In January, our friends at Austin Animal Center shared a startling statistic. They found that most dogs are picked up in the field only 100 feet (0.2 miles) from their home. After learning this, we were curious if this holds true for our community in Metro East St. Louis, Illinois.
This big black dog showed up on our property and got caught inside the fencing. We brought him in, but KNEW he had a home with how chunky his butt is. We hung flyers and posted him on social media.
Today, his mom called. Her dog went missing, so she called the dog people, and we had him! And guess what. He was only 0.4 miles away from home. Just 4 blocks. (Less for a dog that can cut through yards!)
This is HUGE. Our physical building is a great resource for families. With us in their backyards, they know where to go to look for their pets.
And please, we ask that if you see a fat, healthy dog roaming don’t immediately pick him up. His home is likely right around the corner. Call Gateway Pet Guardians at (314) 399-9738 and it will be on our radar. Many times we even already know where the pup lives!
