What to Do If Your Dog Goes Missing
What to do if your dog is missing
By the time you are reading this article, most likely you have been looking for your lost pet for 24 hours or more. Start walking and driving around your neighborhood. Make sure to visit your local animal shelter and report your dog as missing. And you have probably lost a lot of sleep. These helpful tips will help you understand how to find your lost dog.
Tips for Finding a Lost Dog
Initially, contact your local police department and alert them (calling up to six is not a terrible idea). Describe your dog including the breed, size, sex, color, name of your dog and where he or she was lost and last seen is needed. Be sure to give your name and phone number in case your dog is found. Call each day to check for updates on the missing dog. Police won't search for your dog, but if they are spotted or reported, they will pick them up.
Call all of the local animal shelters and humane societies to alert them of your lost dog. Provide a description of your dog. Make sure you call back daily to see if there are any updates. Alert your local or primary veterinarian.
Microchipped Dog?
If so, be sure to call your microchip company and report your dog missing. When calling, ensure that your contact information on file with the company is correct.
Notify all nearby park districts to alert them in case your dog ran into a park.
Make Flyers
https://www.pawboost.com/
Make a LOST DOG announcement that provides your dog’s picture, name, size, gender, along with the date he or she became missing. Also, include the address and when they were last seen. Don't forget to give your phone number and a note asking anyone who spots or finds the dog to call ANYTIME. Include a suggestion in the flyers (optional) asking people to try and catch the dog if seen. Offering a reward can help get people on board (but one that does not specify what or how much). Note that the dog “may be hot, cold and/or hungry”. Ask people “to check their backyards” (optional).
* Your flyer should not look crowded. Type it out, bold relevant parts and italicize others. Make sure you upload a picture that is clear and large enough for people to easily identify your dog *
Print 500 copies to start (office supply stores are generally inexpensive).
Make sure you have an answering machine or voice-mail on at all times. If possible, have someone who can always check it and can get in touch with you if there is a sighting. If possible, have someone who can always respond to these calls. Take a couple days off or rotate days off with someone who can help you.
In Business windows in the town where your dog was last seen and or a nearby town is a great place to post your flyers. It is likely your dog will travel.
Hand out flyers to children playing on the streets and to those riding bikes (some have even posted flyers on the front of their bikes!). Children and teenagers may make an adventure out of looking for something. By saying that, teenagers will either sympathize or have the extra incentive from the prospect of a reward. Most of all, they tend to spend time outside.
Give flyers to postal employees in the area; every town is divided into different sections. Every section may have different employee’s, they have a high chance of spotting lost dogs.
Spread The Word
Place an announcement and picture in your local newspaper and county newspaper with the same information in the flyers.
Walk day and night looking for your dog in the area you think he or she may be. Call him or her, if he has a favorite toy you can try bringing it along to squeak it. Bring your relatives or friends to help you look. Have a flashlight and most importantly, be safe. It's most likely that your dog will be out early in the morning and late at night. Drive your car around looking for your dog.
Try to have others do the same (but make sure someone is always home or available to take telephone calls). Respond immediately to any phone calls regarding sightings. Some people may call and say they saw the dog “2 hours ago”. Though the dog may have moved on, check that area anyway. It’s a clue to where he/she might be.
Bring pictures of your dog with you (an original, not a copy). If you talk to someone face to face and show them an actual picture, he/she can more easily positively identify your dog. A black and white photocopy is not as accurate.
Posting Flyers
Put flyers on poles, dog parks, pet stores, anywhere where groups of people frequent.
Social Media
Social media – Lost/Found Groups and Craigslist are great places to post Lost Dogs for Free. The most effective thing you can do when your dog becomes missing is to get your community involved.
Tell people, report it to as many relevant organizations as you can, and call them every day to check on progress. Having more people who know who your DOG is and what he or she looks like, the greater the chances of someone spotting him and calling you, or picking him or her up. The amount of support you can receive from your community may amaze you. People may look for your dog on their own, whether you are aware of it or not.
There will be times when you feel like you are getting somewhere. There will be times when you will feel like you are searching for a needle in a haystack.
Remember, Don’t Give Up, the most important thing is to keep trying!
Your dog is your family member! Don’t Give Up!
For more information, contact us at 916-201-7080. Value Dog Training’s – Mission is to improve the quality of life for dogs and the people who love them.
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