Massive Local Effort Unleashed to Find Frazzled Dog

In a drama of Hollywood proportions, a New England breed dog rescue group, PAWS New England, is combing this area, desperately searching for a black labrador retriever mix, Lilly.

“Lassie Come Home” has nothing on Lilly. What might be even more remarkable than Lilly’s fight to survive, is the enormous multi-media and grassroots effort PAWS is putting in to finding her.

With multiple sightings claimed in the Beltsville area, Kelly Parker, co-founder of PAWS, has asked Patch to put Greenbelt on the lookout for Lilly.

Lilly’s Tortured Journey

Here is a condensed version of Lilly's history as provided to Patch by Parker:

• Lilly is found wandering in Tennessee, nearly starved, with multiple injuries. She is deathly afraid of people.

• During this period of her life, Lilly had been shot at.

• Wandering with Lilly is her best friend, a female yellow lab, Cheyenne.

• Lilly spends four years in a sanctuary in Missouri, and is so shy and fearful, she’s deemed unadoptable.

• PAWS still believes in Lilly and finds her a foster home in the District of Columbia. Unfortunately, PAWS finds no DC home for Cheyenne.

• The two best friends are split up. Cheyenne goes to foster care in Vermont.

• Within four days from arriving in DC, on June 28, Lilly goes missing.

With a no-man-left-behind attitude that would make the Marines proud, PAWS decides to find Lilly, sending out postcards, issuing radio appeals, posting more than 1,000 flyers, enlsiting voluteers, hiring a dog tracker and having Pilots n PAWs fly in Cheyenne from Vermont to look for Lilly.

Lilly’s Digital War Room

With sighting maps, a Facebook, page, email alerts, and even a Lilly blog, PAWS put together a virtual war room to rescue the missing lab. If Lilly is out there to be found, my bet is on PAWS.

• Map of Lilly Spottings

• Lilly on Facebook

• Lilly’s Blog

Lilly is extremely fearful, according Parker. Should you spot her, PAWS asks that you do not approach her, and instead call Parker at 617.620.9144 or call Dana at 410.215.5114