Gayle and Craig’s testimonial and story about Little Lost Cindy.
Our little lost Cindy
We had a beautiful little girl for 16 years who we named Mia, with great sadness, she passed away with dementia. She was the love of our life and we were so heart broken and we still miss her every day. We agreed we would never get another furbie as the pain of loosing Mia was unbearable and we agreed we would not be able to go through that pain and sadness again.
It was 5 years later that in 2020, we both felt the need to have another little furbie to give a loving home too and we could not resist the feeling. So, we agreed we were ready and spent weeks searching to find another beautiful furbie that we could give our love to and provide a forever home, filled with love and affection.
Along came Cindy, a rehomed rescue dog, she did come with some baggage from her previous home but the moment we saw her, we knew, with a bit of work, love and attention, we could give her a loving home and a happy life she so deserved.
We adopted Cindy and had her for approx. 2 weeks and she was slowly settling in. Then we had some business we had to attend too, we knew it would only take a short time and we would be back home. We had checked all our backyard, and we confident there were no areas she could escape through and that she would be safe, as this is the first time we had left her alone, so we gave her some treats and went to attend the business.
A short time later, we arrived back home with excitement to see her and thought how excited she would be to see us.
To our shock and despair, we couldn’t hear her, we couldn’t see her, we immediately went into panic mode, we searched every inch of our backyard, several times, every spot that she could be a hiding in, we called her name over and over, but it was clear she wasn’t any to found in our backyard.
Our hearts were shattered once again, the tears were flowing and the thought we possibly could have lost her set in.
Instantly we went into search mode, Craig went straight out searching our street and streets around, calling, searching, asking anyone he could, if they may have seen her, he had a picture on his mobile that we took only days before, so he could show everyone he spoke too.
While he was out searching, I jumped on social media, I knew from facebook posts over time that many pleas and requests of various forms were supported from those who read them, missing people, lost items, things people needed in various ways. So I thought I would also ask for help this way in the hope to get some sightings or positive news.
I posted on facebook in various local community pages, requesting help to find our little lost girl. Providing every detail that I thought would help those who read my posts in the hope it would be able to help bring her home and also included the recent picture. Within 10 mins approx., I already got a response telling us they saw a dog similar to her description and picture, run past her house and the direction she went.
I updated Craig, so he rushed towards this location, searched everywhere around and nearby, but no sign of her.
I was mindful that not everyone has social media of any kind or may not be on those groups or could even be away on holidays or similar as it was getting close to Christmas.
Every time hubby came home from searching, we were more desperate.
We did contact the rescue group we adopted Cindy from, and they also went searching around the area.
We were devastated, then along came Milly’s Search and Trap Group. We had never heard of this wonderful group of volunteers before this happened and we are so grateful they reached out to us.
Lyn from the group contacted us and told us she will assist in helping finding Cindy and told us about the group and how they can help.
During a time Craig was searching the streets nearby, he had a call from a very nice lady saying they believe they saw Cindy running around near the local nursing home, so off he went again in that location searching everywhere, went into the nursing home and they were happy to keep a look out for her.
Lyn, met up with Craig and searched in the bushland area around the nursing home and streets and helped with the search, her expertise was a great comfort to us at this time. Lyn assisted with making up lots of posters and placed them everywhere, including where Cindy had been seen, and at schools, and along the Lake footpath and shops in the area. There were sadly no more reported sightings for another 10
days.
Every accessible spot was searched by Lyn and Craig, sheds, bushland, thick scrub, playgrounds, buildings and no sign, Lyn placed food stations, cameras, everything possible was being done.
We came to a point that we thought we would never see Cindy again, our hearts ached, we were in despair. Craig kept searching and I updated the facebook posts every day, we really believed by this time, either she was hurt somewhere and didn’t survive, or someone had taken her in for their own.
I made sure I dated my posts every time that I updated it, to keep flooding social media to ensure Cindy would be foremost in peoples minds in the hope they would see her, hear something, and tell others about her and our search.
It was very hard to keep going, but with Lyn’s and the groups positive support and promise to us that they would not give up on her, it kept us going.
We also received so many positive responses from members of the community on the facebook posts. So many filled with sincere care, meaningful suggestions, and comments that they would keep looking out for her and so many sharing my posts around for others to see. This was overwhelming to know what a wonderful community we live in and that with everything going on around, we do have some wonderful people that would do things to help others.
23rd December 2020. We had to make an urgent dash on compassionate grounds 4 hours away, knowing that our precious little girl was missing, and it was a hard decision to dash away, but we knew we had the support and care from Lyn and her group and the community on watch, and that we would keep reading any posts or messages whilst we were away.
24th December, 2020, Christmas Eve: The day so clear in our memory
Very early in the morning we had a call thru our mobile, from a neighbour who saw our contact number thru facebook posts. They heard Cindy in our backyard barking, and they peered over the fence and could see her. To this day we cannot figure out, how she got out nor how she would get back in. They were going to keep monitoring her and would send any updates.
In the car we got and made the 4 hour stressful dash back home.
All the way home, our mobiles were going off, facebook posts continually being received, saying she has been seen down the lake edge area. One very nice guy called our mobiles, who saw her and got our phone number off the poster he saw.
Lyn kept us posted all the way home, which was reassuring as it was a long anxious drive home.
We got a message, Lyn had spotted her, but sadly she ran off again and they were still following her.
• Then the message came that Jo from Milly’s was near her and did everything possible to capture her.
• Jo went well over and went beyond expectations to rescue Cindy for us.
• Crawling on the ground and finally grabbing her.
There were so many people trying to help this day in many ways and some we have never been able to personally thank as we do not know who they are.
When we got this update, we were overwhelmed with emotions and tears were flowing, we were still some distance away, and our hearts were pumping.
Cindy was taken to the Vet by Lyn and Kelly, for a check up and she got the all clear.
We got home and to our excitement, Lyn and Kelly brought her to us, delivered her to our home.
Kelly opened the crate and Cindy pounced out, straight into Craig’s arms, it’s hard to say who was crying the most, Cindy, us or Lyn and Kelly, I think it was all.
She needed a bath, which is understandable, 10+ days lost, and, in the bush, she was tired, but she ran around, excited, jumping, crying with excitement.
After she calmed down and had a bath and some food, we were back in the car with her safely secured on the backseat and made the 4 hour journey back again and this time we spent Christmas there with Cindy and it was the best Christmas present, having her with us again.
We can’t thank the community enough, for the support, messages, searching and updates that we were given through social media. I’m so proud of our community that we live in.
• Most of all, we thank Lyn, Jo and Milly’s group, for everything they did for us. You are the most wonderful group of volunteers that are dedicated, caring, hard working, and have a love for all animals, no matter how big or small or type.
Lyn’s support goes without saying, the most caring person who stuck by us all the way through.
Jo was very reassuring and told us not to give up, as Milly’s won’t.
Would we have found Cindy without Lyn, Jo and Milly’s? we will never know, but we believe that without their support, we may have never found her.
We will be forever grateful to this wonderful group who have helped many lost animals and family’s and I know they will never stop doing what they love and are dedicated too.
Gayle & Craig