Wausau Man’s Mission to Reunite Lost Dogs With Their Owners

Wednesday, June 26th, 2024 -- 8:01 AM

(Shereen Siewert, Wisconsin Public Radio) A Wausau man has made it his mission to reunite lost dogs with their owners, a quest that began years ago when his daughter’s dog spent two weeks on the run.

According to Shereen Siewert with Wisconsin Public Radio, at the time, there were few resources available to help. David Woods took matters into his own hands, spending hours each day before and after work combing through neighborhoods and distributing hundreds of flyers.

Finally, he spotted the dog being fed by a stranger in a local park. Woods said he didn’t want other people to go through the heartache his daughter endured during their two-week search.

He soon teamed up with a small group of like-minded volunteers to form Lost Dogs of Wisconsin, a free service that offers help for frantic families searching for pets who slip away from their homes.

Since 2010, the nonprofit organization has grown to include between 60 and 70 volunteers who have helped thousands of pet owners by giving them hope and the tools they need to find their lost animals.

Lost Dogs of Wisconsin volunteers rely heavily on social media to spread the word about missing dogs and track their location, working closely with local humane societies and law enforcement agencies in the process.

The group also works with Pet FBI, a national database with an interactive map that lists information about lost or found dogs, cats and other animals. Though the job can be emotionally draining, Woods said there is nothing like the feeling of seeing a dog reunite with its owner.

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