by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com
UPDATE – see bottom of this post!
Last Friday I went with my friend and fellow LIPP member Ellen Ganci of SnapDog Designs for a walk with our dogs at Belmont Lake State park, and before we even got out of our cars there was a loose, American Eskimo dog speeding across the empty parking lot towards us. I called the dog over to see if it would come to me, with no apparent owner nearby or person with the dog – but the dog barked and frantically bolted back to the direction where it came from. We got our dogs out from our cars (Max & Dobby!), and walked away from the direction of where the dog was, equipped with an extra leash just in case she did come over to us. I kept looking back and the dog was coming in and out of the wooded trail from where she originally came out of and was circling back in that direction. I said to Ellen, “I hope there isn’t a dead body back there or that it’s owner collapsed in the woods or something.” As the dog’s behavior was odd – almost Lassie like in the way she kept popping out from the same spot and going back in. So I called the Town of Babylon Animal Shelter and spoke with their super nice volunteer coordinator Sheryl. I told her the situation and she said she would send over and Animal Control officer. Sheryl took my name and number so they could call me back if they couldn’t spot her in the trails.
We proceeded on our walk and before we even finished the first lap around the park, I saw the animal control van going through the parking lot, then wooded trails looking for her. Ellen said, “That was fast – upstate I wouldn’t even know who to call about a lost dog in the woods – or if anyone would even come to help given the size of the town and personnel to handle it.” I said, “The town animal control officers down here are usually very good, respond quickly. I actually some of the Animal Shelter #’s programed into my cell phone – in a just in case emergency.”
When we got over to the parking lot I waved down the van and the Animal Control officer said, she is very skittish and wouldn’t come near me, bolted when she saw me get close.” I agreed. He then said, “I will come back with a trap to see if I can get her.” Ellen left, the office left and I took Max for another lap – and didn’t see the dog anywhere. After I left I thought I hope they find her, with Southern State parkway being so close, I was worried she would run out into traffic.
About 45 minutes later in my office, my cell phone rang and it was Sheryl, “Hi, is this Nancy?” Yes I said. “Nancy we got the dog!” I think I said, “Holy s**t that was fast, amazing! Thank you for letting me know!” Or something along those lines – so happy they were able to get her – this news made my day. Sheryl proceeded to tell me that they set a trap by where she was, and she must have been really hungry because she went right in. Then she told me, she was lactating – and must have recently had puppies. My heart stopped. I said, “Maybe that is why she was circling back so much – maybe her puppies are in the woods. Can you send the AC back to check?”
They went back and a few people along with Sheryl and scoured the woods and didn’t find any puppies. We went back the next day too, and didn’t see anything. I did go to the shelter to visit the beautiful American Eskimo – and she was very skinny, so she was either loose for a while or had owners and they dumped her there – maybe after her pups were old enough. I don’t know.
So a simple thing you can do is program all the Town municipal Animal Shelter phone numbers into your cell phone so if this ever happens when you are out and about or on a walk you can call them very quickly. It’s also helpful if you have a few extra leashes in your car, some extra treats too. But be very careful approaching a stray or loose dog as they could get scared and run away, bite you or go after your own dog. It’s best to leave it to the experts – and program the numbers into your phone! And for your own dogs, be sure you have their dog tags up to date with you cell phone # on it, microchipped and a current picture of your dog just in case he gets loose.
For more information on the American Eskimo call the Town of Babylon Animal Shelter at (631) 643-9270 and her case # ID 13-150.
Here is a list of the town animal shelters & phone #’s now start adding those numbers to your contact lists!
Long Island Town Municipal Shelters:
Town of Babylon Animal Shelter
51 Lamar Street
West Babylon – 11702
631-643-9270
Town of Brookhaven Animal Shelter & Adoption Center
300 Horseblock Road
Brookhaven – 11719
631-286-4940
Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter
3320 Beltagh Avenue
Wantagh – 11793
516-785-5220
Town of Huntington Animal Shelter/Adoption Center
106 Deposit Road
East Northport – 11731
631-754-8722
Town of Islip Animal Shelter
210 South Denver Avenue
Bay Shore – 11706
631-224-5660
Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter
75 Marino Avenue
Port Washington – 11050
516-944-8220
Town of Oyster Bay Animal Shelter
150 Miller Place
Syosset – 11773
516-677-5784
Town of Smithtown Animal Shelter
210 East Main Street
Smithtown – 11745
631-360-7575
Town of Southampton Animal Shelter – Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation
102 Old River Road
Hampton Bays – 11946
631-728-7387
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