Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Dakota Update---11/22/11


Everyone has been so wonderful in being patient and allowing us to continue to focus our efforts on bringing Dakota home, and we are so very grateful for that.  Much of our current resources---in addition to continuing to provide constant care for our patients & continuing to keep our clinic properly staffed---are devoted to our recovery process, and continuing to evaluate that process & consult our resources within the rehab community.  It’s not always easy to have the additional resources to compile and publish daily updates on Dakota, and when we do provide updates, we want to make sure that we are giving you the most current and correct information.  Our sincere appreciation goes out to all of you for your continued patience, well-wishes, positive energy & prayers.  You are awesome.

Over the past weekend, staff went out multiple times and are pretty sure they heard Dakota on several occasions (tho he was not positively sighted).  This is still a very positive sign.  There are also now two feeding stations up.  Neither seem to have been visited yet, but staff will continue to check the feeding stations and continue to try to locate Dakota by calls at night.  We’re again asking everyone, please do not attempt to locate Dakota on your own. People he is not familiar with will frighten him (and, we want to again caution everyone about hunting season; it’s unsafe to be walking around the area we believe him to be in).  Thank you to everyone who’s been respectful of us & Dakota during this time.  The most important thing you can do for us is to please continue to keep Dakota in your hearts & have faith, and continue to be patient….this is not an easy process, and it is not going to be a quick process.  But we remain very optimistic, and are working hard to bring Dakota home.

Additional positives of our current search include the fact that we are still actively and regularly hearing 2 Great Horned Owls in the area we believe Dakota to be in.  Staff will be moving one of the feeding stations down into a lower area where we believe he has settled down in to get away from the wind (Dakota does not like the wind or rain).  Although he may be eating on his own (and we of course absolutely hope that he is), if he is not, he may be just starting to get hungry.  The most positive aspect of his current feeding situation is that Dakota was in great condition when he was taken.  He is healthy, strong, in excellent feather, and was extremely well-fed.  The extreme cold weather has not yet reached us, and that will allow him to further conserve his energy & bulk.  Because of these factors, we are able to be very grateful that we are blessed with the time and resources to continue to try and lure him in without further traumatizing him.  These are all very hopeful and positive assets!

Thank you all again for caring so much about Dakota.  It is so heartening to us that there is so much love in the community for him, and that he has—and continues—to touch so many lives.  Please continue to remain patient and ever hopeful that we will have him home again soon.  We will do our very best to provide regular updates, when we have developments to report.



(Guest blogger K.P.)

18 comments:

  1. My thoughts and prayers go out to you on a daily basis in the hopes that you will be able to recover Dakota alive and healthy. I have been following this story very closely, and was heartbroken when I first heard what happened.

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  2. Thank you for the update! Sending prayers and positive energy to all of you and Dakota.

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  3. I'm praying that instinct will take over and he'll be able to find enough food to sustain him until you bring him back to WINC.

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  4. My family and I are thinking of you every day. The most wonderful Thanksgiving gift would be that Dakota comes home to you!!

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  5. I love Dakota, and I get more afraid each passing day! I will be so happy when we get the news that he is back home!

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  6. Thank you for the update on Dakota. I check your site daily and am constantly praying for Dakota's safe return. I can't wait to hear that he is home where he belongs.

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  7. I am praying every day! I have faith God is watching over him. I check the web site every day. Thank you so much for the update.

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  8. praying for dakota ... and praying that allof you looking for him will be safe ..

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  9. Thank you for the update. This story just broke my heart. I could not stop thinking about it. I hope he is back home soon. I think about Dakota and his caretakers every day and what wonderful work you do with wildlife. I am saying special prayers for all of you and Dakota. God bless all of you.

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  10. The best Thanksgiving is bringing Dakota home...our hearts and prayers are with you all the way from Florida.

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  11. I share all of the above comments. Thank you for the update! Praying with all my heart that Dakota will be found soon!

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  12. I have added your website to my list of favorites so that I will know when Dakota has been found!

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  13. God bless all of you for the wonderful work you do for wildlife. I pray everyday that Dakota comes home safely and quickly. I check your site daily, waiting for the good news. Dakota's safe return would be the best Thanksgiving gift!

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  14. I have been just sick about this since this happened. I think about him all the time and I continue to pray he will be found and brought back home again soon. God bless all those who continue to search for Dakota and are working so hard to find him. I will not give up hope and will keep all of you in my heart and in my prayers.

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  15. Thank you for the update. I've been glued to the news every evening, hoping to hear that Dakota was found and returned home. This story has really touched many people and all the positive thoughts will help bring him home.

    Thanks for all you to do rehabilitate animals and educate people.

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  16. Thanks so much for the update. I understand why it's hard for you to post regularly, but there are so many of us out here who are concerned for Dakota and hope you can bring him home. Even very brief updates would help.

    The best of luck to you. You are in our thoughts this Thanksgiving.

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  17. EVERYONE IS PRAYING &HOPING FOR DAKOTAS RETURN

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  18. Best news I heard all day! Welcome home Dakota!

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