10/17/2025
🐾 Reese’s Journey: A Story of Teamwork, Trust & Coming Home 🐾
When Reese went missing 2 weeks ago from Freehold , a concerned community member tagged Sadie’s Lost Dog Search & Rescue and Lauryn one of our volunteers... Reeses's mom Jessica reached out immediately for help .
Lauren sprung into action , went out to meet the family, and together they set up cameras and feeding stations at the last known sighting. Like every case we take on, this became a team effort between our volunteers and the family. We guide and support, but we also rely on families to help — because we’re all volunteers balancing jobs and families of our own. We stay in close contact and teach them how to use the equipment so we can respond quickly if there is ever a time we can’t be on-site ourselves ..
Reese was moving frequently and was likely in “flight mode” — a natural fear state where even familiar voices won’t stop a dog from running . Many don’t realize that when a dog is in flight mode, they won’t just come when called .
No one knows what spooked her, or what she was chasing—only that by the time anyone realized she was gone, she was already moving fast through the Boro and Robertsville Road area. Throughout that morning, glimpses of her were reported here and there, but she never stayed in one place long enough for anyone to catch up.
By 6 p.m., she had made it to Freehold Township. A construction worker spotted her near a job site by the railroad tracks, heading in the direction of Howell. That night, at 10:44 p.m., she was seen again—this time in Howell, near Yellowbrook Road. It was the last confirmed sighting of Reese that day.
The next day brought both hope and heartbreak. Sometime around noon, someone reported that a dog matching Reese’s description had been hit in Farmingdale. Panic set in. But there was no body, no confirmation. Just a rumor.
This was making the search for her more difficult each day and her family grew more worried .., especially when they came across her collar and AirTag holder — but no AirTag and had heard she was hit by a car and ran off .. it was a crushing moment. Fear crept in, and the worry became very real. Still, they never stopped. Their strength and willingness to stay involved were a huge part of what made this recovery possible.
They then met with Dianne who went out and spent time out in the field with them, walking neighborhoods, and helping to gather critical information. Her calm presence and investigative approach helped get the wheels in motion, and she was instrumental in piecing together patterns and sightings that shaped how we moved forward. Her time, commitment, and hands-on involvement were an essential part of the search.
I stayed closely connected from the very beginning, guiding them through each stage, helping them understand the behavior, the strategy, and the emotions that come with it. We talked often, sometimes just to help ease the fear or frustration that naturally comes in these situations. Like many families, they were juggling their home life while dealing with the heartbreak of a missing dog. But they stayed committed, trusted the process, and gave their all — and that made all the difference.
Despite a Nor’easter slowing things down, flyers were distributed, and Mike from Precision Aerial donated his time and flew his drone to help scan the area from above.
Then came a key sighting: a call from someone who saw a dog run through their yard into a neighboring property that backed up to Eagle Oaks Golf & Country Club. A trap was briefly set nearby but had to be relocated. I immediately asked George to go to the golf course
And ask if we could have permission to set the trap up over there being that Reese had been seen darting in that direction .. when George arrived, he asked the groundskeeper if it would be possible to set a trap , that his dog was lost and had been seen on the golf course . Thankfully, he said yes, because just as George was heading in, he saw Reese with his own eyes .. with our guidance George quickly set the trap on the course property.
Around 4 a.m., the trap triggered but it was a cat, safely released. Then just before sunrise, Reese appeared and without hesitation she went right into the trap .
After weeks of heartbreak, fear, and persistence, she was finally safe and on her way home.
But Reese wasn’t the only life touched during this search.
Earlier in the process, we had reviewed footage of a dog that resembled Reese and shifted focus to that area based on the sighting. That dog turned out not to be Reese — but another stray. And while it wasn’t the dog we were searching for, it was still a life worth saving. We humanely trapped him, and though he wasn’t microchipped, he’s now safe at a local shelter and off the streets 🩷
Reese’s recovery was truly a team effort, and we’re deeply grateful to everyone who played a part.
Mike from Precision Aerial, thank you for your continued support and eyes in the sky ... Lauren , for acting fast and guiding the family ...
Dianne, for her time in the field and investigative work that helped shape this search.
A huge thank you to Chris and Evelyn who allowed us to set our trap on their property in the beginning which helped in rescuing our bonus dog…
To every person who shared a post, hung a flyer, or called in a sighting — your actions mattered.
And most of all, to Jessica and George — thank you for trusting in us and the process, for staying committed, and for your strength through it all.
These cases take patience, teamwork, and heart. And when volunteers, families, and a caring community come together — amazing things can happen .
Welcome home Reese ! 🐾♥️🐾
