Get GiGi: There's a lot at stake
Courtesy photo Chris Morse and his dog, GiGi, a rescue from Kootenai Humane Society that went missing from Farragut State Park last weekend.
Chris Morse’s dog, GiGi, sits on his desk. (Courtesy photo)
GiGi, a former stray dog in California, struggles with anxiety that had begun to diminish after being adopted from Kootenai Humane Society in July by Chris Morse. The little dog has been missing since last weekend, when Morse was camping at Farragut State Park with friends. (Courtesy photo)
UPDATE: GiGi has been found! We’re gathering the details and will provide an update later today.
COEUR d’ALENE — Last weekend, Chris Morse experienced one of a pet owner’s worst nightmares. His little dog, GiGi, took off while Morse was camping with friends at Thimbleberry Campground at Farragut State Park in Athol.
It’s a heartbreaking experience for anyone whose pet has gone missing, but for Morse, it’s been particularly challenging. Getting a dog was a big step in his life because four years ago, Morse was 22 and nearly died in a car crash.
That wreck was a turning point for Morse to a clean and sober life. He did what counselors and probation officers told him to do on the road to recovery, overcoming the many trials and tribulations of early sobriety. Today, his life looks very different. He works with others, helping them in recovery, has a job, a car and a life he never imagined.
But some days, he still struggles with depression and anxiety.
It was during one of those difficult times in July that he decided he was ready to get a dog.
“One of my coping mechanisms was petting a dog,” Morse said. “Four years sober, and furry companions have helped me stay sober.”
GiGi, a rescue from Kootenai Humane Society, was a stray from California.
The Chihuahua mix, with big ears and soulful eyes, became Morse’s constant companion. She went to work with him every day, and took naps curled up in a drawer in Morse’s desk at the storage facility he manages.
“She’s just love and anxiety,” Morse said, acknowledging he relates to GiGi. But that anxiousness has decreased for both master and pet.
“She became mild within four weeks,” he said. “She went from being scared and running back and forth, hiding under the bed, to sleeping on the bed cuddled up on my shoulder.”
The little dog was afraid to even go outside, but overcame that with Morse as her master.
“My life had completely changed for the better, and it made every day easier,” Morse said.
Since GiGi went missing, Morse has searched relentlessly for his pet. He has posted messages on every online board or Facebook page available. He has knocked on doors and handed out flyers at Farragut and spent hours in the area looking for her.
He now has a glimmer of hope, thanks to a person who lives near Farragut and has a trail camera in her backyard. He saw the video footage.
“She was seen eating deer poop. She’s doing just fine. She doesn’t seem stressed or scared,” Morse said. “She’s alive and it’s Wednesday. She’s a warrior.”
Morse spent the day Wednesday scouring the area near the sighting, but without luck.
He remains hopeful though. Another stranger has offered to help.
A man with a heat-seeking drone will stake out the area tonight with a trap with hot dogs in it. The gentleman said he has retrieved two lost dogs in Spokane this way.
Morse has been overwhelmed with the support he has received from many strangers who have offered kind words and help.
The woman with the trail camera fed him lunch and offered him the use of her four-wheeler.
“People are so loving, total, complete strangers,” Morse said. “When it comes to our four-legged babies, all opinions and politics are set aside. It’s amazing.”
If you see GiGi, please call Morse at 208-699-0958.