Finding Your Lost Dog

Here are some tips on how to find your lost dog if this unfortunate event happens to you. The most responsible dog owners I know (including myself) have lost a pet one time or another. If you haven't, good for you!!

If you ever lost your dog then you know the feeling of desperation, wanting to throw up and scream at the same time, wishing you would turn around and he would be wagging his tail staring at you!!! It is like losing a member of the family!!!

"Where is my baby?"

"Is he hungry or hurt?"

"I hope he's not scared?"

HELP

As soon as you realize your pet is missing, don’t waste any time – begin your search as soon as you notice that the animal is gone... (I don't think I have to tell you that, BUT when you are upset, you may panic and not think straight))

REMEMBER, the most important thing you can do is

GET THE WORD OUT

Begin your search

WHERE DO YOU START?

• This is where cell phones are a great tool. As you get busy searching your neighborhood by foot, bike or car, grab your "CELL" and call anyone and everyone who will help join the search. Just get out and look, search, call your pets name, get his favorite treat, shake his favorite toy or ball.

• Contact ALL the shelters in your surrounding area. Find a shelter in your stateaA

• It is important that you physically go to the shelter at least every other day. Dogs come in daily, so simply calling is not enough. Your dog may not be listed with the front desk when you call or the person may not recognize your dog from your description.

  Even if your dog was wearing identification or he is micro-chipped, you should still physically go down to the shelter to help find your dog because your dog’s I.D. tag may have come off and microchips can sometimes fail to be detected by scanners.

  Ask to see the dogs at the shelter since your dog might have been injured. While you're at the shelters, ask to check the listings of animals who didn't make it, such as those hit by cars. Hard as it is to know a pet was killed, it's harder to never know what happened.

• To help in your search with your lost dog create a flier that includes the date he was lost, name of dog, description, any unique markings, a picture and your phone number. Don't forget to leave a copy of the flier you made with the shelter staff.

• Put the fliers up around your neighborhood, at shopping centers, veterinarian clinics, pet shops, anywhere you shop or run errands with large print "LOST DOG"
  
  

  
  
  

  

  The road looks long, but one step at a time, persistence and love is often the key to helping you find your baby

  Never give up!
  
  
  
  

  Hit the Internet

  To find your lost dog think of anything and everything to get the word out:

  GET ON THE NET

  With social bookmarking sites so popular right now you can get the word out to people everywhere that your dog is lost. Do this when it gets too dark to search anymore, knowing that the search is continuing, only indoors.

  (If you have not heard of these sites then you probably live under a rock or you have better things to do then be a Facebook addict like me...LOL...)

  These sites are free to join and you can instantly get the message out: Here are a few to start with:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Craiglist is an online community that resembles a virtual bulletin board and is read by 25 million people everyday. Tips and Advice on How To Find Your Lost Dog
  • Send out BULK e-mails to all your contacts asking them to place your dog on the "lost and found sites" listed below.
    
    

    Lost Pet Links

    

    
    
    

    

    
    
    

    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

    
    
    
    

    

    
    
    
    

    Prevention

    Preventing a dog from becoming lost or stray is a smart idea. Thinking ahead can save time, energy and tears.

    • Pet Identification tags
    • Microchip
    • Registering your dog in national lost and found pet database can help you locate your dog IF he gets lost.
      
      
      

      

      

      

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      Become a member of Missing Pet Partnership and help pioneer "Lost Pet Services" in your own community.

      HELP YOURSELF AND HELP OTHERS IN RETURN

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      When a lost dog finally makes his way home, a SMILE THAT COULD LIGHT A ROOM.....PRICELESS...

      THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME

      

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      "Nobody can fully understand the meaning of Love unless hes owned a dog. A dog can show more honest affection with a flick of his tail than a man can gather through a lifetime of handshakes"

      ~ Gene Hill ~