Thousands of pleas to help find lost dogs get posted on telephone poles, in newspapers, and on bulletin boards across the country. One is probably tacked up in your neighborhood now.
Having lost a dog in recent years, I can relate to the worry. But because this website focuses on news along Route 66, I never thought I would post anything about a wayward canine.
Until now.
A longtime reader alerted me this evening about a dog that became lost along the Mother Road in Arizona this past weekend. And Route 66 enthusiasts may be in a good position to help recover it.
Here’s a portion of the email I received:
We are trying to help our friends, Keith and Pieter Schaafsma, who some of you may know, find their missing border collie, Reilly, who is a male, black and white smooth coat. He is 10 years old and is missing in the Twin Arrows area. They go out their hiking sometimes, and he took off after antelope out there yesterday and they can’t find him. They spent the night out there last night and looked all day today, put up posters. They have notified the appropriate agencies, talked to ranchers out there, etc., etc.
A photo of Reilly is at the top of this post. The dog ran off Saturday.
Here’s why this lost dog is noteworthy to Route 66 News. Roadies by the thousands visit the ruins of the historic Twin Arrows complex every year. Even during the tourism off-season, a dozen or more Route 66 fans probably visit the site each day.
According to my website’s data, thousands of people log on to Route 66 News every month. A few of those readers might be on the road and visit Twin Arrows tomorrow, Wednesday, or the day after that.
If you are one of those people, look for a smooth-coated, black-and-white border collie at Twin Arrows. And if you find him, call the owners at 928-699-103, 928-606-3967, or 928-773-1467.
If Reilly is returned to his masters safely, they’ll be grateful to the Route 66 community. And that’s reason enough to post this story.
UPDATE 1/22/2013: Sad news. I received this forwarded email Tuesday night from friends of Reilly’s owners:
Today we received the saddest of news that our friends’ beloved missing border collie Reilly was found on the side of the road near Winslow today.
Our greatest thanks to all who responded to our relaying of our friends’ pleas for help. So many people helped in more ways than I can begin to list here.
Thank you to each and every one of you. While the end of this story is heartbreaking, your kindness and concern are appreciated beyond measure.
Reilly reportedly had been seen alive at a nearby rest area just a few hours before.
Ron,
I think it was a very nice and appropriate post, also, to put on your Route 66 news. It shows all the other different things that Route 66 and its community can do.
Thanks for posting, Rich Henry