I heard about Jessie running loose in Burien. Again I took Tino with me, just to get him out of the house, even though Fozzie probably would have been a better magnet dog. We got to the location after dark, and it was only about five minutes before I saw Jessie. I met the foster, who said Jessie had been running on 128th, and 4th Ave S, and the freeway off ramp. When I saw Jessie, I got Tino out to see if Jessie would be interested. Jessie did seem interested in him, but a little too nervous to approach. She ran off again. While she was away, I took advantage of the opportunity to set a trap in the vacant lot, using hotdogs.
I drove around and looked for Jessie again, while I had the foster stay at 4th and 126th in case she came back. I followed Jessie, who came back to the trap, then south to 128th, then to the freeway ramp again, then back to the trap again. I saw her almost get hit a couple of times.
Judy showed up with her dog Roo. Her fiance was also there, in a separate car. I had them set up at 4th and 128th, to watch for Jessie, with the foster at 4th and 126th, while I parked in the middle of the block, across the street from the trap location. When Jessie started to go black to 128th, I texted to Judy to get out of her car and block the road to keep Jessie out of traffic. Jessie then went up north to the foster, and then back to the trap. When Jessie came back to 128th, I had Judy bring Roo out. Jessie showed some interest in Roo. I coached Judy on calming signals, having her turn her body to the side, avoid eye contact and sit on the ground instead of squatting. Judy followed my instructions very well, and Jessie came closer and closer to Rue. Then a guy on a bike, probably a homeless person, came up behind Jessie, and Jessie bolted, even with Judy and her fiancé trying to block her. She disappeared for a bit.
The foster had purchased some tripe, and I added that to the trap. Tripe really stinks, and is good for attracting dogs. Then I went to the store so I could get batteries for the wildlife camera, so I could watch the trap from a distance without getting to close. I drove to the store by getting on the freeway, going north to the next exit, and then turning around and heading south, to look for Jessie. I passed some debris that looked a little like it could be the body of a dog about Jessie’s size. I was pretty sure it was just garbage, but at 60 MPH it’s hard to get a good look, and I kept having this irrational worry that it was Jessie. When I got to the store, I received a message that Jessie had come back to the area of the trap.
When I returned to the area, we tried again with calming signals with Roo and Judy, which was working okay. Then Jessie went back to the area of the trap and I didn’t see her for a bit. I moved around to where I could shine my flashlight on the trap, and Jessie was in it, happily eating tripe.
We loaded up the trap and took it to the foster’s house, a block to the west. Once inside the house, Jessie didn’t want to come out of the trap at first. We were able to ease her out and get a harness and a collar on her. She was letting us pet her, and she seemed to like the big dog, Tank, just fine.
We probably could have gotten Jessie with Calming Signals eventually, but a trap is often a less stressful, faster method. Every moment we didn’t catch Jessie was another chance for her to get hit by a car. Using both strategies, trap and calming signals, gave us the best chance to catch her fast.
I drove around and looked for Jessie again, while I had the foster stay at 4th and 126th in case she came back. I followed Jessie, who came back to the trap, then south to 128th, then to the freeway ramp again, then back to the trap again. I saw her almost get hit a couple of times.
Judy showed up with her dog Roo. Her fiance was also there, in a separate car. I had them set up at 4th and 128th, to watch for Jessie, with the foster at 4th and 126th, while I parked in the middle of the block, across the street from the trap location. When Jessie started to go black to 128th, I texted to Judy to get out of her car and block the road to keep Jessie out of traffic. Jessie then went up north to the foster, and then back to the trap. When Jessie came back to 128th, I had Judy bring Roo out. Jessie showed some interest in Roo. I coached Judy on calming signals, having her turn her body to the side, avoid eye contact and sit on the ground instead of squatting. Judy followed my instructions very well, and Jessie came closer and closer to Rue. Then a guy on a bike, probably a homeless person, came up behind Jessie, and Jessie bolted, even with Judy and her fiancé trying to block her. She disappeared for a bit.
The foster had purchased some tripe, and I added that to the trap. Tripe really stinks, and is good for attracting dogs. Then I went to the store so I could get batteries for the wildlife camera, so I could watch the trap from a distance without getting to close. I drove to the store by getting on the freeway, going north to the next exit, and then turning around and heading south, to look for Jessie. I passed some debris that looked a little like it could be the body of a dog about Jessie’s size. I was pretty sure it was just garbage, but at 60 MPH it’s hard to get a good look, and I kept having this irrational worry that it was Jessie. When I got to the store, I received a message that Jessie had come back to the area of the trap.
When I returned to the area, we tried again with calming signals with Roo and Judy, which was working okay. Then Jessie went back to the area of the trap and I didn’t see her for a bit. I moved around to where I could shine my flashlight on the trap, and Jessie was in it, happily eating tripe.
We loaded up the trap and took it to the foster’s house, a block to the west. Once inside the house, Jessie didn’t want to come out of the trap at first. We were able to ease her out and get a harness and a collar on her. She was letting us pet her, and she seemed to like the big dog, Tank, just fine.
We probably could have gotten Jessie with Calming Signals eventually, but a trap is often a less stressful, faster method. Every moment we didn’t catch Jessie was another chance for her to get hit by a car. Using both strategies, trap and calming signals, gave us the best chance to catch her fast.
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