific tragedy. I pray that none of us has to experience what the animals did during these two horrific disasters but I do hope that much was learned and that legislation will be enacted so that our furry family members will be part of rescue efforts in the future...
God Bless you and your furry loves. Jo Helms
Copyright 2005-2006
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Special Announcement!!
I am proud to announce that the story that you are about to read: "Lost:Tipsoo's Amazing Escape and Rescue" was nominated and selected as the winner of the distinguished "PSI-First Canine Award for the best story told from the perspective of a dog" by the Dog Writers Association of America which was announced in February of 2006 in New York City at the annual awards dinner and also at the following day at Westminster Kennel Club Show with approximately 50,000 spectators in attendance. I truly wish that I could have been in attendance to personally accept the beautifully inscribed plaque but it was mailed to me and is proudly displayed on my living room wall. I am both honored and humbled to be recognized among such talented writers and authors from all over the world. I would like to thank my fellow members of the Dog Writers Association of America for all their support, guidance, and special friendships that have been and still remain such an inspiration to me. Jo Helms
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*A special note regarding the story below: As I have said so often, for every dog story, there are two sides. In the instance of Tipsoo’s escape, I have shared with you Dave’s beautifully written story just below Tipsoo’s version and what they themselves went though, however, Tipsoo, also wants to tell her side of what it was like to be “LOST” in the northern most woods of Minnesota. With that in mind, and with her permission... I share with you now, Tipsoo’s Story told, as only Tipsoo could tell it.. Hugs and wags, Jo
**And a special note from Tipsoo herself:
“I am happy to be back home and safe. No more wild adventures for me!! I want to thank all the people who took part in finding me and those who sent prayers for my safety. “Aroooooo! There truly is, No place like home..”
Woo’s and wags, Tipsoo.
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This story received the "PSI-First Canine Award" for the best story told from a "dog's" perspective from the Dog Writers Association of America (DWAA) Writing Competition for 2005. Awards were presented at the January 2006 DWAA awards banquet in NYC. The Westminster Kennel Club was gracious enough to invite the DWAA to the show grounds to announce all of the winners in all catagories during the Westminster Dog Show in 2006.
"LOST: Tipsoo’s amazing escape and rescue."
Written by Jo Helms
Hi everyone! My name is “Tipsoo”. I am a Siberian Husky, who is part of a wonderful family consisting of 16 other Siberians and 2 very loving humans named Dave and Bonnie Lundberg. We all live in Monticello, MN. They love us dearly and are our human “Mom and Dad”. They are dogsledders, BUT in a companion sense. You see, we are a “family” and we enjoy the outdoors together. Our Mom and Dad seldom go anywhere without us choosing instead to include us. We are, indeed part of the family. One such trip involved going into the deep woods of northern Minnesota. A place called “Britt.” That is where our “Dad’s” family lives. Some of us were very new to traveling with the troupe but we could sense the excitement of the trip through the older members of the team. We arrived at a beautiful area in northern Minnesota, near Britt and close to the Laurentian Divide near the Canadian border. The Laurentian Divide runs along the crest of low, rocky hills and divides the Red River and Rainy River basins from the Minnesota River and Lake Superior basins. Streams on the north slope of the divide flow through Canada to Hudson Bay and on to the Arctic Ocean. We put up camp at a quant cabin close to great trails, just outside of town. It is a well known fact that Siberians LOVE to vocalize and we wanted to be considerate of the folks that lived nearby.
Now, “Dad” knows a lot about Siberians and he also knows that we love to run AND, run away so he is always very careful to keep us either tied or in a secure fenced-in area for our own safety. On Christmas Eve, Daddy made a decision to test Tucquala, and me, to see if we could be trusted “off lead”. We proved ourselves and impressed “Daddy”. He was so proud of us. He called, we came back He called, we came back.
On Christmas Day, he made a rare exception by trusting us off-lead while he was getting ready to hook us up for a run. Because we had been good the night before, he felt that it would be safe. Afterall, it was only until we could be hooked up on the gang line. The plan was to give the family members a chance to enjoy the wonders that we are lucky enough to experience frequently. The beautiful wonders of the open trail, fresh snow, crisp air, and the peace of God’s country, that is unique to a musher and their companions. A special bonding time between nature, human, and furry companion. That, at least was the plan. As it turned out, Tucquala and I decided to start our adventure a little sooner than everyone else. The night before, we had been so good about returning immediately when called, and that gave Daddy the misconception that we could truly be trusted. This morning was different. For some reason our natural instincts to run took over. In a flash of fur and snow dust, we were gone. Far from the range of Daddy’s frantic calling.
Daddy hooked up a team of 6 of my pack mates to come look for us. There was a lot of commotion made by the team as they took off across the trails to search for us. We, however, were drawn by the many new smells and things to investigate. We ran hard and we ran fast as the wind blew circles of snow around us as we tried to stay ahead of the mysterious and imaginary snow devils that chased us. Tucquala, and I, ran for some time and then broke away from the main trails, choosing instead to venture into the woods. Little did we know the dangers that lay ahead. It was at that point that a strange but yet familiar smell struck my nose. The smell of “food!” I pushed my nose further ahead, sniffing. Something drew me closer. I discovered a piece of deer meat and a rabbit. I picked up a piece of it and tried to pull away and felt something tighten around my neck. I pulled and could not free myself. The more I pulled, the tighter the noose became. Tucquala stayed with me for some time but suddenly darted off into the brush, leaving me behind. She must have heard something while I was concentrating on freeing myself. Suddenly..I was alone. Try as I might, I could not break free. What was this thing that held me tightly in its grasp? I didn’t understand. I had to wait and hope that someone would help me or that Tucquala would bring back help to free me. The stillness was incredible and I was lonely. Where was everyone and mostly where was my family whom I love? I was not accustomed to being alone. After pacing in circles for some time, I lay down and curled up in a little ball so I would stay warm and wait for morning. Darkness fell and I drifted off to sleep.
When I woke up, I was still in the same place. I was hungry so I ate a piece of the rabbit that had attracted me to this place. There was still no sign of Tucquala or my family. They had to be looking for me and they had to be worried by now. At times, faintly and in the distance, I thought I could hear familiar sounds but they seemed far away. I replied; “Arooooooo..?”, but the sounds faded into the distance and no one came. Day turned into night and still I remained a prisoner, longing to be back with my family.
Another day passed and yet another but no one seemed to be able to find me. The day before, I decided to gobble up the remaining pieces of meat, still wondering “who” had left it here and “why.” The very thing that enticed me to this place had now become my welcome meal to sustain me while they looked for me. I curled up and fell fast asleep. As I drifted off to sleep, I dreamed of those I missed so badly and knew that they wouldn’t give up looking for me. Strangely enough, I thought that I could hear my name being called, but it must have been a “doggie dream” because when I awoke on the morning of the 4th day, there was still no one there.
As I stretched and yawned, I heard a noise in the brush not far from me. Was it friend or foe? I perked up my ears and listened intently to the sounds that grew closer and more distinct. I knew for sure now that this was the sound of human foot steps. “Arooooo?”, I said, waiting and listening. The noise stopped. Was I dreaming? I quickly shook the sleep from my ears and again I said, “Arooooo..?”
Suddenly a stranger broke through the brush and saw me. At last, someone had found me. I jumped for joy and did the “happy husky dance”, with my tail wagging wildly, to show him how glad I was that he had found me. At first, he was cautious and seemed unsure if it was safe to approach me but he soon realized that I was friendly. He petted me and talked to me, letting me know that I was going to be fine. He had to cut my collar off so he was able to read my tags, which my Mommy and Daddy so carefully keep on all of us. We are also micro-chipped but in this instance the phone number was readily at hand and my family was called and told that I was found and indeed alive. Although it turned out that it was this man’s trap that I was caught in, instead of harming me, he made sure that I was returned safe and sound to my loving family. I gave him extra kisses to thank him for freeing me and for being so good to be. He took me back to his cabin and then to Daddy’s family’s house until Daddy could drive up and get me. The next day there was a knock on the door. As the door opened, there stood Daddy, with open arms and a big smile on his face. As he hugged me, I kissed away the tears that fell upon his cheeks. Wow! Was I happy to see him! I was taken to see the Vet the next day and given a clean bill of health. The next couple of nights I got to sleep on the bed with Daddy. Guess he wanted to keep me close and let me know how much I had been missed or maybe he wanted to keep a close eye on me so I didn't disappear again.
The next thing I knew we were on our way to the boundary waters canoe area (BWCA) to film a documentary on dog-sledding. All was forgiven. We camped for 3 days. It was wonderful to be back with my team-mates. They welcomed me back and some even scolded me for being gone.
It wasn’t until we got back home that I found out that there had been a huge search effort, which a lot of people helped with. Not only had Daddy been searching but friends had joined in with posters, radio broadcasts, ground searches by sled and everything else people could think of. A couple of our friends through the combined efforts of many groups even managed to find a pilot who was willing to do an aerial search for me if needed but I was found before that was necessary.
Many prayers were sent while I was missing and there were, for sure, many Guardian Angels wearing beautiful Silver Harnesses that watched over me while everyone was trying to find me. The “Tipsoo Fan Club” was established to let all of our friends know what was happening while I was missing and afterwards, when I was found..
Now that I am back home, I have pawed personal “thank woo” notes to all the wonderful people who helped to find me and prayed for me.
I promise from now on to stay with my pack and not run away again. I love my family and they love me.
Thanks to everyone’s help, I am here to tell you that I am one very LUCKY and LOVED Siberian Husky girl...
A special thank you to my loving family, for not giving up and continuing to search for me. I love you more than you will EVER know.
Woo-woo’s and tail wags, Tipsoo(Happy Husky Dances!!)
(Jo Helms Copyright 2004-2005 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)
Published in the March 2005 edition of Siberian Husky Highlights
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Hi Gang,
Below is what Dave has written about our little Tipsoo. Thanks to Jo Helms for her help(locating a pilot) and for her wonderful story.
Bonnie and Dave Lundburg
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Now granted there are dogsledders whose dogs are more livestock than
pets... (although I have heard about this more than I have witnessed
it)... mine are pets, friends, and companions in adventure and I treat
them as one would his children.
My attitude in dog training is one passed down from some of the
greatest dog trainers in the world. That being training based on the
concept that a dog never makes a mistake. Unless of course it was
somehow a mistake that it was a dog in the first place. Thus,
everything it does, it does because it IS A DOG and/or it has not been
correctly trained to do things it normally, as a dog, would not do.
Yes, the training process can be frustrating for us humans but just
imagine what the dog is going through...or maybe think back to that
first time you sat if front of a personal computer.
When I came to this simple realization it actually made me a much
better dog person and actually relieved me of some of the anxiety
and/or resentment I had been directing at that "dumb a$$" dog. Of
course with this realization I also had to come to grips with the fact
of who actually WAS the dumb a$$.
With this said, I now use adopted a label for every time one of my
dogs exhibits dysfunctional behavior... "Musher Error".
I had a biggy on Christmas Day, but it actually started on Christmas
eve...
I have 17 Siberian Huskies and there are few qualified to take care of
them while we are away so we take them with us if Bonnie and I are
going to be going someplace together overnight. This Christmas we
went to northern Minnesota to celebrate with my mom and most of my
siblings and their families. Currently in my team are 6 yearlings who
have never travelled with me and I knew this new experience of riding
around in a trailer and being tied out on pickets all day long was
going to cause them a little stress and also cause some extra noise.
(You see their lives up to now have been one of an fenced in acre of
free roaming although they do get kennelled at night) Not wanting to
keep my home town awake all night I opted to stay a few miles outside
of town at a hunting shack of one of my brothers. It was perfect. A
little cabin 6 miles outside of town with a wood stove, miles of
runnable trails and plenty of space for me and my furry friends.
So, after some Christmas eve festivities at the house of my brother
complete with sharing a brandy with Santa Claus who had come to a
visit the many young neices and nephews; I said goodbye and headed to
the shack. Once there I unloaded my dogs out of the trailer and put
them on a picket line, which is a cable with drop chains that secures
and separates the dogs. I then proceeded to fire up the wood stove
with the wood split and provided by my brother, Moondog (Mark)). Once
the fire was "smokin" I went back outside to treat the dogs and take
the younguns on walks as they seemed reluctant to relieve themselves
on the picket and I still hate "playing with matches"...
While giving them their walks I took my 11 year old, lead dog,
Snoqualmie (Snow) along as she is allowed to be "off leash" which is
something the others only experience generally in fenced-in areas as
huskies are notorious for not only running but running away ;o) ...I
say "generally" as after the first couple pups got their walks I put
Snow away in the cabin and decided I would give Tipsoo a chance at
proving she could handle this seldom granted freedom. And she did
GREAT...sticking with us...coming when called...chasing back after us
when we turned around. She impressed me but she is a very intelligent
dog. I also let another, Tucquala (not quite as intelligent ;o) ), do
the same thing on the last walk along with Tipsoo. This in itself is
also a bit risky as what ONE might not do, TWO might. But again, both
pleased me. So much so that when I got back to the shack after the
last walk I put all the dogs back in the trailer went inside and
poured myself a bit of Brandy warmed by my fire and came back out,
shook the snow off a lawn chair that was leaning against the shack and
let Snow, Tipsoo, and Tucquala all out together as I enjoyed the cool
air, the star filled/full moon sky, and the warm E&J. They ran
around and drove the other dogs nuts but had a grand old time...always
coming when called...and staying close. The night ended with me
calling them with not "Come" but "Kennel" and having them without
question jump into their hole in the trailer and me clipping the door
behind them.
Now its Christmas morning and I drive into town for brunch at Mom's.
At some point while there, I suggested that everyone come out to the
shack and I will give dogsled rides. A suggestion that was greeted
with glee by the kiddies. So I left a bit before everyone else to go
ready things.
Back at the shack I first pull the dogsleds down off the trailer and
then started unloading dogs hooking them to the picket as I go along
...except for Tipsoo and Tucquala who I just let go with the thought
that I would call them and picket them when through with the rest of
the dogs...in theory. Well you probably have guessed but when I
finished with the other dozen + dogs I called for Tipsoo and called
for Tucquala... and I called for Tipsoo and I called for Tucquala and
I yelled for Tipsoo and hollared "TUCQUALA!!!" to no avail.
Well now everyone starts showing up for their rides and I probably
should have dispersed everyone on a different trail to go find the
vagabonds but I figured the howling and noise and virtual chaos that
coincided with hooking the other dogs up for a run would bring them
back to the fold. In the case of Tucquala, I was right, as about a
mile from where we started the run she showed up running along side
us. We stopped, threw her in the laps of the kids and sat and called
Tipsoo for awhile and stopped long enough for the rest of the team to
start screaming again to GO.
We finished the run and still no Tipsoo. Although I had many family
volunteers to stay and continue looking I sent them back to town for
Christmas Dinner with instructions for someone to come back later with
a plate for me. They left and I hooked up a six dog team, put on my
headlamp and started a marathon session of sledding, walking, calling
for my lost little girl. Hours later, Moondog came out with a cake
pan full of Christmas food which I reheated on the wood stove and we
searched and called a bit more in the dark after I ate. No luck.
The next day we had more people, a 4-wheeler and searched almost all
day. Of course we called the Sheriff, and others who may have helped.
We had one sighting by my brother-in-law and neice (Terry and Olivia)
that had Tipsoo chasing a couple deer. Tipsoo always had more heart
than speed so the deer were quite safe. We flooded that area with
people but that and that day also ended in failure.
Bonnie and I had planned on leaving for home Sunday but stayed Monday
to do some additional searching. Calls were also made to local radio,
vets, snowmobile clubs, local mining company etc. to make as many
people as possible aware of the lost dog. Cheryl, Mark's wife, was
instrumental in making calls and getting the word out, too. An old
high school friend of mine and a friend of Cheryl's who had a print
shop heard of my plight and volunteered to do posters.
Ultimately and unfortunately we drove home (200 miles away) Monday
with no Tipsoo and although I continued to spin a positive outcome the
thoughts of Coyotes, wolves, highways, and snowmobiles going 90mph
made my spinning a bit weak. I should say also that this area is a
pretty vast wilderness as there is not much for civilization between
my home town and the Canadian Border.
Once home, Bonnie and I, further increased the size of the information
net by alerting dog lists and musher lists and and and while my
relatives still up north put an ad in the paper and continued putting
up posters.
Tuesday came and went without any word and our hopes continuing to
diminish. I should mention that she did have tags with our name and
number and that she is microchipped as all my dogs are. Needless to
say, every time the phone rang it brought hope and then depression. I
was amazed though by the interest and help that came from many
directions...that was very heartening and I still have many thank yous
to follow through with. We had a wonderful person trying to secure a
search plane and someone ready to fly it and another group wanted to
give us some money to contact a psychic (I suggested a prayer instead
;o) ).
As it turns out, Wednesday I had to start getting ready for a winter
camping trip in the BWCA in which I was asked to take a film crew up
who were compiling a documentary on activities in the BWCA. I had
been looking forward to it for months and now I found myself dreading
it. However, I planned to go up a day early so I could search again
for a day before taking the rest of the Little Mountain gang on
another adventure.
Then...at some point Wednesday evening the phone rang as I had just
come in from packing up the truck again. Bonnie answered it upstairs
and she screamed down to me that Tipsoo was found...alive. I went and
hid in the porch, put my face in my hands and did something I had been
fighting off for the last 4 days. Bonnie found me and easily joined
in.
Tipsoo had been found by a trapper. Caught in one of his Coyote
traps. She had eaten the rabbit and venison put there as bait and for
probably a day had become the Coyote bait herself. The trapper
thought he had caught a wolf (which he doesn't trap) because of her
howling, but the wagging tail followed by smothering him with licks
verified her domestication. He cut off her collar which had saved her
from strangling and brought her home and called us. He later dropped
her off at my Mom's and I had her give him a C-note for his effort (Oh
and I know a some who trap and many would rather make dogs disappear
rather than acknowledge that their traps caught them, so I was much
obliged.)
I headed back up north a day early anyway and almost beat an ice storm
in doing so and stayed a day with my Mom while reuniting with little
Tipsoo. When I came to my Mom's backdoor, Tipsoo was there waiting
with ears back and tale wagging with complete forgiveness for my ...
"musher error". She did have a look on her face that seemed to say
"What the heck were you thinking???", but I think she also realized
that Bonnie had already asked that question.
I have to ask for the same forgiveness from our friend who gave us
Tipsoo who I also feel to have let down.
Tipsoo came on the BWCA trip with me as a Vet gave her a clean bill of
health and she pulled for me ... like there was no tomorrow.
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Hello my name is Nicholas Kerma from the East Coast (please take the time to read this) I have been searching for my missing Fawn German Shepard boy Cuda only 6yrs old since August 2004. we were separated in the most horrible way possible during our 1st trip in our camper that caught fire then exploding moments later .I was able to reach for Cuda as I was pulling him by his collar he pulled out of it in terror, quickly I reached for the back door opened it he then jumped out , this is my last memory of my boy. Three months prior to this we lost his loving brother Rana who was only 4 and a half yrs old, in 2 weeks time cancer took him. We were traveling on Interstate I -87 going north to my great nephews 1st birthday party at my sisters home 600 miles away. I am starting to believe he was roaming completely lost being picked up along the Interstate highway being seen by a traveling family or Tractor Trailer driver seeing his beauty, having no collar, also with him having and able to give so much love to anyone he is comfortable with which makes this extremely possible. Cuda is the rarest breed of the shepards. One time I brought him to one of his first vets so he asked me what kind of Shepard do we have here he brought out one of his books and showed me in the book there he was a Fawn German Shepard, after a baby deer without the dots-spots that was the first time in his vets 20 years in practice seeing a fawn shepard, you would have to meet him to experience his true love and beauty.As I mentioned above with my last memory of Cuda going to get him as the camper was engulfing in flames he pulled out of his collar in fear I opened the back door he jumped out, I then jumped out the camper, it then exploded ,days later I regained my consciousness, asking my father and brother who was with us (in actual police report of tragedy that I have) where's Cuda ! they say to me he took off. Being unconscious at the time but my own family did not tell the State trooper on the scene who wrote the report at that time Cuda was with us and ran from site in fear from explosion and is lost in there state of NYand also said I was driving which was not true. I do not speak to them at this time for lying and abandoning Cuda and myself like that, it is not fair to both of us to end this way they knew how much both my boy's meant to me., this has been and still is very painful loosing both my boys so fast. I have done everything possible that has been suggested to me trying to contact every Vet. Hospital,animal control agencies, rescue resources,police agencies, hiway depts.,posted info on all petfinder sites, posted flyers where I lost Cuda, been back where the tragedy happened several times the list goes on for so long I don't no what else to do.My internet wont be on two much longer to receive email responses due to my health and finances, now 5 months later I came across your site and I am hoping and praying that everyone I contact can help us (please), short story, My boy Cuda when he came into my life I was real hurt from my past and forgot how to love, with him being so loving he taught and showed me how to love again, now I have that emptiness again this is one of so many ways how much he means to me, I believe with everyone I reach will have the power to find my boy Cuda that can help will strengthen Cuda's return home where we both need to be together again. Only if you only knew how many people and Organizations on this side of of the US are looking for him. I am begging you please if there is any way you are able to expose my lost boys info out that way. One last true short story for you: My fiance and I at the time who I also lost to cancer (it really has been rough) we put an ad in one of our local papers saying looking for German Shepard puppie will provide loving home, have large yard fenced in, so we received a call about a week later, Cuda came he was only 4 months old, the most beautiful pup you ever seen with the big ears beautiful green eye's, big feet , then a round a year later we ran the ad again, Rana came he was also 4 months old, he also was amazing same exact beautiful features only dark eyes. Here is the best part ,each family that we received Rana and Cuda from named them both the same name (Sampson !!) this still amazes me till this day. God I miss them so much. Please if you can either way let me know if your help is possible, in attachments I sent you some photos of us, thank you so very much for your time and being out there sincerely ,
Nicholas Kerma ps:
in case you do decide to help us and my internet is off I can be reached at 203-362-7786
