A pet detective who hears messages from the dead is using her unusual skills to sniff out the case of Tank, the missing service dog from Greenbank.
The black lab disappeared from a residence near South Whidbey State Park on Nov. 12. He was last seen in the yard with his owner, Michael Wildeman.
Because of the efforts of the Wildeman family and volunteers, people all across Whidbey Island have been keeping an eye out for the dog. The searchers have walked trails, beat the bushes, knocked on doors, posted signs and told the story on social media.
When the efforts didn’t yield the results they had hoped for, the family began seeking other help.
A team of specially trained dogs from Lost Pet Trackers traveled from Idaho to join the search. The trackers reported catching Tank’s scent on the beach at Bush Point, near where he went missing, and the end of a driveway of an unoccupied house on Whidbey Island, among other locations.
But when Tank still wasn’t found, the family turned to more unconventional means.
June Elaine Evans of Pet Detectives International believes she and others have special abilities that can be harnessed for different purposes. When a pet has been missing for more than two weeks, she is assigned to the case.
The New England-based operation has successfully found pets remotely by working with owners to determine details about their missing furry loved ones’ whereabouts. Using what one may refer to as unorthodox methods, Evans receives assistance from the afterlife to find lost dogs and cats.
She said she hears messages from her late husband and pets that have passed on. They help her solve cases.
“It’s not a joke. We are animal communicators, we are mediums and that’s how we find these lost and stolen pets,” Evans said.
Working with two other teammates, Evans has been able to find wayward animals who’ve strayed as far as 3,000 miles away from their homes.
In the case of Tank, Evans has worked closely with the Wildeman family, messaging them daily updates about where she thinks the dog may be found.
Evans reported hearing about train tracks from another dog of the Wildemans’ that passed away. Her case partner said she heard the same thing.
Evans believes someone living in seclusion may have taken Tank, perhaps someone who is “an elderly gentleman.”
“Tank is alive, and Tank is going to be found,” Evans said.
Gloria Wildeman, the mother of Michael, said they have talked to a few different psychics and dog communicators to help shed some light on the situation.
“There’s a lot of skepticism about that type of skill set. We’re kind of open-minded,” Gloria said.
The first psychic who approached her predicted Tank was in a “cubby-like spot,” which the search dogs proved to be true when they tracked him to a location on Bush Point beach that matched the description.
“The good news for Michael now is that the psychics and energy healers all say he’s alive and being taken care of. Whether that’s real or not, it offers hope,” she said.
Along with a myriad of other efforts, Tank’s family has posted signs along the major highways of the island, State Highway 20 and State Highway 525, and detailed nearly a dozen cars with lettering explaining Tank’s story and his owner’s contact information. Gloria said 260,000 people have integrated online with Facebook postings.
“Some people think of him as a pet, but he’s a trained medical alert service dog,” Gloria said. “It’s not just losing a pet, it’s losing someone who has saved your life a million times.”
