Blue heeler returns home after major dog hunt

YEAH!!!!!

Ben, thank you AGAIN for the coverage, we couldn't have done it without you because ultimately, it was YOUR article on Sunday that Maria saw! THANK YOU!

Thanks to Ben and the paper's willingness to cover such a story, this dog was found! I too, have dogs in mind that I am still looking for, since 2001. This search took on its own life and this time paid off. Persistence and luck are good friends. For other owners who have searched for their dog and not found their dog, do not feel lessened or discouraged or that you let your dog down. You did and do your best. A lot of people threw a lot of resources at this, and thankfully it worked. Variable reinforcement is a powerful reinforcer,something like gambling. Maybe something else good will come of this! There are plenty of dogs that need finding.

there are still some of the rare and beautiful things about santa fe people left that make it so special - their love of dogs, their sense of community and the spirit that made these people care enough to help.

Wonderful people, coverage and for the dog to be home!

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeoooooooooooo
Santa Fe folks are fabulous

Leslie - Santa Fe wrote:

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeoooooooooooo
Santa Fe folks are fabulous

Leslie McB?

It's nice to read good news for a change!

I love, love, love this story!! So happy Gracie is home safe & sound! I found a dog that had been missing for 6 weeks and seeing that reunion was fabulous!!

What wonderful news for Bill and Gracie. I live in Silver Hills near Lone Butte and lost one of my dogs, Kiva...a blue heeler... a couple of year ago. She was 16 1/2...blind and deaf...which made the search EXTREMELY difficult. My wonderful friend and neighbor went out looking for Kiva the day after she disappeared and found her stranded in an arroya on the BLM land that joins my property. She was confused and shaken after a night in the cold and an unfamiliar place...ALONE...I can't tell you the joy and gratitude I felt when I received the phone call from Alexis telling me of our good fortune! Kiva only lived a couple of months after the terrible ordeal but thank God I was able to share those precious months with her and be there for her when she passed away. How awful it would have been to live with the terrible thoughts that plagued me about what might have happened to her had she not been found. We are blessed to live in a community of such caring and loving people and I will always be grateful to Alexis for finding my beloved, Kiva.

That your missing dog is found made me feel good. So, instead of saying good morning, for 4 weeks, i'll greet by saying Gracie's Home!

Thank you

Hey Gracie! Welcome home!

Hooray for Gracie!! What a great story. I love happy endings!

Cindy Roper is the hidden hero here; she did SO MUCH work to find Gracie, and we appreciate her more than she can know!!!! she took her amazing web design skills and put together such a great site (anyone need a great website? ask her about it!!!!:))... and organized all the Angels to go forth and seek!!!!! GOOD JOB CINDY!!!!

annie whitney wrote:

Cindy Roper is the hidden hero here; she did SO MUCH work to find Gracie, and we appreciate her more than she can know!!!! she took her amazing web design skills and put together such a great site (anyone need a great website? ask her about it!!!!:))... and organized all the Angels to go forth and seek!!!!! GOOD JOB CINDY!!!!

I second every word of that! But Cindy will never take the credit, she is way too modest for that! Cindy, you done been found out, girl!:)

I'm really sick of reading about drunk drivers with 9 or 10 DWI's.
This is a really good story for once. Thanks to everyone involved.

annie whitney wrote:

Cindy Roper is the hidden hero here; she did SO MUCH work to find Gracie, and we appreciate her more than she can know!!!! she took her amazing web design skills and put together such a great site (anyone need a great website? ask her about it!!!!:))... and organized all the Angels to go forth and seek!!!!! GOOD JOB CINDY!!!!

Cindy is the BOMB!!!! <wink>

Our mom ROCKS!!! We're glad Gracie is home because now Mom will stay home more with us! But we are so PROUD of how much she helped to find Gracie! We love you, Mom!

I just read about this story, I've been out of town. I think it's great but how many people helped in looking for her? What about the dog spotted in Eldorado. Was that a stray? I'm a little concerned about that guy. Was it a couple of people or more than that. I'm just curious.

It was a group of probably 20 people, most likely more. Some of us, due to time restraints (also called jobs) only worked in the background making phone calls, etc. I'm not sure how many people were out there actually on foot/horse walking/riding the arroyos, etc. Maybe one of the other Gracies Angels will log in here and clarify that. I know of at least 10 people who were physically out there looking at one time or another and there is no way of knowing how many were out there on their own, not connected with us Angels after reading about Gracie.

Cindy was out there in person, actively looking as well as working behind the scenes like setting up the www.graciecomehome.com web site that kept people up to date on the status of the search.

There are more dedicated angels but I am hesitant to name them by name in respect of their privacy, however, Cindy's name is already out there so you didn't hear it from me....LOL
And dear gentle Ben....actively out there looking AND keeping the press up for Gracie's return.

All together, a wonderful group of people!