10/31/2025
💔 Community Update: Searching for Blue
After what has truly been one of the hardest weeks we’ve ever faced, I finally have a moment to share everything that’s happened and to thank everyone who has reached out, shared posts, and offered help.
On Monday, October 27, between 2:20 and 2:30 p.m. EST, two of our boarding dogs, Proper and Blue, managed to escape through a tiny curved opening in our chain-link gate. These two aren’t just any dogs, they were both rescued from a severe neglect and hoarding case in Lee County along with five others. When they were first pulled, they were so matted with f***s and urine that they couldn’t walk. They came to us terrified, shut down, and unsure of people. Blue was adoped and Proper was still with us in rescue. Two of the other pups from this group also escaped from their adoper’s homes. One was safely found and reunited and the other is still missing.
Over time, they began to heal. But as anyone who’s worked with dogs like this knows, progress is fragile, and fear runs deep. Blue, especially, struggled with fear-based aggression. He couldn’t be safely handled by anyone outside of his owner Because of that, typical boarding facilities which require dogs to pass behavior evaluations would not take him.
That’s exactly why PLAY! K9 Academy exists. We take the dogs that can’t go anywhere else, the shut-down, reactive, or aggressive ones who need a safe, understanding space. Most of our boarding dogs are “hands-off,” meaning they usually can’t even be leashed safely. We do everything we can to keep them secure and comfortable, but with dogs like these, there is always a risk.
When Blue first arrived, he was so anxious he was jumping several feet in the air and we worried he would somehow make it over our six foot fence. When we attempted to double-leash and monitor he refused to move. His owner even personally inspected our entire yard and saw no visible openings or risks. Somehow, both Blue and Proper managed to find the smallest possible gap, a place no other dog has ever gotten through, and took off.
The moment it happened, we launched into action: making and posting signs, setting out food and familiar scents, talking to neighbors, driving for hours, and hiring a drone operator and trapper. We’ve spent over $1,000 so far on the search, not counting the hours and sleepless nights that come with it.
Proper came home on his own Wednesday night around 6 p.m. 🩵
Blue is still missing as of October 31, and our hearts are breaking.
We’re doing everything we can to bring him home. But we also know this comes with the territory of working with dogs that have deep trauma. These are the dogs we’ve chosen to help, even when it means putting ourselves through heartbreak like this. Out of the hundreds of behavioral dogs we’ve successfully boarded, only three have ever escaped, in two separate incidents, but even one is too many.
We’re already working on improving our containment systems even more. Still, anyone who’s worked with fearful dogs knows that sometimes, no matter how many precautions you take, they find a way.
I know people will judge. I understand. But I also know there’s no playbook for this. No other facility offers this kind of service for dogs like Blue. We are learning, adapting, and doing everything in our power to prevent this from ever happening again.
Thank you to everyone who has shown kindness, shared posts, and supported us through this. Please keep your eyes open for Blue and share his photo far and wide. Every sighting matters.
For any information or possible sightings, please contact:
📞 941-932-7020
📧 [email protected]
We just want Blue home. 💙
— Nina Ali, owner and head trainer of PLAY! K9 Academy and founder and director of PLAY! K9 Rescue
