Missing persons, missing pets

Duke

It's been a sad several weeks around our house.  While we were away in Boston in early November, our 2 year old Golden retriever, Duke, took off from our daughter's house with her dog.  We haven't seen either of them since, and there's something missing when you step outside and he's not there to bounce all over the place in greeting.  Nothing makes you feel more loved and appreciated than a dog I don't think...even though there are lots of times that love and appreciation can drive you a little crazy.  You still know, that while you're in their view at least, there is nothing in their world more important than you.  In this highly technical, digitally connected world,  you often don't get that sense of absolute presence from the people in your life.  With your dog you always, absolutely do.

I don't think we could have done much more to look from him, short of catching a plane home the day he disappeared, and that didn't make much sense.  We've advertised in papers, facebook, on the radio.  We've put countless posters up over a span of 40 miles, and followed several leads in all afternoon drive-a-thons that didn't result in finding him.  The worst part is the not knowing.  The wondering if he wandered into the wrong yard and was shot by someone who doesn't approve of strays.  Was he caught in a trap somewhere, as there are reports that there are several laid in the area, with people trying to bring down the coyote population.  Was he hit?  Was he stolen?  Or our favorite, did he just find himself in the yard of someone who saw his beautiful, joyous spirit bounding through those fluid eyes of his. It's the questions that drive you craziest, and hurt the most.

But as much as I love my pets, and I know how we all love our pets, one thing really put it all into perspective for me.  While driving around putting up signs in the area near where he went missing, I went into the store at Dakota Tipi, just south of Portage la Prairie.  They were good enough to listen to my sad tale, and let me post a picture of Duke.  Those inside said they'd keep an eye open and spread the word...but as I left the store I looked directly at the giant billboard outside, asking for information on the missing Jennifer Catcheway.

Needless to say it stopped me in my tracks, and put my heartache into perspective.  I had met Jennifer's Mom Bernice just a few weeks earlier, when she'd pulled into my daughter's yard to ask permission to search along the river bank of her property, as that had never yet been checked.  Five and a half years after her daughter's disappearance, her parents still continue to look for signs and traces of what may have happened to their daughter. 

A few short months after Jennifer,  Amber McFarland also went missing from Portage.  To date, the mysteries of both of their disappearances remain unsolved. 

I've lost a child myself.  I know that pain, that hole that remains in your heart no matter what you try to fill it with.  The void in your family that can never be filled by another.  Part of the circle is broken, and cannot fully be repaired.  But with my loss, I had the opportunity to say good-bye and honor the life of the one we loved.  I was there at his passing, and although there remain questions as to what happened, there is also peace.  However, even with that experience of loss, I can not fathom what their families continue to live with.  All the unanswered questions.  The inability so lay their child to rest, to say a proper good-bye.  The never knowing.  I can't imagine, and my heart breaks for them.

It's been a lingering thought for me over the past several weeks.  Amidst that has been the disappearance of Colten Pratt in Winnipeg, the Grandson of a friend of mine.  Another missing person, among so many missing people both in Manitoba and across Canada.  And there are so many more questions than answers.

Something that I've found rather alarming over the discoveries of the past several weeks also sits in my heart, asking to be answered.  Social media is such and incredibly powerful tool, and we know the good it can do when used for so many projects and purposes.  One of the pages I have followed for some time, and have used a lot more lately while looking for Duke, is the Winnipeg Lost Dog Alert.  It has been an incredible network of people across the province, posting, forwarding and assisting me and countless others to find our lost pets.  There are currently over 25,000 people on the network, and I appreciate them all so much.

What is troubling to me is that I also follow another page called Missing Manitoba Women that connects with the local RCMP and police services to post and publish when people in Manitoba go missing and to report when they are found.  They  continue to be a voice for the over 100 people in the province that remain missing.  It has a following of just slightly over 13,000. 

The question that arises in my heart is why do we have almost twice as many people in the province watching out for our missing pets as we do watching out and sharing information about our missing persons?  Then I suppose the next question that I've had to ask myself is...what am I going to do about it, and is there anything I can to to initiate more action in my circle of influence, in my community and in my province?  And is there hope that that circle of influence can spread beyond our provincial border and across our country where over 1,000 remain missing or have unsolved murders?

I really hope so, and I hope I can convince my friends and family to join me.  Somebody out there somewhere knows something. It takes so little time to click a share button on facebook so that a few more eyes are watching for those we love.  The voices of those that are missing can not be heard...but each of ours can so that some of these families can find closure with the heartbreak that they live with.  So that they can have their questions answered, and begin to heal.  That is my hope for the season of love and giving of ourselves, and my intention for the upcoming New Year, and I hope you'll consider joining me.  If you will, then please click here for the Missing Manitoba Women page.  Like their page, share when someone is missing, and together lets work towards being part of the change.