8:20 pm, Wednedsay, Aug. 20

About 20 minutes ago, I posted a plea from a teacher who lives in Fort Lauderdale who had been desperately looking for her minature pinscher, Chyna, since last week. Jessica Reynolds particularly was worried because tiny Chyna is 10 years old -- not exactly a youngster -- and had intestinal problems that required a special diet.

Jessica sounded so sad the few times I talked to her, and I felt the same as I put her information on Sit, Stay, Speak!, hoping for her dog's safe return.

And now I am rewriting and reposting. Because Jessica called me a few minutes ago to say Chyna had been found.

And I think the reason why is worth mentioning.

Because Jessica's "lost dog" posters that she plastered around the neighborhood, and rechecked after Tropical Storm Fay blew through, did the trick.
Animal experts have told me previously that while microchips and tatoos are fine, the old-fashioned poster still is one of the best ways to get back your MIA dog or cat.

In Jessica's case, a woman living about two miles away from her house happened to mention to her neighbors that she had seen a small black-and-tan dog out in the rain squalls sweeping through yesterday and today post-Fay. "Gee," said someone who was listening. "Go look at that poster over there. It sounds like the same dog."

They called the phone number on the flier. And by the time Jessica called me, Chyna was home having a late dinner.

Somehow, Chyna had managed to cross the bustling Oakland Park Boulevard-Federal Highway intersection, possibly during rush hour, given when she escaped. The dog was close to the house where Jessica had been living up to three months ago, and she wonders if Chyna was looking for her old home as the storm approached.

So: Welcome back, Chyna.
And the lesson for the rest of us is, Jessica agrees: Posters do work.

So always keep a current photo of your pet on hand, especially during storm season when you may have to evacuate.

Click here for some great tips on effective posters from Missing Pet Partnership, an organization promoting effective search techniques for lost animals that was started by a California police officer turned pet detective. You really should read the entire piece, as it gives super helpful advice.

But in a nutshell:
* Make posters large so people can't miss them.
* Use bright-colored paper, so they attract attention.
* Put them at major intersections near where you lost your pet and near where others have sighted your pet.
* Keep them brief and to the point.
* And include a current photo.

Feel free to post your own "lost pet found" story and what worked for you. We love happy endings like this one.

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Linda and Brien Mastriana, a Fort Lauderdale mother and son who were searching for Brien’s lost puppy Bodi last week, did find a dog.

The sad news is it wasn’t their own. The Mastrianas still are conducting a massive “Find Bodi” campaign, complete with a YouTube video.

The good news is that Brien’s sharp eyes and the Mastrianas’ diligence reunited a woman with her lost pug that somehow had wandered almost six miles away.

This tale shows posting “lost pet” signs as soon as your animal goes missing really can work. In some cases, posters with a photo can be as effective as fancy tracking devices or microchips, according to experts I interviewed for a story on lost pets last year. (Keep reading after the video below for a reprint of that story and tips on recovering lost animals).

Linda said Bodi, a 5-month-old friendly Vizsla owned by her real estate developer son, escaped on June 28 when Brien’s father was dog-sitting the active pup. The family began searching the beach and neighborhoods near Oakland Park Boulevard and State Road A1A, where Bodi slipped away, but saw no sign of him.

Brien, however, last week noticed a “lost pug” sign in Victoria Park, posted on the same pole as one of Bodi’s flyers. He mentioned to his mother he had noticed a “found pug” poster in another part of town earlier that day. So they called the “lost pug” lady and gave her the telephone number on the “found pug” sign. Two hours later, pug and owner were reunited.

“We were very happy to help her, given the feelings we are having about finding our own dog,” Linda said yesterday.

The Mastrianas grow more worried every day that Bodi, who went to work every day with Brien, is gone for good. Bodi’s big brother Wahoo, a yellow Labrador, misses him. So please: Be on the look out for a red-coated, 35-pound lean dog with a green collar and a red rabies tag with the number 37620. The Mastrianas can be reached at 954-600-7399. They are offering $1,500 for Bodi’s return, no questions asked.

Hopefully, this search will have a happy ending like the one the Mastrianas made possible for someone else.

And here is the video that Brien posted on YouTube that really gives you a good idea what the dog looks like.

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