It Takes a Community – To Rescue A Dog

When Eric Maus came across an abandoned pit bull Monday in Prospect Park, the 28-year-old didn’t know what to do.

The 80-pound, grey and white pitbull lie with her head raised atop scattered leaves.

“She was calm, docile, tongue out,” said Maus of Prospect Lefferts Garden. “Just looking at me with her big brown eyes.”

He eventually posted a photo to his neighborhood Facebook page asking for help.

“Found this dog tied to the tree near the boathouse in Prospect Park,” the Facebook post read. “There’s a note on the tree that says take him. Who do we call?”

Enter Elisa Flash.

Flash, 38 of Bergen Beach said she responded to Maus within minutes of his post and began re-posting and making calls.

Flash, is one of five editors of the Facebook page, Lost and Found Pets in Brooklyn. The two-year-old social media site boasts over 12,000 followers. The all-women crew of volunteers scours social media looking for lost or abandoned pets to reunite with owners or facilitate a pick up from a local rescue facility.

Bianca Sunshine founded the site. She and Stella Blanca Panzarino, Bonnie Horowitz-Gorlick, Debbie Dellerina Sciarabba all play a part in reuniting or rescuing pets. The team asked Flash to join after she had been actively making pet connections.

“I’ve always loved pets and I saw the need,” said Flash who’s been wrangling pets for a year now.

Sometimes the women physically pick up the animals while other times the traffic from their site serves as an outlet for people looking for lost pets or animals in need of rescue.

In the case of the unidentified pit bull, Flash said knowing the hound came with a note meant that someone cared about her.

“Momma’s. Take me home. I’m a great dog, I’m seven years old. Don’t like my size scare you, I’m sweet,” read the handwritten note scribbled on a Catholic Charities stationary.

“We’ve come across dogs that were left with a note before, but that one was left with love,” she said.

Flash connected with Sean Casey Animal Rescue of Windsor Terrace who agreed to take in the rescue. Within an hour and a half of the initial post, Maus was walking his new furry friend over to the shelter.

“She’s an older dog, about 6 or 7 and she hasn’t been vetted, said Casey. “Outside of being obese, she looks in good health.”

Not every case ends on a shiny note. Sometimes the crew also has to inform pet owners of a tragic outcome. But no matter how things turn out, Flash says the site always keeps their virtual community updated on the progress of the animals they encounter.

Within minutes of interviewing with Bklyner, a new post appeared on Flash’s site. This one featured an escaped parrot perched on someone’s window pane at 91st Street and 5th Ave., in Bay Ridge.

The headline reads, “On the Fly.”

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Animals that have graced the pages of Lost and Found Pets in Brooklyn.

• Dogs
• Cats
• Iguanas
• Turtles
• Hedgehogs
• Birds
• Chickens