UPDATE 11/11/15: Buster has been found! Read all about his recovery here: https://www.facebook.com/helpfindbusterbrown/posts/788530584607355 Thank you to everyone who donated and/or sent out positive vibes. They worked! 🙂
Hi there. I know it's been a couple of months and I hate for my first post back to be asking something of you. I've been drafting a post to fill you in on what we've been up to so I won't go into too many details. To put it mildly, 2015 has been a very tough, sad year for Chris and I. After a string of other losses and sad/stressful events, our 15 year-old dog, Samantha, passed away in July. We've since adopted two more dogs to help funnel our grief and stress into something more positive (and what can be more positive than caring for two sweet pups, right?).
If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know all of this and you've met (via pictures) our two new canine companions, Maeby and Buster. Maeby, a 2 year old german shepherd/cattle dog mix, was a stray. Buster, who we adopted a month after we adopted Maeby, was rescued from a hoarder and he is a 4-year old chocolate labrador/chihuahua mix. They're both as sweet as could be but they both have fear issues. Maeby is afraid of strangers in our home (and some in public) and Buster is all-around fearful and shy. Living with a hoarder, he never received proper socialization and everything is scary and overwhelming to him. But in the month that we've had him, he's improved immensely. He went from constantly hiding under our sofa or bedroom chair, to following us around the house, playing with Maeby, cuddling on our bed, and just a few days ago, he let me rub his belly for the first time. Everything was going so well until last Thursday.
Thursday night, when I returned home from work, I took the dogs for their evening walk. Upon returning home, he was spooked and before I knew it, he'd slipped out of his collar and was taking off running. I went after him but it was so dark that I lost him. I, along with several other people, went looking for him for hours that night with no luck. I took Friday off of work to stay home, put up posters, start a Facebook page for him, and search for him on foot with Maeby. The weekend was spent putting up more posters, handing out flyers, visiting shelters, and searching for hours. We've only had a couple sightings- one the night he disappeared and the other was probably of another dog. With the massive heat wave that we're going through right now, we're beginning to feel desperate. We hope he's staying cool and getting enough water.
Because he is so shy and skittish, chances are that he's either ran very far or that he's hiding somewhere in our neighborhood (which I'm more inclined to believe because he was such a hider at home). There's a lot of landscaping, brush, and vegetation near the Venice canals and Ballona Lagoon (which I live across from, where we walked daily, and where he was last seen) that I believe (hope) he's hanging out. Because he's so shy, though, he's probably not coming out until after dark when everyone is in bed so chances of sightings are slim. For this reason, and because several people with expertise in this field have suggested it, we've decided to hire search dogs to follow his trail and give clues to his whereabouts.
Also, I have to go back to work tomorrow. I absolutely cannot take another day off work (and I'll be going in late tomorrow as it is so I can work with the search dog people in the morning). Due to having to work, I'm hiring a company that specializes in finding lost dogs to help continue the search. They've been advising me, free of charge, since the beginning, helping me set a search strategy, but I can't continue doing all that I've been doing and work at the same time. We're pretty overwhelmed as it is.
That's why I'm talking to you all today. I really need help. The best way you could help would be to donate to our GoFundMe account to help raise funds to pay for the search. With the search dogs and the pet search company, it will likely cost about $6000 over the next two weeks. I realize that it's a large sum of money to be asking for, but even if we don't reach that goal, every little bit helps. If we find Buster sooner, then we will donate any unused funds to LA Animal Rescue, the rescue where we adopted Maeby and who has been so helpful and supportive through the search for Buster. If the search goes longer, then I will update the goal amount, if needed.
If you can't afford to donate- trust me, we get it. I totally understand. There are other ways you can help. You can share this post or any post from the Help Find Buster Facebook Page or any of the posts about Buster on my instagram account. Be sure to tag any friends that you may have in the Southern California area, especially if they're in Marina del Rey, Venice, Mar Vista, or Culver City. If YOU live in Southern California, and there's an animal shelter near your home, I would so appreciate if you could check your local shelter for Buster (he's microchipped but sometimes it can be missed when scanned) every couple of days, if possible. If you live near Marina del Rey or Venice, please keep an eye out for this little guy and contact me if you see him. If you want to be more involved in his search, please let me know!
Thank you for stopping by and possibly helping us out. Thank you to everyone who is already helping in some way, shape, or form. We are so grateful. Please- let's bring Buster home!
UPDATE 10-14-15: Buster is still missing. Unfortunately, the pet detective with the search dogs cancelled on us two days in a row, the second day turning down the job altogether and refunding my money. So we're putting all of our berries in the pet recovery company basket. If you choose to donate to our search, the money will be going to a company who is currently canvassing our neighborhood with posters, tarp-sized banners, handing out flyers, making phone calls, monitoring social media, and basically doing everything we would be doing if we were several people and not working full-time jobs. If you have donated, shared, and aided in our search, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We can't wait to have our little family member back.
Ways to Help:
Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/helpfindbuster
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/helpfindbusterbrown
Instagram: https://instagram.com/keepinitkind/
NM2211
So sorry to hear your sad news. I hope you find Buster soon. Never give up hope! I live in the UK and understand how you are feeling right now. Sadly, my son and his girlfriend (Zoe) lost one of their young cats (9 months old) very recently. The heartbreak is further compounded by a bad year like yourself, as Zoe's mum also passed away only weeks earlier aged just 60yrs. We are all doing everything we can to find Paps. I have everything crossed for you and hope that 'Buster' will be reunited with you all very soon.
Laura
Good luck Kristy and Chris! Sounds like Buster might need a harness-type of leash that he can't squirm out of! Poor little guy. Hope he comes home to you soon!
Deb Turcio
Oh my gosh, Kristy, my heart is breaking for you. I'll be sure to share this and to keep your sweet pup in my prayers! I really hope you have a happy end to this story to share with us very soon! Come home Buster!!
Suma
Just donated to your gofundme site. You and your family and Buster will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Amy
I broke down crying reading this. I am so so sorry you are having to go through this Kristy. Praying for Buster to come home soon.
Jenny
Oh my God my heart just aches for you! My husband and I have two dogs that are absolutely our children. The most upset I have ever been was when one of them went missing! We got her back though, don't lose hope! By the way your Arrested Development inspired name are absolutely awesome and of course Buster has fear issues! Hang in there!
Lesley
Someone told me about your post so I checked it out. Hoping by the time you get this you have your lovely fur baby home already.
I've had a couple missing pets in the past. One was my much loved Husky who got out of our yard (same personality as yours ... shy, scared and no way would go to a stranger). I put flyers around in about a 10 mile radius....everywhere. Someone called and said they saw him, which was seven miles from our home. We went to that location and finally saw him peeping at me from behind a tree and with some coaxing he came over to me...he was so terrified. Funny because days before that, in desperation, I called on of those pet psychics (it mentally helped me)....NEVER believed in them before and still skeptical...but.......be he was found exactly where she said he would be found...in the woods by a corn field.
Anyway...you are doing everything right by putting out flyers and keeping people informed. If you have not had him for a long time....he may be trying to get back to the Hoarders house. It is probably where he feels the safest... we both know it's not the best place for him....but to him it's probably still considered home. Maybe check the maps and try and search in direction of the hoarder (who I'm sure will jail the poor dog again). Animals have amazing built in GPS's. Also, animals are always going to stay near places with a food and water source...so keep that in mind when searching.
I also had a cat get out last year...same type of personality...very shy and scared type. Hired the best pet detective in the world, Steve Hagey, and he located and brought Louie home. I'm on the East coast but here is his FB page just in case....maybe he can recommend a GOOD pet detective in your area or give you suggestions...he is really a nice guy and very informative. https://www.facebook.com/Detect-A-Pet-185140591643940/
In writing this I hope you gain hope that Buster will be found. I'm assuming he is not wearing tags since he slipped out of his collar....but hopefully you have him "chipped" so that if he is turned into a pet shelter they will be able to contact you.
I so hope you find him!!! I know the heartache and sleepless nights of a missing pet.
Jane
Please keep us posted on Buster! Been in my thoughts since he's been missing.
Hope he finds his way home, soon!
Dawn Vogt
I just came across your site and have been reading all the great things to be read on your blog. I am so upset for you and hope that your new baby comes home. We recently had the last of our two dogs pass away from old age and we also adopted two shelter dogs one in May and one in October 2015. Our hearts and prayers go out to you - Please let us know if you find him. XOXOXO
Nicola Willer
Wow ... what a story! I came across this because I looked for your recipes, and now I'm reading this. Makes my heart all soft and my eyes watery ... I am glad your dog was found! I have two dogs myself (we live in Belgium). Keep up the good spirits! You have my biggest sympathy!