Spot is in Marianne's Arms!!!!

6:15pm:  No details yet, and trust me I'm dying to get them too!! Will post the story asap!!!!

9pm:  OK I'm settling in to write it up . . . .  give me a few minutes . . .

So you've seen the updates I've been able to post throughout the day, whenever Nadene could speak to Marianne or anyone on site, and then email me. Apparently all day long, they were only a short time behind him, wandering around the area there. They would walk up to someone and hand them a biz card, and the person would say, "I just saw that dog" -- and this happened over and over again. Some people basically joined the search and spent the rest of today, unexpectedly and for total strangers, searching and putting up posters and handing out cards.

Then there was a lull in the day that was difficult for Marianne and the volunteers because the minutes stretched on and on with no one else saying they'd just seen Spot. So we broke down and called Sam, with Pure Gold Pet Trackers. We knew she was working another job, and hated to think about the lost cat that she was trying to trap . . .  but we were desperate. The weather was going to get bad, and we were concerned about him getting away from the area altogether. So I just called Sam, took a deep breath, and begged her to come. And she immediately said yes! (I hope the cat's owner isn't reading this blog!!!!)

She & Salsa had to come from a distance away, like SE DC I think, so by the time they arrived, our estimate is that we were about four hours behind as they were starting the track. Since I wasn't there and I don't have the lay of the land, I'm not going to try to give the details of just where they went. But I understand they basically did about a five mile track up almost to Crystal City and back (to S Glebe), and remember that Spot is a 15 lb dog with little legs, and he was stopping along the way to sniff and pee and poop and maybe pick up a snack if he found one. Salsa on the other hand is a golden retriever hot on his trail, and she was moving. With such a hot scent, she was on a mission.

There came a point at which Salsa started acting "funny" enough that Marianne had to stop and ask why she was acting that way. Sam calmly explained that it was because she had never -- never -- been on such a hot track! Her actions basically indicated that Spot was pretty much right there somewhere, and Salsa thought he might jump right out at her! Sam actually had to take Salsa to the car, and remove her from the scene so she didn't do something that caused Spot to flee.

It sounds like it all went down while Sam was taking Salsa to the car, and when she came back, Spot was in Marianne's arms, if I got that right! It was something about that he was seemingly -- and he was! -- right on the other side of a fence, not that she could see him. But on Sam's instructions she started saying something like "OK Spot, time to go home now." I guess after a minute of that, Spot honed in on the source of that sound, and he started making some kind of squeaking noise that showed her his precise location (I think there was some vegetation that he was hiding in, maybe). And I think the fence was a low fence that she was able to reach over and pick him up since he was, by now, propped up against it with his front legs.

It sounds wonderful, and I'm anxious to get all the details of the story from Marianne! But I know he is home now, safe and sound, and he's got some decent food and water by now. And there are plans for a visit to the vet in the morning. Of course you'll get the vet's report here, and pictures!

And a celebration has already been scheduled for this coming Saturday, at 7pm -- all you have to do is wear polka dots!  Send an email RSVP and we'll send you the address and directions by email!

Nancy Despeaux