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Cats, Dogs

Part 1: What To Do If You’ve Lost A Pet

lost puppy poster on a lightpost

Have you ever found yourself in the situation where you’ve lost a pet? Have you ever been on a walk or outside only to find a roaming pet without identification?

Sadly, many people experience this more often than you might think. You’ve seen the signs around town and the social media posts online pleading for any help to find their furry loved one.

Whether you have experienced this personally or know someone who has, it’s never an easy situation to be in. So what should you do? Below are quick tips in case you find yourself in the midst of an unfortunate situation like a lost dog or cat. The first list helps you identify what to do if you personally have lost a pet. The second list (that we will provide later this month) will give you tips and tell you what to do if you have found a lost pet. We hope both outcomes end up positively for everyone involved.

What to do if you’ve lost a pet:

These tips might depend on where you’ve lost your pet. Did your pet get out of the back yard? Is he or she missing from inside the home?

  • Try to stay calm and immediately think about the last place you saw your pet.
  • Look around and inside the home thoroughly.
  • Think about the details. Did he or she have a collar on? If so, is the information on the tag still accurate? Take the time to think about these things, as they will help you later along the way.
  • Talk to your neighbors as soon as possible and let them know what is going on. The more people willing to help, the better.
  • Call your local human society or animal control agency and ask if anyone has called to report a lost and found pet.
  • Are you a member of your local neighborhood app? Immediately post a picture of your pet and a way to contact you if the pet is found. Post to as many online sites as you can.
  • Make posters and signs to put up around the neighborhood. Put them up as soon as you can.
  • Drive or walk around the neighborhood immediately. Be sure to have someone at home just in case something comes up.
  • Advertise in your local paper, if the search is still ongoing after a couple of days.
  • Don’t give up! Take all the steps and your chances of finding your pet are much greater.

It’s true that many people lose their pets. It’s also true that many people end up finding them. Do as much as you can and get as many people on the search as possible. Ask everyone and put up signs everywhere. Make sure the signs are very visible and perhaps have a reward listed. Don’t give up and try to stay positive.

If you have any other tips that have worked for you in the past, please share them with our followers on Facebook. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

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