Woman searches for lost dog as Toronto non-profit warns of spike in vandalized posters

Willow, age nine, was last seen in the High Park area on Sept. 15. Handout

Eddie’s Network, a Toronto-based advocacy group for lost dogs in the GTA, is warning of a spike in vandalized and removed posters for missing pets.

In an interview with CP24, Eibhilin Good, an administrator for Eddie’s Network, said that poster removal is becoming an issue with “almost every lost dog in Toronto.”

“One gentleman in particular has been removing posters in High Park,” she said. “Another is ripping them down on Queen Street West. We run into people who think Eddie’s Network might be scam or that we’re taking advantage of people with lost dogs, and that couldn’t be further from the truth, but they’re ripping down hundreds of posters anyway.”

While posters may seem old-school for some, Good says postering remains the most effective way to raise awareness for a lost pet.

“Not everyone’s on social media,” she said. “A poster is a great way to catch someone in public and help them know who to call if they’ve found or seen this dog. Sightings lead to securing dogs, and posters are a huge part of that.” It’s worth noting that posters for lost pets are expressly permitted on utility poles, kiosks and message boards in Toronto.

Rena Hans is a dog owner who has been affected by the poster removals in Toronto. Her dog Willow, a nine-year-old Yorkiemix, managed to get loose while under the care of a dog sitter in High Park on Sept. 15. She’s been missing ever since.

“I’ve just been panicking,” Hans said in an interview. “We’ve put out about 1,800 posters between my family and Eddie’s Network. There’s been one possible sighting of her, but people keep ripping down the posters. I’ve seen them do it.”

Hans says she is increasingly concerned that Willow has been picked up off the streets and has effectively been stolen.

“Since she hasn’t been spotted anywhere, it’s a possibility we’re all considering,” she said. “We’ve done everything right, you know, we’re calling every vet in the area, and adding pictures, putting up posters. But that effort almost feels wasted when people come to take down the posters.”