The area that Aggie is wandering through is laced with heavily traveled roads including Herndon Parkway and Sterling Road. This has it's advantages and disadvantages, the disadvantages not needing to even be spoken and they are scary to us all.
The advantage is that if we can get LARGE signs up at some of those intersections, which has now finally been done, there should be more people that now get the message about this wandering black lab called Miss Aggie. The 8.5" x 11" fliers posted at a pedestrians eye level are really good mostly just for pedestrians, and any bikers that might be traveling on any of those routes. The occaisional passenger sitting right at a light and staring right at the flier can see it, but for the most part, their good comes when someone (1) sees Aggie and (2) remembers having seen a sign to go back and look at on the corner. Lots of lost pets have been found because someone recalled that there were lost pet signs up in the area and they could find one in short order.
With signs now up, the next job is to make sure they are staying up. So anyone that will be moving through Aggie's area (see the map from the last blog update), please look for signs around Herndon Pkway and Sterling and Rock Hill Roads, and leave a comment if it looks like there the signs put up have come down.
Again, and still, we are waiting for sighting calls.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
Maps of Tracks
Here are the tracks from the 2 tracks run for Aggie, showing where Salsa found her to have traveled.
The yellow track is the first one, run a week ago. The pink was run yesterday.
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| Click on the map for a larger view |
The yellow track is the first one, run a week ago. The pink was run yesterday.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
From Salsa's Nose
Sam & Salsa came out to track Aggie's movements from the water tower, which is the latest sighting -- from Thursday evening. The track will be mapped later, but basically Aggie looped from the water town to Summerfield through to Rock Hill Rd, to a right on Herndon Parkway and back to Summerfield to to Spring Knoll. A feeding station was set up along Spring Knoll. In a number of spots on the track, the scent was going in two directions, which is an indication that this is her loop, and she's done it more than once.
There was a feeding station at Lawn & Leisure, but that one has now been removed after nearly a week with no activity. So now there are two feeding stations in addition to the one at the house.
If you are near Herndon and are able to assist with and of th following, please please email me:
There was a feeding station at Lawn & Leisure, but that one has now been removed after nearly a week with no activity. So now there are two feeding stations in addition to the one at the house.
If you are near Herndon and are able to assist with and of th following, please please email me:
- assist with checking feeding stations
- bring a hammer and drive some large signs we have into the ground in a few spots -- along Rock Hill Rd for one
- print out some half page fliers I've made, and insert them in door hanger bags we have, then deliver them to the residents along Summerfield
- keep Aggie's Craigslist posting new every couple of days
Saturday Evening's Efforts
Last night, Aggie's supporters attempted to generate a sighting by setting up a surveillance plan that included teams monitoring five temporary feeding stations, all surrounding Aggie's new home from which she bolted one week earlier.
During the afternoon, scent trails were laid out from five locations, in spokes, leading to the house. Each location was selected for a specific reason; they were places Aggie was sighted or tracked, or had great appeal for a dog at large. Then last night, a team was placed at the start of each scent trail, and given chicken & bacon to place strategically and watch. The hope was that the scent of the meat would draw her to that spot, and then either her picking up the "eau de Sonia's socks" would lead her to the house or better yet, the volunteer team would then alert Sonia, and start a phone tree to alert the other teams so they could converge on the sighting spot. We had a volunteer waiting by the phone to guide any team that needed help navigating to the sighting location. Sonia and I roved throughout all of the surveillance sites plus other areas, always at the ready to respond to a sighting call or assist in any other way. It was a good plan, well executed, and timed during the periods when other Aggie sightings have occurred over the last week.
And nothing. No Aggie showed herself anywhere, at anytime, during a full four hour stretch. There were cats and deer and foxes that were seen. One team was approached by Herndon's finest. Another team had a tow truck back up to their car, whose driver must have figured out that they were in it so he left. Another had some creepy black truck pass back and forth, back and forth past the car throughout the entire shift. Everyone was out but Aggie.
So we need more eyes out looking, all the time, meaning more outreach is needed. Anyone that can do the biz card thing, or can spend some time putting up large signs that we have made and want installed at some of the big intersections, email me for info on how you can help do that today. Thanks to the volunteer that spent some time re-fliering yesterday, and I think he would probably say that more refliering is needed. The W&OD trail needs to be fliered, particularly between mile markers 19 - 22, so that might be a great excuse for anyone wanting a nice walk or bike ride today. Download fliers from the blog, or I'll tell you where you can pick up a supply of them if you email me.
Sam and Salsa of Pure Gold Pet Trackers will be out today running another track, probably starting from the sighting near the water tower on Thursday evening. We're anxious to learn what Salsa has to tell us.
Someone is surely seeing her. We are waiting for the call.
During the afternoon, scent trails were laid out from five locations, in spokes, leading to the house. Each location was selected for a specific reason; they were places Aggie was sighted or tracked, or had great appeal for a dog at large. Then last night, a team was placed at the start of each scent trail, and given chicken & bacon to place strategically and watch. The hope was that the scent of the meat would draw her to that spot, and then either her picking up the "eau de Sonia's socks" would lead her to the house or better yet, the volunteer team would then alert Sonia, and start a phone tree to alert the other teams so they could converge on the sighting spot. We had a volunteer waiting by the phone to guide any team that needed help navigating to the sighting location. Sonia and I roved throughout all of the surveillance sites plus other areas, always at the ready to respond to a sighting call or assist in any other way. It was a good plan, well executed, and timed during the periods when other Aggie sightings have occurred over the last week.
And nothing. No Aggie showed herself anywhere, at anytime, during a full four hour stretch. There were cats and deer and foxes that were seen. One team was approached by Herndon's finest. Another team had a tow truck back up to their car, whose driver must have figured out that they were in it so he left. Another had some creepy black truck pass back and forth, back and forth past the car throughout the entire shift. Everyone was out but Aggie.
So we need more eyes out looking, all the time, meaning more outreach is needed. Anyone that can do the biz card thing, or can spend some time putting up large signs that we have made and want installed at some of the big intersections, email me for info on how you can help do that today. Thanks to the volunteer that spent some time re-fliering yesterday, and I think he would probably say that more refliering is needed. The W&OD trail needs to be fliered, particularly between mile markers 19 - 22, so that might be a great excuse for anyone wanting a nice walk or bike ride today. Download fliers from the blog, or I'll tell you where you can pick up a supply of them if you email me.
Sam and Salsa of Pure Gold Pet Trackers will be out today running another track, probably starting from the sighting near the water tower on Thursday evening. We're anxious to learn what Salsa has to tell us.
Someone is surely seeing her. We are waiting for the call.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Scent Article Missing!
When checking the feeding stations on Friday, it seems that the dirty sock of Sonia's (Aggie's foster for six weeks) was gone -- a good sign! Not a guarantee but a good sign!
For anyone able to help with the search this weekend, we are most interested in seeing the word spread via business cards handed out, or placed on drivers' side car windows, at the numerous shopping areas along Elden Street. If you can help, one way is to download and print business cards from this blog. Another option is to email Amanda and she can give you the location where a printed supply is being held.
Also needed is someone to do the dog adoption event circuit and take fliers and biz cards. Or, lots of different people can hit one event. If you can do that, please leave a comment! Leave a comment if you hit a dog adoption event, or leave a comment if you know specifically where and when some are taking place, or if you want to help but don't know where any events are being held. Everyone can read the comments on this blog. And the fliers are available for download.
Installing some large signs that we have made is another we can use volunteer help today. We have some large signs that need someone to drive into the ground in several well chosen spots. If you can do that, email Sonia for information.
Another way to help if you can be in Herndon is to go around checking the fliers that we have up. There's very little additional fliering help that we need today, until there is a sighting that puts her in a new area, but re-checking fliers would be a help.
Look for another update in the morning if THE update we want doesn't come along today!
For anyone able to help with the search this weekend, we are most interested in seeing the word spread via business cards handed out, or placed on drivers' side car windows, at the numerous shopping areas along Elden Street. If you can help, one way is to download and print business cards from this blog. Another option is to email Amanda and she can give you the location where a printed supply is being held.
Also needed is someone to do the dog adoption event circuit and take fliers and biz cards. Or, lots of different people can hit one event. If you can do that, please leave a comment! Leave a comment if you hit a dog adoption event, or leave a comment if you know specifically where and when some are taking place, or if you want to help but don't know where any events are being held. Everyone can read the comments on this blog. And the fliers are available for download.
Installing some large signs that we have made is another we can use volunteer help today. We have some large signs that need someone to drive into the ground in several well chosen spots. If you can do that, email Sonia for information.
Another way to help if you can be in Herndon is to go around checking the fliers that we have up. There's very little additional fliering help that we need today, until there is a sighting that puts her in a new area, but re-checking fliers would be a help.
Look for another update in the morning if THE update we want doesn't come along today!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Another Sighting This Evening!
Just a couple of hours ago, Aggie was seen again!
This time, she was trotting along on Spring Knoll, by residents who were just outside their front door. They could recognize the red collar.
Tim responded quickly and spoke to the people who had seen her. She had disappeared by the time he got there, and they did notice that she seemed to be heading generally in the direction of Herndon Parkway :(
Usually the first thought in responding to a sighting is to consider setting up a feeding station in the spot. In this case, the sighting is SOOOO close to the heavily traveled Herndon Parkway, that we are hesitant to do that -- like with last night's sighting.
But Sonia is preparing bottles of scent water (eau de dirty socks) that we will spread, on Saturday, in spokes leading to her point of escape -- Tim and Amanda's house. They are leaving food out for her, and hopefully she's the one eating from it.
Keep spreading the word, and that fateful sighting call will be on its way!
This time, she was trotting along on Spring Knoll, by residents who were just outside their front door. They could recognize the red collar.
Tim responded quickly and spoke to the people who had seen her. She had disappeared by the time he got there, and they did notice that she seemed to be heading generally in the direction of Herndon Parkway :(
Usually the first thought in responding to a sighting is to consider setting up a feeding station in the spot. In this case, the sighting is SOOOO close to the heavily traveled Herndon Parkway, that we are hesitant to do that -- like with last night's sighting.
But Sonia is preparing bottles of scent water (eau de dirty socks) that we will spread, on Saturday, in spokes leading to her point of escape -- Tim and Amanda's house. They are leaving food out for her, and hopefully she's the one eating from it.
Keep spreading the word, and that fateful sighting call will be on its way!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Sizzling Hot Live Sighting Moments Ago!
I'm on the phone now with Sonia (Aggie's foster mom for 6 weeks, up until last Saturday) getting the scoop!
Tim (Aggie's new dad that she didn't get to know yet) got a call of a live sighting -- a couple very close to their home were looking right at her. She was sitting at Herndon Parkway and Sterling Road, waiting to cross the intersection! They had seen one of the fliers, and called immediately.
They managed to get her away from that busy intersection by honking the horn, and Aggie then scurried down a nearby cul-de-sac, Oakshire Ct, and on through to Redwood Court, behind it. So, ultimately she slipped away. But there's no serious doubt that this was Aggie. They saw both collars and heard tags, the dog looked just like her, and there's every reason to think it was her. So we're going with that!
We now have a map that shows areas fliered, the scent track from Monday, and now this sighting. See the map HERE.
Sonia, to whom Aggie was bonded, laid a scent trail (water she had soaked dirty socks in) from the sighting location to where Aggie's home it. And there's a feeding station there, since the first night, which has been eaten from, by the way. We're talking about how to figure out who's feeding from it, which is a little tricky to do with the rain we're about to get.
Well! This is great news that we have finally had a sighting. Sure, it would be better if she'd been captured. But for this moment, I'll take a sighting. Now let's see what tomorrow brings!
Tim (Aggie's new dad that she didn't get to know yet) got a call of a live sighting -- a couple very close to their home were looking right at her. She was sitting at Herndon Parkway and Sterling Road, waiting to cross the intersection! They had seen one of the fliers, and called immediately.
They managed to get her away from that busy intersection by honking the horn, and Aggie then scurried down a nearby cul-de-sac, Oakshire Ct, and on through to Redwood Court, behind it. So, ultimately she slipped away. But there's no serious doubt that this was Aggie. They saw both collars and heard tags, the dog looked just like her, and there's every reason to think it was her. So we're going with that!
We now have a map that shows areas fliered, the scent track from Monday, and now this sighting. See the map HERE.
Sonia, to whom Aggie was bonded, laid a scent trail (water she had soaked dirty socks in) from the sighting location to where Aggie's home it. And there's a feeding station there, since the first night, which has been eaten from, by the way. We're talking about how to figure out who's feeding from it, which is a little tricky to do with the rain we're about to get.
Well! This is great news that we have finally had a sighting. Sure, it would be better if she'd been captured. But for this moment, I'll take a sighting. Now let's see what tomorrow brings!
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