Sandra Miranda and her loved ones went on a brief vacation to Glen Falls, New York. During their trip, they chose to entrust their adored Australian Shepherd named Alfie to GF-K9 daycare. The original plan was for Alfie to stay at the daycare for a few hours on June 22nd while the family enjoyed a steamboat ride since pets were not permitted onboard. It’s typical for pet owners to rely on boarding facilities like this one to ensure their furry companions receive proper care while they’re away. Unfortunately, in this dreadful turn of events, leaving Alfie at daycare resulted in his disappearance, leaving the family devastated.

Sandra Miranda was completely taken aback when what should have been a pleasant family outing turned into a prolonged nightmare. The family had entrusted their treasured pooch, Alfie, to GF-K9 so they could enjoy some quality time together without worrying about him. However, when they came back to collect Alfie, a staff member delivered some heartbreaking news to Miranda. Although she initially suspected that Alfie had been harmed by another dog, the truth was even more distressing – the beloved pet had vanished without a trace.

Prior to being found missing at the daycare, Alfie’s family had not received any notification. Mike Tartaglione, the daycare owner, inspected the surveillance footage but couldn’t fathom how Alfie managed to escape with such ease. The situation weighed heavily on his conscience, causing him to lose sleep. Miranda opted to concentrate on locating her dog instead of getting into a dispute with GF-K9, even though she was upset about what had occurred. It is still unclear how Alfie got away, and unfortunately, no one noticed or reported it earlier. Heidi Williams, who previously worked for GF-K9, left the company after raising concerns about Tartaglione’s supposed neglect of some animals in his care. She believes that measures must be put in place to safeguard voiceless creatures.

Facebook users in the community utilized Alfie’s disappearance to push for more accountability among animal care facilities. Elizabeth Dragon, a local resident, expressed frustration that daycare facilities for children are inspected, but those for animals aren’t. Meanwhile, Alfie’s owner Miranda extended her stay in the area to keep searching for her lost dog. She reached out to experts and Facebook groups focused on finding missing pets, while also contacting nearby businesses. Josh Grassi from Clifton Park Pet Search provided guidance and resources for the search effort, which included numerous volunteers who responded to posts and flyers about Alfie. It was crucial to note that Alfie had no identification tags as his collar was removed by GF-K9, so searchers were advised against calling his name or chasing him if spotted.

It took several weeks, but the gang eventually managed to track down Alfie. During their search, they received numerous reports of him being spotted in the vicinity. Eventually, on July 9th, 2022 – a whole eighteen days after his family abandoned him at GF-K9 – someone noticed him in their garden and contacted Miranda right away. She rushed to retrieve her furry friend and was overjoyed to see him. When they were reunited, Alfie ran straight into Miranda’s arms, and it was a touching moment for them both.

In a Facebook post on July 10th, Miranda expressed her gratitude to the community for their unwavering support during the 18-day search for her missing dog, Alfie. She credited the efforts of countless individuals who helped by calling with tips and searching the neighborhood for him. Despite not having any identification, the remarkable efforts of the Glen Falls community and Miranda’s determination led to the eventual safe return of Alfie to his family. It was truly heartwarming to witness the kindness and compassion of everyone involved in helping reunite this furry friend with his loved ones.

Miranda brought Alfie to the vet because he had lost weight, but thankfully he was healthy overall. Dr. Laura from Glen Falls Animal Hospital gave him some treatment, which Miranda was grateful for because it was free of charge.

Coming across news about a daycare mishap can be quite distressing, but one such incident stands out for showcasing the compassion of people, as Miranda fittingly put it.