Oh Yes You CAN Catch Me: Stray Dachshund Living In Woods For Five Months Reunited With Human!

Smiles everyone, SMILES!  Norma Jean is reunited with her human.

 

If you checked in with us on Friday, you read about this beautiful chocolate girl who has been living in the woods for 5 long months, eluding both authorities and the citizens of Gastonia, North Carolina.  The story was troubling for many reasons, as folks noted in the comments:   she could get hit by a car, winter is fast approaching, and where on earth was her human who apparently let her get away from the local PetSmart?   Well, all questions have been answered in one of the most heart-warming Dachshund stories of the year - just read on Dachshund Lovers, read on.  Just when your faith in humanity was about to hit an all-time low, via the Gaston Gazette:

 

The little brown dachshund that captured many hearts during her months of homelessness reunited with her owner Friday morning.

Norma Jean, N.J. for short, eluded people for more than five months while living in the woods beside Regal Cinema in Franklin Square. Various people tried to coax her to their cars – whistling, waving food, bringing other dogs. Nothing worked.

A hot dog, her owner and the sound of her name proved the only successful combination to reel in the little girl.

Christina Baucom’s dogs, N.J. and Skynyrd, were like her children. But the family was divided when Baucom and her husband split up.

Forced to move from her home into an apartment, Baucom was faced with a dilemma. She couldn’t afford the $250 pet deposit and additional monthly fees to take her dogs with her.

Baucom called out to her Facebook friends to find homes for the dachshunds.

Skynyrd went to an old high school friend of Baucom’s, and N.J. moved in with a woman who said she’d provide a good home.

Over several months Baucom kept track of Skynyrd on Facebook, but N.J.’s new owner would never respond to messages.

Baucom hoped that both her babies were being cared for.

Baucom glanced at The Gazette front page Thursday and gasped. N.J.’s picture was prominently placed on the page, and the article described her dog as homeless.

She read how people throughout Gaston County visited her pup, bringing her food, water, toys and a dog house. But N.J. was skittish and ran if anyone got too close.

Baucom cried.

Then she sprang into action. The Lowell woman took an unpaid day off work and spent nearly 12 hours camped out by the cinema.

Strangers stopped by. Her friends came in shifts.

A police officer stayed with her a while, suggesting she leave something behind so that N.J. would smell it and remember her scent.

Baucom put out a blanket and went home. Sleeping seemed impossible. Baucom drove back to the theater around 1:30 a.m. Friday, but crowds from the midnight showing of “Breaking Dawn: Part 2” filled the parking lot.

Baucom returned at 6:30 a.m. to make another attempt before work. N.J. wasn’t visible.

She put a handful of dog food on the blanket and got in her car. Just as she started to drive away, N.J. darted into the parking lot.

Baucom got out of her car, sat on the ground, held out a piece of hot dog and called to her dog.

N.J. ran full speed ahead, jumped in Baucom’s lap and licked her face.

When she first set out to find N.J., Baucom planned to give the dog to her mother so she could avoid the apartment fees, but still have contact with her pet. That may not be necessary.

People who initially rallied behind N.J. are now standing by Baucom.

One person has offered to pay the dog’s initial vet bills to get her vaccines caught up. Others say they want to pitch in to pay Baucom’s pet deposit fees.

Tears streamed down Baucom’s face as she described holding N.J. again, and feeling the warmth of the kindness of strangers.

 

Thanks so much to our pal 'Caya' for sending in the link to this wonderful reunion.  You can read more about it at the Gaston Gazette. 

 

Welcome Home N.J. 

Dachshund Mix Missing For Six Months Turns Up At Adoption Event

We always love a good doggie reunion story.  It just goes to show that you can never give up hope. Here, an 11-year-old Dachshund Mix named 'Tinkerbell' from Rocky Mount, Virginia, goes astray and ends up missing for 6 months.  She was finally found some 70 miles from her home and reunited with her family by surprise at an adoption event!  Via WCSH.

Dachshund Love Stories: Kaitlyn Gets Her Gretchen Back

When divorces happen, sometimes dogs are stolen and it takes a court order to get them back.  Kaitlyn got her Gretchen back.  By youtuber alextheberge.

Lola Finds Her Forever Home!

Pitched puppy adopted: fox10tv.com

Lola

We're sure that you remember the story of 'Lola,' the puppy who was thrown over a third-story balcony a few weeks ago.  Well, great news:  she has recovered and has found a new forever home!  Our roving reporters 'Teenie' and 'Bowser' write:

Dear Joey and Rowdy,

We just wanted to send you this update on Lola, the dachshund puppy from Alabama that was thrown from a third floor balcony. She's doing great and getting new parents! Here's a link to her story:  Lola, puppy thrown from balcony, has a new home.  It's always nice to hear a happy ending. Love to read your blog.

Roving reporters Teenie and Bowser relaxing at home

Reunited And It Feels So Good

Smiles!

Caleb Doughty, 9, cuddles with his Dachshund-mix Sky last Tuesday when she was found after she’d been missing 25 days. Sky’s crate was smashed when the Doughty’s Canebrake, Alabama home was struck by a March 2 tornado and Sky was either carried away by the storm or ran in panic.  Excerpt from The News Courier:

The 6-year-old dachshund-mix with one brown eye and one blue one had been adopted from the shelter Peace, Love & Animals.

“She’s my sister,” Caleb said. The 9-year-old home-schooled student considers the pets his siblings.

The family, as well as volunteers from Canebrake subdivision, immediately began searching the neighborhood and nearby woods.

They posted signs and placed notices on the Facebook page of the Canebrake Club.

Everyone wanted to help reunite the family with its pet. Someone with Animal Control donated humane traps, which capture a pet without harming it, and construction workers who were repairing damaged homes in the area set out dog treats in hopes of luring Sky.

Flo would receive calls of “Sky sightings,” with the farthest about a mile from the home. After a sighting at Hole 5 on the golf course, several men in golf carts met Flo to aid in a search. “They said, ‘We came to help you find your dog,’” Flo said. “The community was so nice.”

Then, she heard Sky was seen on a nearby street and set a trap in the garage of a home on the street behind her home.

The next morning, 25 days after the tornadoes, construction workers found Sky, tail wagging, inside the crate. 

The family drove over from the apartment in Madison where they are living until their home is repaired.

“We were just astonished,” Caleb said.

 Flo said, “We let Sky sleep with us that first night and she snored all night. She was so tired from her adventure.”

“I prayed and prayed, hoping the persistence would pay off,” Flo said, citing the Biblical parable of the persistent widow.

Welcome Home Sky!

Cruise Liner Survivor At Home With Dachshund

We can only imagine the comfort and relief that your Dachshund, your family, your friends, and your home could bring you after you survived a harrowing experience like living through being on a cruise liner which has capsized.  But that's just how Karen M. Kennedy feels now that she's safely at home in Hampton Roads, Virginia, after surviving the capsize of the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia.  We know she's happy to see her black and tan longhair 'Frodo.'   

Above, she spends time with Frodo in her office on Monday after she arrived back in the United States. In the foreground are Italian newspapers with the story about the capsizing.  Read all about her experience at HamptonRoads.

Wirehair Wednesday: Welcome To Your Forever Home Posey!

Wirehair Dachshund Relaxation

What day is it?  Wednesday!  What's that mean?  It's Wirehair Wednesday!  Thanks so much to Jessica C. for writing in with the story of her new beautiful rescue gal 'Posey.'  She writes:

Dear Joey and Maggie,

Remember Charlie Watson? We just adopted a little sister for him from Southern California Dachshund Rescue. We named her Posey. Here is a picture of them together. She is about 5 years old and was found wandering the streets of San Diego barely able to walk. Luckily, the shelter and SCDR recognized her symptoms and started treating her for IVDD. She has been with us for about a week and is already walking much better. She gets stronger every day. As you can see, she is a mini wire-haired dachshund that looks just like her big brother Charlie. As she gets stronger, she also gets more and more feisty--she wants to wrestle Charlie every chance she gets. We hope we are able to provide her a happy home and that she lives a long healthy life with us here in San Francisco!

We're betting that little Posey could not have found a better home.  Congrats all around!

Welcome Home Oscar!

Thanks to an anonymous commenter for letting us know that 11-year-old 'Oscar' has been returned to his home.  He was the poor little Parma Heights, Ohio guy who went missing, and a man said that he gave him away at a garage sale!  Excerpt from Cleveland.com:

Within hours of the posting of the story of Brian Tabar losing "Oscar" the Dachshund in his Old Brooklyn neighborhood Aug. 6, the couple who "adopted" him at a yard sale in Parma Heights returned him to his rightful owner.

"The article worked," Tabar said. "A friend of the couple who adopted him read the article, got in touch with them and they dropped Oscar off at my house around 9:30 p.m. (Thursday, Aug. 18).

"Thank God this story was true and had a happy ending. My daughter could not stop smiling with joy when I carried Oscar into the house."

Dachshund Oddities From Around The World: Kidnapped Dog Finds Its Way Home In Poland

The National Flag of Poland

Say what you will, but stranger things have happened in the world of Dachshunds.  Via The Nation:

A Polish woman could not believe her eyes when her pet dog found its way home - after being dog napped 30 miles away. Edyta Kowalska, 44, from Sochaczew, had gone to the capital Warsaw for the day with her two-year-old Dachshund, Cherry. But as they walked down the road a car suddenly pulled up and three masked men jumped out. The trio bundled the dog inside a car and sped off. “It was terrifying. They leapt out of their car and ran over towards me. I thought they were going to attack me, but instead they grabbed Cherry, jumped back in the car and drove off,” said Edyta. “I went to the police and filed a report, but I don’t think they took it very seriously.

Dachshund Lost In Tornado-Related Wreck Found 5 Weeks Later!

With tornadoes devastating much of the United States this spring, it's awesome to hear a story of hope when there is such despair.  Excerpt from WTOK out of Meridian, Mississippi:

Newscenter 11 told you the story of a lost dog, Ruby, who was missing after her owners were involved in a storm-related traffic mishap April 15 in Kemper County.
Amazingly, after five weeks on her own, Ruby has been found and reunited with her owner from south Alabama.
The year-old dachshund was traveling with her owner, Tabitha Ankerson, along Highway 45 when they encountered a deadly tornado. Ankerson's car was flipped over, and afterward, Ruby was nowhere to be found.
"Ruby somehow got out of the car and she has been living in the woods for five weeks now," Ankerson said.
During those five weeks, Ankerson said it was hard for her to live a normal life.
"Yeah, it was rough. I mean, especially the first few weeks when no one had seen her or anything," said Ankerson. "Not knowing if she was alive or if she was hurt, I mean, I cried every day."

Read more at WTOK.

Welcome Home Drew: Soldier's Missing Dachshund Found!

Here's a feel-good story to jump-start your Monday:  We're sure you remember reading about SSgt. John Mathatas, who was coming home to Brunswick, Ohio from the Middle East, but his Dachshund 'Drew' had just gone missing, and his family was trying to locate him before the veteran arrived.  Well, better late than never, because Drew was returned to the family on Friday!  Excerpt from newsnet5:

Right before an area soldier was set to return, his best friend went missing. Now, weeks, later, Staff. Sgt. John Mathatas’s dog has been returned.
Mathatas’s parents were watching Drew, an 8-year-old miniature dachshund, while their son was in Kuwait. They let the dog outside of their Brunswick home on March 12 and he never came back.
"Eleven years in the Army, he's got a lot of friends all over the world, but Drew is his best friend," Marta Mathatas, John’s mother, said on March 18. Drew had been by John’s side through several deployments and even divorce.
John Mathatas returned from duty on March 19 and on Friday, he was finally reunited with his pet pooch.
Marta Mathatas said a Parma couple had found the dog while out driving and had been taking care of the dog ever since. When they saw an article, they called Brunswick police. The dog was returned to the Mathatas family early Friday evening.

Welcome Home Drew!

Lola, the Dachshund Who Survived a Month in Burned-Out House Goes Home!

Kisses!

We're incredibly happy to report that 'Lola,' the miracle Dachshund from Boston who survived a housefire and then being trapped inside the house for nearly 30 days was released from the MSPCA-Angell Animal Medical Center on Thursday.  The veterinarian confirms Lola is in good health, but will be on a restricted diet for a few weeks while she gets completely back to normal.  Welcome Home, Lola!

Lola, the miracle dog, reunited with owner video via NECN.

Have a great Friday!

Dachshund 'Lola' Survives a Month in Burned-Out House

Photo:  Boston.com

Thanks so much to Geraldine Larsen, Barb, and Lauren Boucher for sending in links to this fantastic and heart-warming story which will make your week! 

Meet pretty little dappled black and tan longhair 'Lola,' who set up residence in Boston's Hyde Park neighborhood.  Her house burned down on February 23rd, and it was thought that Lola perished in the fire or ran away.  Her human, Terisa Acevedo, spent several days after the fire posting flyers and searching the neighborhood for her sweet girl to no avail.  But on Monday of this week, she returned to the home only to hear Lola's scratching at the boarded-up front door! 

Lola is currently in the care of Angell Memorial Animal Hospital.  She is recovering well, and may come home as early as today! 

The over-joyed Miss Acevedo claimed:  “I’m never going to tell her no ever again. You want a treat? Here you go. You want to go out? Yes, sure. I’ll go out with you right now.”

Read more at CBS Boston.

The Boston Globe's Brian Ballou tells us the incredible story.

Reunited, And It Feels So Good!

Thanks to the folks who left us comments letting us know that 'Jack' and 'Otto' have been found!  We're sure that you remember their story:  the Bristol, UK, 7-month-old Dachshunds were in a Land Rover which was stolen while their human was attending a funeral.  Appeals on national television didn't turn up any leads for 5 long weeks, but they were finally found last Friday when they updated their Two Missing Dogs facebook page:  OMG.. We have Jack and Otto back!!!! had a call today from someone, picked them up in Banbury 2 hours ago. So happy x x.

They go on to note:  So so so happy. They are both very well and put on weight!!! Just fantastic and I'm so grateful to everyone who has supported us through this. Thank you... x x x

Welcome Home Jack and Otto!

RuRu Finds His Home

Thanks to Bludog for leaving a comment and letting us know that RuRu, the disabled Florida Dachshund who gained national attention after being featured on CNN a few weeks ago, has found his forever home.  According to NBC2, his new owners are from Venice, and will pick him up from the Naples Humane Society later this week.  Congrats to both RuRu and his new humans!

Related:  RuRu Searches for his Home (with video)

Stolen Senior Sausage Dog Back Home With Humans

Meet pretty 15-year-old 'Polly' and her human Annabel Dobson, who hail from Darras Hall, Ponteland, England.  Thieves thought Polly was a puppy and stole her along with her crate from the kitchen.  The criminals must have realized their mistake when they noticed that she was deaf and almost blind, so they dumped her in an alleyway miles from her home.  Excerpt from Journal Live:

When Dawn [Annabel' Mother] came home she didn’t realise at first they had been burgled, and seeing Polly’s cage missing she assumed Annabel, a pre-school teacher in Ponteland, had moved her.

But seeing a smashed window and all the family’s flat screen televisions missing, she feared the worst. All her jewellery was missing, including her mother’s, who died over a year ago.
Housewife Dawn said: “My Staffie Heidi was running around and I couldn’t understand it, but then I saw the TV had gone. They’d taken all my jewellery and all my mum’s jewellery, but I was more worried about the dog.”
With the family in tears, distraught daughter Annabel began ringing every veterinary surgery and dog shelter in the area.
Her hard work paid off as, the next morning, Westway Veterinary Group in Fenham, Newcastle, phoned up and said they had the dachshund. A dog walker had spotted her shivering in an alleyway off Wingrove Road and took her to the vets.
Dawn said: “We were crying we were so happy, but she was subdued. She never goes out of the house because she gets frightened, so it must have been very traumatic for her. In all her 15 years she has never experienced anything like that.

Welcome Home Polly!  Read the rest of this troubling but heartwarming story at Journal Live.

Some Hope and Some Despair

In the "hope" department, it's a sad day when your Dachshund is stolen, but a happy one when she is found.  That's what happened to these one and three year-old girls who hail from Newington Close, Southend, UK.  Their cute Dachshund puppy 'Rolo' was stolen from inside their home last Saturday evening.  Their Mom received an anonymous tip where the puppy could be found, and it was right around the corner from them!  After the police refused to help get the puppy back, stating that "it wasn't a priority," a family friend knocked on the door of the house and stated "I believe you have my neighbour’s dog and I would like to take her back to them."  Read all about it at Echo News. 

And in the dreaded "despair" department, our hearts go out to the family and friends of 3-year-old 'Minnie,' seen here, who passed on Monday while undergoing a routine teeth cleaning at Banfield Pet Hospital in Cape Coral, Florida.  It's every Dachshund and dog lover's worst nightmare that something might happen from anesthesia during a teeth cleaning, and sometimes it does.  Rest in Peace little girl.  You were loved.  Read more at the News-Press.

11-Year-Old Dachshund Survives 4 Weeks in the Wilderness

If you're looking for some of that Dachshund inspiration to kick off your Monday with a bang, you've come to the right place.  Meet beautiful 11-year-old 'Honey,' and his human Denise Beirnes, who hail from West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.  They were out doing some off-leash hiking in the woods around Capilano River with 'Eddie,' the other Dachshund in the family, when all of a sudden Honey was just gone and nowhere to be found.  Excerpt from North Shore News:

"I looked around and he was gone," Beirnes said. "So I am calling and calling and calling him and there is no response, so we started this all-out search."

Despite exhaustive search efforts by Beirnes, some friends and the dog's walkers from North Shore Dog Walkers, Honey was nowhere to be found.
Beirnes returned to the site many times over the next few days but found no sign of Honey.
Beirnes didn't give up. She called pounds and animal hospitals, contacting all the vets on the North Shore and put up around 50 posters in the area. She also posted adds on Kijiji, Craigslist and in the North Shore News.
Hoping to provide an incentive, Beirnes offered a $1,000 reward to anyone that returned her dog safe and sound.
Then the unthinkable happened. Beirnes received a call from a man saying he had located Honey after identifying him through his tags.
It had been four weeks since Beirnes had last seen her beloved dog.
When they brought Honey back, the dog was barely alive. It was exceedingly thin with its chest scraped up, two infected cuts on its ears and a skinned nose.
Beirnes said the normally lively dog was lifeless.
Less than 10 days after the ordeal Honey is starting to perk up. Beirnes has to feed him every three hours to help him gain his strength back. So far he has gained a pound.

Well welcome home Honey, and don't run off like that again!  Read more of this amazing story at North Shore News.

Lost and Found and Lost and Found

Meet pretty red smooth rescue 'Winnie,' her human Sarah DeCantis (left), and Winnie's recent foster mom.  These folks hail near Scranton, Pennsylvania.  Winnie, a 3-year-old puppy mill rescue, went missing last week when a loud noise had startled her.  A group of kids had found Winnie and contacted Ms. DeCantis, only to prematurely give the dog to another woman who claimed that Winnie was hers. 
After hundreds of fliers were posted and the story appeared in the paper, the woman who had taken Winnie contacted Ms. DeCantis, saying it was never her intention to keep her. 
Read all about the happy reunion and see several nice photos at the Times-Tribune.

Welcome home (finally!) Winnie!

Missing Dachshund Stolen With Truck Back Home After 2 Months

Welcome Home 'Brownie!'  What an ordeal this sweet Buckeye, Arizona, dappled girl and her human Lynda have been through.  Lynda's truck was stolen in January with Brownie inside.  And this happened right after Lynda's husband will killed in a motorcycle accident.  Brownie was more her husband's dog, as Lynda stated:  “This was his dog and before he had teased me about if anything happened to him I had to keep the dog,”
Thankfully a good samaritan spotted Brownie running through traffic, and her microchip led to her return home. 
“I guess this shows you don't give up. There are kind people in the world,” Lynda said.
Read all about Brownie's ordeal at ABC 15.