Gavin’s Story: How our Community Came Together to Find a Lost Pet

blog feature photo lose dog recovered through power of community

Gavin’s Story: How our Community Came Together to Find a Lost Pet

Written by Karees Noel, Veterinary Technician at Cincinnati Animal CARE
Edited by Jenna Bower, Communications Coordinator

At Cincinnati Animal CARE, we like to say that “lifesaving is a community ethic.” And when a lost pet goes missing, it’s vital that we can rely on our community, neighbors and friends to bring lost pets back home.

At CAC we talk a lot about reuniting pets with their owners – and even our staff is not immune to having pets go missing! This is the story of Gavin, a CAC alum adopted by CAC employees. Gavin’s story epitomizes the transformative power of compassion and community support.

This July during Lost Pet Prevention Month, we want to share his journey, shedding light on the importance of prevention and the profound impact of collective effort.

lost dog flier hanging from a tree

Gavin: A Rescue and a Friend

Over Memorial Day weekend, I was pet-sitting for my bosses in the Milford area. Among their house full of animals is Gavin, a sweet, but timid German Shepherd/Husky mix rescue from CAC. At just 1 ½ years old, Gavin had already endured more than most dogs his age. I had known him since he was just a few weeks old, and we had developed a close bond.

That Saturday evening, after giving Gavin his dinner and a dose of anxiety medication to calm the stress of the fireworks, I let the dogs out for some fresh air. As fireworks started to go off, I quickly brought the dogs back inside. However, Gavin didn’t come in immediately. Panic set in as I searched the house and the fenced backyard with a flashlight, calling his name. He didn’t come.

I contacted Gavin’s owners who were on a cruise in Alaska – not the easiest place to reach someone in an emergency! Eventually, they were able to remotely check their security cameras. They saw Gavin pacing up and down the fence line near the exit gate at 9:17pm. A few minutes after that, he disappeared from camera view. 

There was a hole in the fence under the gate and in the camera’s blind spot. We could not see which direction he went. 

So then began the 5-day long search for sweet Gavin. 

missing lost dog flier poster

The Search Begins

The first night Gavin went missing, I walked and drove around for hours, questioning neighbors and searching the area. A restaurant employee mentioned seeing a black dog near the woodline, possibly Gavin. Despite contacting local animal control, help was limited due to the holiday weekend.

The next few days saw friends, family, and coworkers coming together in an incredible show of support. Search parties scoured every direction distributing flyers with Gavin’s picture and description. We hung up fliers on every stop sign and business that would allow us. 

We also focused heavily on flyering near businesses that have drivers out at all hours of the day, like FedEX, UPS, USPS, and tow truck companies in case any of their drivers saw him and recognized him.

CAC volunteers also flooded social media with Gavin’s missing pet posts. Local shelters, vet offices, and law enforcement were notified. We even used Gavin’s dog friends to try to lure him back.

drone in the skys earching for lost dog

Searching from the Sky

We reached out to Danny Reaves Search and Rescue who uses drones to search for lost pets starting from a recent sighting. It’s an impressive operation – his drone can even see wildlife in highly wooded areas. He also sets up large traps and has trail cams viewing the traps that send motion-sensored notifications straight to his phone. 

We did not have any luck with the drone, but he was very helpful in letting us use his traps and trail cams. He checked in daily with updates and was also searching social media for any sightings or mentions of Gavin. 

A Glimmer of Hope

Days passed with no significant leads until Wednesday, May 29. A call came in describing Gavin perfectly down to his collar color – he had been spotted by a couple in their front yard a few times that day, seemingly injured and limping. They had seen a flyer of Gavin and contacted us right away. 

Their house was about 1.5 miles away, only a 4-minute drive away from his home. The couple let me drive to their house pretty late in the evening to look around and talk to them. The homeowners allowed us to set up a trap and a trail cam in their yard, giving us hope and renewed determination.

wood searching for lost dog

Into the Woods

Thursday morning brought another call—Gavin was spotted in a nearby backyard. I rushed over, but he had already run off into the woods behind their house before I got there. The daughter of Gavin’s owners came out to help search, hoping Gavin would feel comfortable coming to someone who lives with him. 

After about 30 minutes of hiking in the woods, I spotted Gavin standing about 10 feet from me. He got scared and ran away as soon as he saw me. We saw him once more walking around the woods, but even with his owner’s daughter calling for him he got scared and jumped a fence and took off again. 

We did not want to scare him farther and farther into the woods so everyone retreated. We moved the trap and trail cam back near those woods. He had to be so hungry, stressed and scared so we thought backing off just a little would help. Myself and two volunteers, Lexi and Laura, were discussing different tactics and options in the front yard. We were about to head out and go grab a small grill and some bacon to help entice him. 

The Happy Reunion

But then it happened! Gavin was standing behind the neighbor’s fence about 5 feet from us staring right at us. Lexi stayed there and started quietly baby-talking him to keep his attention. Laura went one way along the fence line around the back of the house. I jumped the fence and tried to stay quiet. 

As I was coming up behind him, I sat down and said his name quietly. He snapped his head and froze – I thought he was going to bolt again. I started chucking every kind of food I had in my fanny pack. Cheese, hotdogs anything I could. He started taking the treats and getting closer to me. Once he was about 4-5 feet from me he started to relax and wag his tail.

With quiet, gentle calls and some irresistible treats, Gavin recognized me and ran straight into my arms. Tears of joy and relief flowed as we secured him with our leash.

Gavin was immediately taken to the vet, where he was treated for fractures in his right front leg. After multiple splint changes, Gavin’s leg is now almost fully healed, and he’s back to living happily at home!

lost pet dog found reunited with owner

The Power of Community and Compassion

This experience highlights the incredible strength of community and the importance of preparation. Gavin’s owners had done everything right—collar tags, a microchip, a fenced yard with security cameras—yet accidents can happen even to the most responsible pet owners. The collective effort of family, friends, and neighbors made all the difference.

Thanking everyone individually involved would be almost impossible. As we celebrate Lost Pet Prevention Month this July, let Gavin’s story serve as a reminder of the power of love, compassion, and community in the trying times of finding a lost pet.

Scroll to Top