Still At It

[CofC Waterfowler]

Don't give up hope. I had a buddy years ago who had a blue pit bull stolen out of his back yard. He put up flyers all over the surrounding counties. 6 months later an old man called the number on the flyer and said I know where your dog is located. Its in the backyard at this address. The buddy went to the home and knocked on the door but no one answered. Walked around to the back yard and the dog was located. He jumped the fence and grabbed the dog and left. The dog was still wearing his collar with the owners name and information on the collar. The dog had scarring from what had to be forced fighting.

I know pit bulls have a bad reputation on here. I would never own one. This one was as nice as he could be. The point of this story was to say, don't give up hope.

I continue to pray for the dog's safe return. Good luck.

[BigBrother]

Once the rain clears, I am driving down to leave some clothing laying around. Asked the lady who first called if I could leave a shirt in her garage.

[Highstrung]

Good luck J

[PBiz]

Don't give up hope. I had a buddy years ago who had a blue pit bull stolen out of his back yard. He put up flyers all over the surrounding counties. 6 months later an old man called the number on the flyer and said I know where your dog is located. Its in the backyard at this address. The buddy went to the home and knocked on the door but no one answered. Walked around to the back yard and the dog was located. He jumped the fence and grabbed the dog and left. The dog was still wearing his collar with the owners name and information on the collar. The dog had scarring from what had to be forced fighting.

I know pit bulls have a bad reputation on here. I would never own one. This one was as nice as he could be. The point of this story was to say, don't give up hope.

I continue to pray for the dog's safe return. Good luck.

I would have shat in the mailbox before I set it on fire..

[DuckorBust]

Headed down that way now.

[CurLee]

BB, if you get towards Camden or someone else is going that direction, I've got two cell cams I can lend to the search.

[BigBrother]

Thanks Curlee, I wouldn’t know where to start hanging them.

Update:

Up to 4 credible sightings. No positive ID yet. I’m beyond blessed to have friends out looking.

Had a “hey there’s a stray looking dog laying in the yard of the empty house next door” message at the 11th hour today that wasn’t him and took a lot of air outta me.

Hanging posters in Pamplico/Effingham tomorrow. If you see me hollar.

[CurLee]

When you mentioned leaving clothing out, that's when I thought a cellular cam might come in handy if there's been any sightings outside a neighborhood

[Rodney]

What areas are we focused on now Justin?

[BigBrother]

When you mentioned leaving clothing out, that's when I thought a cellular cam might come in handy if there's been any sightings outside a neighborhood

If it's my dog people are seeing, he's moving. He's not in one single place. He seems to be making a bee line back to Fort Kickass. If he was holding in one spot, I'd have already "cough" bought some for me just for that purpose. Thank you for the offer though. Very generous.

What areas are we focused on now Justin?

He's moving down Big Swamp Road in-between Hyman and Hannah. It looks like he (if it's my dog) is moving in a straight line back to the riverhouse. He moves at night and early morning. I left Columbia with 100 flyers Friday. I've got one left. They're saturated in that area. I am probably on the neighborhood watch list because I spent all day driving up and down that road at 20 miles and hour and stopping to glass backyards.

Given the sightings, the locations and distance....If the movement continues, he will be on 378 tomorrow and in Kingsburg on Tuesday, and Johnsonville on Wednesday.

With that said...I am not positive it's him, I even promised my daughter we could get a kitten from the lady who first called with a sighting if Thatchie gets back home.

[Strick9]

I am pulling for you brother, feel free to keep updating CWS with this information as well.

[BigBrother]

It would make for a nice Hallmark or Disney story if it is him, I am dutifully following leads, and there's juuuuuust enough of them to keep me in it...but until there's a positive identification I cant get my hopes up.

[wskinner]

Best wishes to you. Your diligence is going pay off.

[Luvin' Labs]

Still praying and hoping for y'all Justin. Hopefully he will be home SOON!!

[wdhigh]

Good luck sir!

I Keep checking in this thread hoping to read a positive outcome.

[LabLuvR]

Well what other dog would people be seeing? Seems to me like it’s a good chance it’s yours.

[SCHUNTINFANATIC]

What’s the latest?

[BigBrother]

Nothing except an id on the dog he was seen with late Saturday night early Sunday morning.

May be getting closer to those that drove away with him in their vehicle.

[BugBuster]

Still praying for you and your family. You are going above and beyond in your search for him.

[BigBrother]

You are going above and beyond in your search for him.

Honestly, there are lots of folks out there that have put in as many hours as I have and have never even met him.

I'm humbled and beyond appreciate and have no idea how to begin to repay their kindness and time invested.

It's not like he died. Sickness and accidents happen. I can accept them and explain that to my kids. This was my dog's last year of hard work. His hips are getting bad, his teeth are broken. He cant hear shit and his eyes are clouding up with cataracts. My son and I were due for a draw on the SC lottery this year going in with 4 preference points. I had a trip to Coastal VA planned for a stud black duck, maybe another swan retrieve in NC, and maybe another trip west. The reward money I have up is what I had squirreled away for those trips this year. I figure that's his money. I'll use it to get him home if I can.

My other rub:

We bought that place because I wanted my kids to spend time away from town. I can teach them how to survive and be capable in the woods, and appreciate it's beauty as well as it's deadly aspects. Nature is a constant, and we can work with that.

What I cant teach is the ugliness in folks and that's why we're there almost every weekend. I love our neighbors, and the community. Everybody knows everybody.

My daughter had her 8th birthday during the height of the Covid madness and no parents wanted to send their kids over for a sleep over, it's all she wanted. The week after Thatch went missing we had scheduled a her make up birthday party and my daughter begged us to cancel it because she didn't want to spend the entire time crying in front of her friends. Then made the jump to she didn't want to start having fun, then feel guilty for having fun and start crying in front of her friends. She's 8. She's been a damned trooper and says that Thatch has been around her entire life and she needs to be able to say bye to him.

I guess what I am saying is....I really, really, really want to find the son of a bitch who stole my dog.