It’s the nightmare of any pet owner: your beloved pet is missing. You’ve scoured the neighborhood calling his or her name to no avail. Now it’s dark and you are facing a sleepless night. Pets can run away or become lost for many reasons such as fear, boredom, loneliness, sexual urges, new surroundings and many more. Getting your dog back so they can get the dog services they need to ensure they were not injured during this ordeal.
The best-case scenario is someone finds your pet and takes him in or to a local pet store or dog services and you are contacted. If he’s wearing identification or has an implanted microchip, the odds increase that a call will be coming. If that isn’t the case, here are some tips:
Organize a Search Party
Talk to friends and the local dog services to let them know about your dog and what to look for. The more eyes looking for your pet the better. Start your search by contacting neighbors and friends to enlist their help, knocking on doors and making phone calls, until you’ve reached everyone.
Create a List of Entities to Contact
This includes rescues, shelters, animal control, animal hospitals, pet stores and then divide the duties up. A long list of contacts is less formidable if each person has one phone call to make. Just about any place that offers dog services should be contacted. While you are out searching and calling, bring along a favorite squeaky toy, the sound of your voice combined with that familiar squeak may make a frightened, hiding pet come running.
Post lots of flyers
Fashion big, colorful posters that catch the eye and hang them in local markets and dog services. Display the word REWARD prominently to let people know it’s important to you. Include a photo. If you are in a bilingual community, post signs in both languages. Note where your dog was last seen, his name, age, color or breed and the color of the collar. In addition to large signs, smaller signs can double as mailers. And start posting. Place your sign in traffic areas, where people walk, at intersections, at entrances to parks, near school bus stops, near grocery stores and coffee bars. Don’t forget animal hospitals, kennels, groomers, shelters, local rescues and pet stores.
Use Social Media
Take advantage of social media’s long reach. Post to your own FB page and ask that the word be spread by friends. Take advantage of Find Rover, Oliver Alert, or PetMetric on Facebook to start a virtual search in your community and over a much broader geographical area. Check with local dog services to see if anyone has posted anything about finding a missing dog.
Check Local Shelters
Dog services are an excellent source for lost or missing pets. Get on the internet and locate area shelters. Most shelters are online as well and will post photos of found pets. Send them your mailer. Call them. Better yet, visit to look for your pet.
Don’t Give Up
Stay to your normal routines, for your own sake and that of your family. It’s important to stay focused and productive. Keep checking in with shelters and rescues and sending updated flyers to animals hospitals and pet stores. Never neglect the helpfulness of dog services in your area. And finally, don’t give up, lost pets do turn up and have been reunited with their families after months or even years.
