West Central Indiana Lost Dog Recovery

08/01/2026

From our sister group of all volunteers primarily serving Marion County, Indiana 🐾💚🐾

Whether they are street dogs surviving day to day in town, or country dogs struggling in more rural and isolated areas, they are all facing the same reality—fear, hunger, exposure, and uncertainty.

These dogs are relying on all of us to work together. Whether you’re a shelter, rescue, volunteer, foster, animal control officer, or a member of the community, every role matters.

By sharing information, supporting one another, and keeping the dogs’ best interests at the center of what we do, we give them the greatest chance at a safe outcome.

Together, we can accomplish so much more—for them 🐾 🧡



Peaceful Souls Animal Rescue and Recovery

Imagine for a moment, being an invisible soul. Also known as: the street dog

I live in constant fear, jumping at every sound. Was that a car door slamming or another gunshot? Was it aimed at me? Are those more sirens? I’m so scared.

People walk past me all the time but never stop. Why would they? I have stopped looking at them or hoping for help. I’m not hurting anybody so they don’t care I’m here. I am man’s best friend, yet I ache from loneliness.

My stomach never stops growling. I sift through trash daily looking for anything, ANYTHING edible. Sometimes I even eat rocks or cardboard just to fill the emptiness.

I’m exhausted. I sleep with one eye open and feel the chill of the night every single night. Rain, sleet, snow, here I am. 90 degrees or 10 degrees I’m still here. I search for places that I can stay invisible that nobody will hurt me but I can stay out of the weather.

I am being eaten alive by fleas, flies, and ticks and no matter what I do I cannot escape the constant miserable itch. Soon I’ll begin losing my hair.

I have no hope left. I will never have a family to love and protect. I will try to keep waiting maybe someday I will be enough for someone to care enough, but it is not looking good.

Peaceful Souls, saving one soul at a time… because all dogs are worth it… 🐾💚🐾

07/31/2026

🚨 UPDATE: SAFE & HOME! 🐄❤️

Great news! NORTH SALEM’s cow and calf are both safe, contained, and back home where they belong.

A huge thank you to everyone who shared the post, kept an eye out, and helped spread the word. Community teamwork makes all the difference when it comes to getting animals home safely.

Thank you to everyone involved in making this a happy ending! 🐮🧡

07/31/2026

🧡🐾 Happy National Mutt Day! 🐾🧡

Today we celebrate the incredible mixed-breed dogs that fill our lives with unconditional love, unwavering loyalty, and endless joy. Every mutt has a story, and every one deserves the chance to live it safely, surrounded by a family who loves them.

At West Central Indiana – Lost Dog Recovery, we know how quickly a fun adventure can turn into a heartbreaking search. The best way to celebrate your favorite mutt is by helping keep them safe every day.

🐾 Make sure they’re wearing a collar with current ID tags.
🐾 Keep their microchip information up to date.
🐾 Check fences, gates, and leashes before heading outside.
🐾 Never leave them unattended in a vehicle.
🐾 If your dog ever goes missing, don’t chase—stay calm and seek experienced recovery guidance as soon as possible.

Whether your best friend is a rescue, a shelter alum, or a one-of-a-kind mixed breed, today is all about celebrating the dogs who make our lives better just by being in them.

Give your favorite mutt an extra hug and help us celebrate the amazing dogs that remind us every day that love doesn’t come with a pedigree!!!

Happy National Mutt Day from all of us at West Central Indiana – Lost Dog Recovery! 🧡🐾

07/29/2026

🧡 🐾 🧡 HOSS IS HOME 🧡 🐾🧡

A little long.. lots to unpack.

For over two weeks now, our Lead Recovery Coordinator Jenn Hopkins, noticed a couple of social media posts about a black-and-white dog running in the Belleville/Clayton area. As we often do, she encouraged those posting to contact non-emergency dispatch so an Animal Control Officer could respond or so law enforcement could reach out to WCI-LDR volunteer team if assistance was needed.

Sometimes our team will comment on lost/found dog posts, but sometimes we just follow them quietly.. We always keep an eye on them to monitor new sightings and gather information. As Jenn followed the comments, she noticed someone who appeared to know more about the dog. She reached out privately.

It turned out this was Hoss’s owner, who, for several reasons, had limited ability to actively search for him. Jenn asked if they would be comfortable allowing West Central Indiana Lost Dog Recovery to take over the search by posting flyers, placing signs, and coordinating recovery efforts.

The owner’s response was immediate:
“Absolutely. Anything you can do to bring my dog home.”

Then came the heartbreaking part.
The owner had informed Jenn, Hoss had been missing since July 5th.

More than 15 days had already passed, and he was still surviving on the run. Darting from anyone and everyone. Running 4 miles in one direction, and then back in the other direction along US 40 😬

At that moment, we were all in!!!
Jenn contacted the individuals who had posted the two sightings, gathered every detail available, and Hoss’s recovery officially began.

WCI-LDR Volunteer Admins posted a flyer to our page, and shared the public link to as many local Chatter pages we could. Robin got out with sightings near 40 & Cartersburg Road.

Then, on Wednesday, everything changed. Jenn received a message from a truck driver working in an industrial park in Plainfield off north of I70 & St Road 267. He had Hoss in sight and even sent a photo confirming it was him.

Hoss was 15 miles from the last sighting. Jenn immediately loaded up her recovery equipment and headed that direction at approximately 7:30am. Before she arrived, the truck driver reported that he had spoken with security personnel, but Hoss had slipped through a fence and disappeared. Fortunately, he was able to provide the exact location of the last sighting.

Jenn spent nearly eight hours that day covering the area—setting feeding stations, deploying trail cameras, speaking with security officers, requesting permission from businesses to place signs, and introducing our recovery efforts. Every business, every employee she spoke with welcomed the help.

On Thursday Robin arrived with signs and strategically placed them all through the Industrial Park. We knew lots of drivers come in and out of the area that might not be on local chatter pages.

Now…we waited.

On Friday evening, we received another message. Shannon’s son, who works in the industrial park, contacted her after spotting a black-and-white dog standing directly in front of one of the signs Robin had placed ant Reed Road & Perry Road.

Sure enough… It was Hoss 🧡🐾

Robin and Shannon showed up on scene, to speak with the person who saw Hoss. He darted from him and lost sight of him.

We all prayed Hoss would show up on camera and humane trap could be deployed… didn’t happen.

Saturday evening brought another sighting when Hoss crossed Interstate 70, ending up near the southwest corner of I-70 and State Road 267. Robin immediately responded, placing another feeding station and camera in hopes of keeping him in the area. She also moved a sign over there asking to report sightings and to not chase the black & white dog.

By Sunday morning, Hoss had visited our cameras multiple times overnight. Jenn arrived on scene around 8:00 a.m. and prepared the humane trap with plenty of irresistible, smelly food. Robin arrived on scene and the two volunteers went to “work” 🧡

The waiting game began!
For hours, Hoss circled the trap.
He sniffed it.
Walked around it.
Stood beside it.
Laid underneath a nearby tree.
Everything… Except walk inside.

Our volunteers remained on scene while monitoring the cameras from a distance behind an industrial building where Hoss could not see them.

By about 1:00 p.m., they decided the trap needed fresh bait. They made a quick trip—gone for maybe ten minutes—to buy even better fresh food.

When they returned… Hoss was gone.

Moments later, we received a message from a nearby resident who explained they had seen our signs and decided to walk approximately 150 yards up to the trap to see what was happening.

Unfortunately, their approach startled Hoss from beneath the tree where he had been resting beside the trap all afternoon.

He bolted.

After they returned to their vehicle, they drove toward our second feeding station closer to I-70. Hoss appeared there too. Needless to say… Our frustration was overwhelming.

We respectfully asked that no one return to the area. Monday morning would soon bring heavy truck traffic and employees into the industrial park, making an already dangerous situation even more risky for Hoss.

Then… At approximately 5:00 p.m. Sunday evening… Our prayers were answered. Hoss quietly returned. He approached the trap one more time… and this time… He walked right in ‼️

There are few moments that compare to making that phone call. Hoss was safely reunited with his family after more than three weeks on the run, WCI-LDR engaging only 5 days prior to him being contained.

We want to sincerely thank everyone who respected our recovery instructions and helped keep the area calm and free of unnecessary activity. Those efforts truly made a difference.

🧡 A special thank you goes to the truck driver who took the time to contact Jenn that morning.

🧡 Huge Shout Out to Robin’s Husband for arriving on scene and transporting Hoss back HOME, finally

🧡 Finally, thank you to every one of our incredible volunteers who donated their time, patience, and dedication throughout this recovery.

Another dog safely home 🏡

West Central Indiana Lost Dog Recovery .. Getting Lost Dogs Back Where They Belong 🐾🧡

07/28/2026

🚨 🐾 STILL MISSING – THOR 🐾 🚨

Thor has been missing since June 7 after jumping from a vehicle near White Lick Creek/Graffiti Road in Mooresville.

He is a 6-year-old, neutered, microchipped, all-black German Shepherd.

He is friendly but frightened and may run if approached.

Thor is likely in survival mode & traveling at night, between dusk & dawn.

If you see him:
❌ Do NOT chase.
❌ Do NOT call out.
❌ Do NOT follow.
📍 Note the exact location, direction of travel, and time, then call or text 317-737-6866 immediately.

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🚨 Please check your security cameras if you live near White Lick Creek. 🚨

As we’ve learned from numerous lost dog recoveries over the years, White Lick Creek is a natural travel corridor for dogs on the run, especially during these hot summer days when they’re searching for water and cooler temperatures.

Dogs can cover a surprising amount of ground in a very short time by following the creek.

If your cameras captured any dog activity—day or night—please take a few minutes to review your footage. Even the smallest sighting could provide the clue needed to bring Thor home.

Thor could have traveled into Plainfield, Clayton, Monrovia, Martinsville, Brownsburg, Avon, Danville, or beyond.

Someone may have taken him in, believing he was abandoned. If you know of a recently acquired adult black German Shepherd, please reach out.

Every share helps bring Thor home 🧡🐾

07/28/2026

Monday, July 27th at 9pm

🐾🧡🐾

WCI-LDR Recovery Consultant Robin is back out here again today, doing what she always does—putting in the time, patience, and dedication these dogs deserve.

With more weather moving in to central Indiana, we’re hoping she can get everything wrapped up and make it home safely before the storms arrive.

Thank you, Robin, for your unwavering commitment, your countless hours in the field, and your heart for every lost dog and every family waiting to be reunited. Volunteers like you are the reason miracles happen.

Stay safe out there—we appreciate you more than words can say. 🧡🐾

07/27/2026

‼️HOME - MISSING SINCE 7/5/2026 ‼️

07/24/2026

🧡 🐾 HOME SAFE: Cartersburg’s Cane Corso, SIRE’s 17-Day Adventure 🐾🧡

🐾 The Journey Begins

Two counties. Crazy weather. Creeks. Interstate underpasses. Endless bean fields. More than 60 miles tracked.

Sire, Cartersburg’s 130-pound Cane Corso, had all of us living on the edge for 17 days. Every lost dog takes us on a different journey, but this one was pretty up there as far as nerve-racking and sleepless nights rescues! Kane, Dakota, Cagney, Gunner just to mention a few more 😬..

You would think a giant black Cane Corso making daily public appearances would be easy to bring home. Sire had other plans.

🐾 The Escape

On June 15, Sire took off after a group of deer and immediately switched into survival mode. Within two days, it became clear he wasn’t coming to his family, no matter how desperately they called. After he found himself standing on U.S. 40 with traffic flying toward him from every direction, his family knew they needed additional help.

West Central Indiana Lost Dog Recovery was contacted, and we immediately got to work.

🐾 Tracking Sire

We had already been quietly tracking his movements. Sire’s mom, Kim, worked tirelessly to get social media under control, and thankfully the community rallied behind her. Sightings began coming directly to the family instead of being scattered across Facebook, allowing us to accurately map his travel.

As storms rolled through on Wednesday and Thursday, Sire ignored the rain, tornados and continued traveling. He settled into the area around Belleville Bible Church near CR 375 and CR 850. Jenn established the first camera and feeding station beside the church while Robin covered the evenings. Ironically, the area Sire chose as his home base was directly across the road from Robin’s house. Convenient…and incredibly frustrating when the dog you’re trying to contain casually runs circles around you every day.

🐾 Learning the Landscape

It didn’t take long for Sire to learn the landscape. He discovered the network of creeks and drainage ditches that connected everything, and he quickly figured out bean fields offered far better visibility than corn.

Over the following days he became a master navigator.

He relaxed on the Deer Creek Golf Course driving range, played with baby skunks, traveled through cemeteries, crossed highways, disappeared under interstate bridges, and repeatedly used White Lick Creek and McCracken Creek as his personal highways. He crossed from Hendricks County into Morgan County, wandered farms, barns, industrial areas, and miles of countryside before disappearing again.

Every time we thought we had him figured out… he changed the plan.
Signs moved. Cameras moved. Feeding stations moved.

We waited.
We tracked.
We adjusted.

🐾 Close Calls and Setbacks

Then, after days without sightings, Sire suddenly reappeared behind a home in Morgan County near Antioch Road, resting peacefully in the middle of the yard behind the EMS building. We alerted our friends at Morgan County Animal Control just in case help was needed. Jenn and Robin rushed to the scene, but after hours of patiently trying to convince him he was safe, Sire simply got up and left again.

🐾 The Journey Continued

Sire eventually worked his way back through McCracken Creek, visited Ted Everett’s Auction property just yards off I70, and disappeared into Hazelwood where he slept in a family’s barn overnight. Then —almost unbelievably— made his way all the way back to Belleville Bible Church.

We finally had our opportunity.

The plan was simple: make his comfort zone smaller, let him settle back into the area, and allow the cameras and feeding stations to do the work. The Fourth of July was quickly approaching, temperatures were climbing, and we knew time was running out.

Then came another setback.

A well-meaning homeowner attempted to contain Sire inside a barn after he came in to eat hot dogs. Sire immediately panicked and escaped.

Fortunately, instead of leaving the area entirely, he returned to the same fields he’d been calling home.

🐾 The Trap Plan

Knowing we’d likely have only one chance, Jenn contacted Kherri Clements with On The Run Lost Dog Recovery in Hamilton County to borrow an extra-large humane trap. A dog Sire’s size deserved equipment built for him, and Kherri immediately said yes.

The trap arrived Monday evening.
Sire visited the feeding station.
We weren’t waiting for a second visit.

At sunrise Tuesday morning, Jenn and Robin loaded the trap into the “Doggy Mobile” and deployed it behind the barn.

🐾 Waiting and Uncertainty

Almost immediately, sightings poured in.

875 and 39…
Near Deer Creek Golf Course…
Back to 875 and 39…
Then 875 and 375.

He seemed nervous. Something felt different. We were convinced he would show up at the trap.

Instead… Nothing.

No camera activity.
No sightings.
Nothing overnight.

Wednesday morning arrived, and honestly, we felt defeated.

Jenn had an appointment. Robin had to get to work. We debated whether to even set the trap. Should we just leave it open, and condition Sire to go in IF he even showed back up???

Volunteer Andrea offered to cover the trap if we decided to deploy it.

🐾 The Final Break

Then Kim’s phone exploded with sightings.

Sire was standing near Love’s Truck Stop in Hendricks County, just feet from Interstate 70.

Robin looked up from inside Love’s and saw vehicles stopped on both sides of State Road 39. Sire was standing there, calmly deciding what to do next.

Anyone who has worked a survival-mode dog knows that moment. You can drive circles around them all day, but the second you stop or approach, they’re gone.

Then Robin noticed something.
Sire disappeared beneath the overpass.

The creek… The same creek that led directly to the trap.

Robin raced back toward the property, arriving just in time. The trap was reset at 8:48 a.m. As Jenn moved her schedule around to get to trapping location.

At 9:08 a.m., just twenty minutes later…
Sire calmly walked inside.

Safe.

🐾 Homecoming

Seventeen days.
Two counties.
More than 60 miles tracked.
One unforgettable journey.

Andrea arrived in record time to sit with Sire. Jenn pulled up like a bat out of hell shortly there after and made the phone call every lost dog family dreams about.

“Sire is ready to come home.”

🧡 Gratitude 🧡

A huge thank you to Kherri Clements and On The Run Lost Dog Recovery for generously loaning the trap that made this rescue possible.

Thank you to Shannon Blackburn, Thor’s handler, who relayed countless sightings while searching for her own missing dog. Your teamwork made a tremendous difference.

Thank you to Andrea for always stepping up when help was needed.

And thank you to every property owner along CR 875 who welcomed us onto your land and trusted the process.

Finally, thank you to every community member who reported sightings, resisted the urge to chase Sire, and allowed us to do what survival-mode dogs require most:

Patience.

Welcome Home, Sire. 🧡 🐾

🧡🧡 VIDEOS IN COMMENTS 🧡🧡

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There are countless hours behind every successful reunion that the public never sees. The volunteers of West Central Indiana Lost Dog Recovery sacrifice evenings, weekends, holidays, time with their families and friends, and drive hundreds of miles without hesitation. They spend countless hours studying maps, reviewing camera footage, answering sighting calls, moving equipment, checking feeding stations, and trusting the process—often with very little sleep. Every mile driven, every hour invested, and every sacrifice made is done for one reason: to give lost dogs the best possible chance of making it back home. That commitment is priceless to the families we serve and to the communities we are honored to help.