Stacey Y.
2 days ago
The following are proactive steps you should take to try and locate your dog.
One of the best aids in your search is a good flyer that you can post throughout your neighborhood. Be sure that it includes a good photo of your dog and a thorough description. Paste the flyers to fluorescent poster boards, and write “Lost Dog” in large black letters at the top of each poster board. You want poster and text to be large enough to be seen from a moving car. PUT DO NOT CHASE on poster above your phone number, short description with KEY DETAILS with print and very clear face and body photo if possible. DO NOT PUT DOGS NAME on poster. You don’t want anyone calling out her name. Post the flyers in the area where your pet was lost, as well as the area around your home, since animals often find their way back to their home neighborhood.
Make a large flyer and put on the window of your car with LARGE phone number and details using florescent washable markers. It's a moving billboard.
Plant a large poster sign in your front yard.
Walk the neighborhood where your dog was lost, talk to everyone, and leave them your flyer.
If your dog has been microchipped, contact the chip manufacturer and inform them the dog is missing. Provide them with your current contact information if it has changed since the date you had your dog microchipped.
Check with the animal shelters in your area as well as those in nearby communities, just in case your dog has somehow ended up there. If possible, go to area shelters and check for yourself, rather than calling, since sometimes shelter personnel may not be aware of every animal in their facility. Visit the other animal shelters, humane societies and animal rescue organizations in the area as well as you are able. Check back at the shelters frequently.
Also send your story and flyers to every dog rescue in the region. Unfortunately, there are people who don’t follow lost pet laws and tell rescues they “rescued” the dog. Also check rehoming pages and sites.
If your dog is wearing a rabies tag or license, make sure the agency that issued the tag has your current contact information.
Call local veterinarian offices during the day send them a flyer and description; after 5 PM, call veterinarian emergency clinics, just in case your dog was injured and someone has taken him for medical care. Facebook has multiple groups for ever city/town, region, and state. Post to all that apply to your area and the surrounding area. If you have a large breed know for traveling, Pyrenees, Husky, Hounds, etc., then post statewide and in neighboring states.
You may also want to notify any of the following where applicable: local police/sheriff, animal control/SPCA, local rescue groups, veterinarians, groomers, pet boarding facilities, schools & school bus transportation, post office for carrier alert, any delivery services - UPS/FedEx/Pizza Hut/Domino's/Papa John's that service your general vicinity.
Don't just call the shelter go there every few days if you have to. You should also ask if you can put lost posters up in vet's offices etc. and supermarkets sometimes have bulletin boards.
Draw a circle around area lost and call/email/visit shelters within 10 miles (more for larger breeds or hounds)of where lost, as the crow flies. Call vet offices within 10 miles of where the dog was lost. Canvass the neighborhood, especially checking with children, mailmen, UPS drivers etc. Obviously, it's VERY important that the dog be wearing his tags AT ALL TIMES and Pet GPS collars are invaluable.
Please go see any closely resembling dogs found, in person. Being lost, kidnapped or put in a loud shelter are so stressful that most animals do not look the same as owners remember. Stress, fear can make them look older and very different than the dog you remember. Photos can change the color of their eyes and coats because of lighting … or lack of. It can appear to be a drastically different color in some cases. People often think longer haired dogs are abandoned and neglected, even after a few days, especially if out in rain. Compare markings on face, paws, coat. I know it’s hard to check out every dog sighting but if it’s possible it’s yours, meeting the dog is the only way to be sure.
Reach out to all the hunting clubs in the area. Not only are they in and out of wooded areas, their dogs may draw yours out. They also could already have them. Ask them not to chase as well, but call you. Please look up videos on calming signals, always sit on the ground and avoid eye contact. They will run if you walk, run, or call out to them. Have rotisserie chicken and other great smelling meat, deep breathe and force yourself to remain very calm look at your phone and remember, they do want that chicken so unless you scare them they will try to come to you. When in panic mode they don’t recognize you or your voice until right on you. But they will sense your stress and stay away.
Think about using one of the Alert programs.
NEVER GIVE UP and keep updating their chip.
