So many thank you to go out to everyone

While it is said it takes a village to raise a child, it could be said it takes an entire town to bring back a lost dog to his/her person. There are people that helped me find Delsin that I will never know and if you are one of the people that called just to give support, tell me to hang in there that I will find him, I am indebted to you. I don't know your names - and I am sorry for that. If you are one of those people, drop me an email and I will include you on this thank you list.

But here are the others - at least those I can recall. I will update this as I remember people. If I have forgotten you, it isn't because it didn't matter to me. It is only because the events of those two days were so intense that I know I am not remembering much of them.

Here they are:

• Sharon K - she was the first to arrive to help me search and was here within minutes of my frantic call for help. She also came back on Wed morning to help search the neighborhood.
• Neighbors Diana and Bill - whom I had never met before - who saw me calling for Delsin. They helped search as well.
• Darwin M - one of the first on the scene as well.
• Denise P - she was my first call for help. She dropped work, she called the others into action, posted on facebook, posted on all lists she belonged, called the berner rescue coordinator, made up the lost dog posters, and then headed to my brothers house to help do the on-foot search. On day two, she came again to take over what felt like hundreds of calls pouring into 3 numbers. And she took over the "command post" that was developing on the dining room table.
• Coleen C - one of the first on the scene as well, she also did many calls to others to help, further pushed the facebook effort that was quickly building, coordinated getting "in season" girls here to walk the neighborhood - encouraging Delsin to come back, and walked, walked walked, put up posters.... despite being very sick. She also called the Bloomington community center to try and get "lost dog" on their Marquee and called the local paper.
• Rick Bryan - He self assigned the grim task of walking all the ditches along the roads, walking around all ponds, looking for a possible dead dog. I am indebted to this - as it is something that had to be done, but I couldn't bring myself to do it myself. He walked miles and miles and put up posters.
• Brian K - a vital behind the scene person that utilized the internet to really push the search. He posted without question of being re-imburst to Findfido.com and findtoto.com. He also posted on craigs list.
• Laura F and father - they came with a girl dog and drove and walked and walked. Put up posters.
• Melanie B - walked and walked and put up posters.
• Lloyd K - walked and walked and put up posters.
• Mike M - drove the neighborhood and put up more posters, and went out to buy more posters when we ran low.
• Erika W - drove up from Rochester with two friends (?) that I didn't even know and walked, walked, and put up posters. She also listed Delsin in Pet finders, sent out a mass email to Chuck and Dons pet supply stores, contacted KDWB radio where she has friends, contacted the Star Tribune newspaper, and posted lost pet on Fox 9  TV website. She also posted facebook.
• Micky T - also came with a girl dog in season and walked and walked the neighborhood.
• There were people from Apple Valley that never came into the house, that I have never met, that simply came, joined the search team and walked and walked and walked like everyone else.
• Alice B - spent much time contacting all the media - the back and forth trying to convince them this was a story that needed to be told.
• Monica P - long distance from Seattle, you called the communicators for me. Your friendship is invaluable.
• Lynn, Claudia, and Ann - all animals communicators, all told me Delsin was alive and was enjoying a romp around the neighborhood. It eased my mid a bit that he wasn't running scared. It was Lynn that said it felt like Delsin was somehow "trapped". Of course I didn't know the meaning of that until the next day when I found out he literally was trapped by a fence.
• My nephews went door to door talking to neighbors, posting posters and getting the word out to the immediate area.
• Hal B - whom I have never met in person, came Wed with his small cute dog in tow (Delsin LOVES small dogs) to start the Wed search. He drove me to the pound to pick up Delsin once Del was located.
• Pat L - who got Delsin posted on more lost dog websites.
• Shelley S - here on Wed to help with the search.
• Sandy (with Vizsla's) - was one of the first to call once the word started getting out, telling me some steps to take to get Delsin back. (find fido, find toto.com).
• Shirley K - who gave me more contact numbers to help get the word out. The call came via Robin D.
• Laura A - another avid face book person that also sent a list of "to do" to find Delsin.
• Jacqy M - more massive getting the word out via internet.
• Barbara O - She also utilized her very extensive facebook and online contacts to spread the word.
• Boni in PA - you sent a list of things I needed to do to help find Delsin.
• Mary Alice - who guided me on things I didn't really want to talk about. And you remained absolutely positive that I would find Delsin.
• Dale K and Scott R - our longtime friendship felt extra important to me during all of the events of last week.
• The woman that called that has the website animal-pounds.com. I am sorry I don't remember your name. But you strongly emphasized that I must visit each and every impound and not to trust that the staff will know my breed. She is 100% right. Despite numerous calls to the impound, I never received a call from them saying they had Delsin. You gave me valuable and timely information.
• Mary G - so many years of honest friendship - the call touched my heart.
• Angie D - who called with support.
• Shelly (W?) - numerous phone calls back and forth on Wed, as it was her daughter that took the cell phone picture of Delsin stuck in the fence. While I still didn't know where Delsin was, it felt like perhaps I might just get him back.
• Jenny P - I have not seen Jenny in YEARS, but as I understand it, she posted on her facebook 2 different times that Delsin was missing. It was the second posting that Shelly saw on Wed - and that prompted Shelly to call me.

At one point  on Wed morning I stopped answering the phones myself and my friend Denise did - because the media started coming in. More tips, more sighting, more calls of support from people I have never heard of before. Each and every person made a difference - all the positive energy helped bring me my boy back. 

And I must then add the media. While I would have found Delsin without their help, I did not know that at the time and they all came to my aide. If Delsin had not been found before they all came, he certainly would have after all the stories hit the news. All were professional, courteous, and respectful of what I was going through.

They are:

• Paul Walsh - Star Tribune newspaper. Despite my calls and email as well as another person to the startrib it was not any of that, that prompted him to call. He saw the posting on Pet finders and that is why he called Wed AM. Professional from start to finish.
• Gregg Litman - WCCO TV. Gregg and photographer were here before I found Delsin and then when I located him at the pound via a phone call. They also followed me to the pound for pickup. Both were wonderful to work with and it was a pleasure to share the good news with them. I have utmost respect for Gregg and how he interviews and reports.
• WCCO photographer - another name that escapes me. Great photos he took of Delsin and I - including the one that was published in the paper. If one has to have their picture plastered all over the media, it is nice to have a good picture :)
• Kare11 - I don't remember the name of the gentleman that came for the interview. It was enjoyable sharing dogs stories with you. 
• Bill Keller - Fox9 News. If there is one word to describe Bill, it is fun. A good way to end a very long two days. Both Bill and the photographer (sorry, once again no name, but no less important) were great with my nephew - who needed  a bit of a moral support boost after the events of Tuesday.

And the contact I got via email...... wow, how to I begin to say thank you? From people I haven't heard from in years, ones that I have only heard of via the grape vine, ones from all over this country, even a childhood friend/neighbor that now resides in England heard of this and sent his "thank God" after Delsin was found. And so, so, so many people that somehow heard about Delsin that simply contacted me because they understood the bond that can exist between animals and their people, and they know the fear that a lost animal can bring - I don't know you personally, but your words of support in whatever form they came - phone, email, via a common friend..... I can't thank you enough for going out of the way to say a kind word to a total stranger.

So to each of you - who lent support in any way during a really difficult time  - my thank you is from the very depths of my heart. I am indebted to you for your help in bringing back my beloved Delsin.