Amanda's Story

On March 2, 2008 two shelties were being transported from upstate New York to Long Island with a stay over in Rockland County. After a short while Amanda, a 7 yr. old Blue Merle got out of the yard. This started a 3 week massive search for this little girl. Within the first week and a half there were sightings everyday, as she stayed in the same area. Three traps were statically placed, but nothing. The whole community was aware of this little girl and kept calling with sightings, then after a week and a half - NOTHING. Although the search continued with volunteers driving from Long Island to Spring Valley there weren’t anymore sightings. The frightening part was Amanda was dragging a leash which was attached to a choke collar. We worried that she would get hung up.  Volunteers were constantly walking the woods looking for her.
 
We were in touch with animal psychics, prayer circles, a volunteer private investigator, volunteers' mothers were praying the rosary and we even went up with an animal trapper who had been successful trapping dogs after Katrina.  She showed us how and where to set up traps.  But all we were trapping were raccoons, cats and possums.  Our local volunteers were getting exhausted from emptying traps and walking through the woods...
 
Having no sightings for 10 days had everyone very depressed, but the search continued. 

Then on Good Friday about 5:30 p.m. we received a call from a Major stationed at West Point saying he found a sheltie while running in a very remote part of the woods caught up in concertina wire (which is worse than barb wire). We didn’t want to get our hopes up because the sheltie he found was 25 miles north from where Amanda disappeared and had a different color leash on. Naturally, either way it was a sheltie in need and we would take her.

Once Major Jason Hester freed her he took her to the West Point Vet Clinic, where it was noticed that her neck was all cut up from the choke collar while she was trying to free herself. A receptionist at the vet’s office suggested he call Sheltie Rescue and that phone call started everything in motion. Within a ½ hour it was verified that the sheltie was our Amanda and she was safe and sound and on her way to Long Island.

We can only imagine what this poor little thing has been through. Because of the different color leash we think someone was able to get her and either let her go or she escaped again. People living in the area of where Amanda first disappeared feel that there is no way she could have made it to the location where she was found by herself.

The bottom line is Amanda is safe and resting. She’s been to our vet twice for blood work and having her neck checked and she’s doing very well. Being that her neck had to be shaved, one of our volunteers made her a neck scarf to keep her from scratching.

The day Amanda was found was Good Friday and Purim...a season of miracles.....

Following is part of an e-mail sent to us from Major Hester (Amanda’s angel)

Thank you for the nice note.  It was really my
pleasure.  I'm very amazed at how many stars aligned
at least last Friday for her to find herself back to
you all.  Not just that I happened to come across her
in such a remote area and hopeless predicament (the
leash tangled in the wire) and get her back to my car
so far away, but just as much that - after not having
a clue who to contact - I happened to place my very
first phone call to the exact group of people so
desperately looking for her.  Truly amazing...