Lost Your Pet? Take Action Now!
TIPS FOR FINDING YOR LOST PET
Reuniting you with your furry family member starts with these crucial steps.
Notify the community about your missing pet by sharing photos to help make your pet easily recognizable to anyone who might find them.
Stay vigilant by involving your neighbors in the search and posting flyers around your community to expand awareness.
Confirm your pet's microchip details and use it to search your local pound & Petco Love Lost.
Submit a lost pet report to your local shelter, online lost & found sites, also notify nearby veterinary clinics.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND TIPS
We know how devastating it is when a pet goes missing and you don't know what to do next. There are apps and websites that can help. We hope this information will be a one-stop guide about everything that you can do to help find your pet.
SEARCH YOUR PROPERTY THOROUGHLY
If your pet is lost make sure you look around your house and property. Make sure you look in your garage, and any outdoor sheds or buildings. If the animal is a cat, check your attic, cabinets, box springs, boxes or any other potential hiding place.
Contact the microchip company
Is your pet microchipped? You’ll want to contact the microchip company to make sure your information is current and that the chip is activated. This information is also important when making flyers to share with the community. Need to microchip your pet?
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Try to attract your pet
Leave food, water outside along with your pet’s bed, and a worn article of your clothing. These things may help your pet find it’s way home. Leave gate open
Ask your neighbors
Go door to door asking if any of your neighbors have seen your pet and alerting them to be on the lookout. It is helpful to have a photo of your pet that you can leave with your neighbors. You can also post on the Nextdoor website and include pictures. Post on the neighbors app this is connected to the ring cameras.
Visit your local city animal shelter
Visit your local shelter and all other neighboring animal shelters. Bring your flyers and any other information that helps to identify your pet. It is important to check the shelters because if a chip does not read you only have 3 days to claim.
Don’t give up and keep looking!
It is not unusual for someone to keep a lost pet for a few weeks while they search for the owner and then turn the animal into a local shelter.
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Check lost & found ads daily
Social Media is an amazing resource
Check the “Lost & Found” ads daily, and post on your personal facebook page, post on the facebook lost dogs sites, there are many of them.
Post lost flyers
Make flyers to hang up in your neighborhood and at bus stops. Remember that most people will try to read the flyer from their car, so keep it simple with a photo and use a large font that says LOST DOG or LOST CAT with your contact information. Consider offering a reward. PetFBI Lost & Found can help you make a flyer and they’ll send it out to a network of animal welfare businesses. Distribute the small flyers in the neighborhood to the following; neighbors, mailmen, garbage men, joggers, kids, crossing guards, schools, parks, trails. Put your posters in sheet protectors to protect during inclement weather then post to utility poles at important intersections, Secure to utility poles with shipping tape
Be sure to include the most important information:
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Clear Photo: A recent, high-quality image of the dog to help with identification.
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Dog’s Name: The name of the dog to make it easier for people to call or refer to it.
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Description: Detailed description including breed, size, color, and any distinctive markings.
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Last Seen Location: Specific area where the dog was last seen to narrow down the search area.
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Contact Information: Phone number and/or email for immediate communication.
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Reward Information: Offering a reward can motivate people to actively look for the dog and report sightings.
Get as detailed as you can:
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Behavioral Traits: Information about the dog's temperament or any known fears or quirks
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Microchip Information: Mention if the dog is microchipped, and provide a reference number if possible.
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Health Concerns: Any special medical needs or conditions that might be relevant
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Additional Instructions: Suggestions for what to do if the dog is spotted
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Social Media and Website Links: If applicable, include links to social media posts or a website where more information might be available.
If your dog has been missing for a long time
Don't give up—dogs can survive cold temperatures and are incredibly resourceful. Family and friends might suggest giving up, speculating that the dog could have been taken in by someone or fallen victim to a coyote. However, persistence is key to success. Contact the sanitation department to check if any deceased pets have been found, and continue sharing on Facebook to keep your dog's face visible. Reach out to Highway Patrol and local police forces for assistance, and regularly check shelters for any updates. Keep your ads current by renewing them on Craigslist and lost-and-found pet websites.
Other sites that can help:
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check the lost and found section and post a lost pet notice.
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you do not have to have a ring to do this.
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Your homeowner’s or neighborhood association if you have one; contact them and ask them to help spread the word among your neighbors.
After Day 1:
Tracking sightings on your lost dog
If you receive calls with sightings, begin by posting a significant number of flyers in that area. Keep detailed records of locations and dates, marking areas with signs and sightings on a map. Expand the range of your flyer distribution by one mile each day. To optimize your search, devise a strategy using Google Maps. Identify key features such as brush, water, and forests, and divide the area into zones labeled A, B, C, and D. Use satellite photos to pinpoint paths the dog could travel, such as railroad tracks, jogging trails, or other paths of least resistance.
More Tips and Tricks for Finding a Lost Dog
Contact local sign companies through a search engine and order yard signs. Ask residents in the area where your dog was sighted for permission to post signs.
Order a banner to display in your front yard to increase visibility.
Increase visibility by having people hold signs at intersections.
Conduct searches by car or on foot during early morning hours (5 AM to 8 AM) and evening hours (6 PM to 9 PM) when dogs are more likely to be active.
Talk to staff at fast food restaurants in the area across different shifts to spread awareness.
If you suspect your dog is in a specific area, set up a portable grill and cook something aromatic to attract your dog (ensure you have any necessary permissions).
Use multiple channels to spread the word about your missing dog, including:
- Community newsletters
- Community Facebook pages
- Bus stops
- Gas stations
- Dog parks
- Fast-food places/restaurants (especially near dumpsters, as hungry lost dogs may be attracted there)
If practical, leave doors to your house open, particularly those your dog has used in the past, to encourage them to return home.
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