Lost Pets of Omaha Area®
On Monday, May 11, we got a message with a screenshot of a post about a Husky spotted at a gas station on Mormon Bridge Rd. and McKinley Rd. It had apparently been hanging around for weeks, and the question was whether we could trap it. I said we’d look into it and contacted Lisa T. to start assessing the situation. We knew it wouldn’t be easy—it had been posted in several places, attracting a lot of attention, and plenty of people were saying they’d try to catch the dog themselves (too many cooks in the kitchen isn’t great for trapping). It was also about a 20-minute drive for both of us, next to a heavily wooded area full of wildlife. We planned to set a trap the next day, but I felt compelled to check out the spot that night, so I drove over around 9:15 p.m. to get a feel for the area.
When I pulled into the gas station, the dog was right where all the photos showed it – by the dumpster.
I didn’t have a trap with me, but since I spotted the dog, I had to give it a try. I grabbed a bag of treats and a slip lead, then approached slowly, avoiding eye contact and speaking in soothing tones. She seemed a bit wary at first but was clearly interested in the treats. Before long, she was eating right from my hand. I led her to a quieter spot on the property and sat in the grass, feeding her along the way. She settled next to me, happily eating from my hand and letting me pet her.
She didn’t mind one bit when I slipped the leash over her head, and it only took about five minutes to catch her. From there, she happily hopped into the back seat of my car to wait for NHS to pick her up, lying down as sweet as could be. The kind overnight gas station employee had been feeding her and trying to get close every night, but without any luck until now.
The dog wasn’t microchipped, but after spending some time at the Nebraska Humane Society, she found a new home!
Two happy campers! This is just one of many situations our team gets involved in. Sometimes it takes weeks to achieve success, but this time the pup was ready to stop roaming. Huge thanks to our dedicated volunteers who regularly spend their time helping lost pets find their way home. We don’t share every search or every success, but we love highlighting a few. Our team is just one part of what we call the Lost Pets of Omaha Area Difference.
