Losing a dog is always stressful for the owner. In addition to the emotional burden, there are real risks: a dog can be hit by a car, lost in an unfamiliar area, or even encounter aggressive animals. The longer a pet is left unattended, the more likely it is that it will be more difficult to get it back.
Don’t panic and take a look around
What to do if your dog goes missing is not to panic. Look around and listen carefully to the sounds around you: you may hear barking, whining, rustling in the bushes or under a car. Turn around in the area where the dog has disappeared: look under parked cars, in back alleys, around corners of nearby houses. Often a frightened Pet doesn’t run far away, but hides very close by, you just can’t see it. Think about what direction he might have run in, what might have attracted his attention or frightened him.
Ask passersby
Don’t hesitate to approach people. Thoroughly search all places near your home and where the dog was last seen, and take regular walking routes. Show everyone you meet a photo of the dog and ask them to save the announcement (with photo, signs and contacts) in their phone. Make a note of witnesses’ contacts in case you need to confirm details later.
Search the surrounding area
Start searching the area around the disappearance. Check all possible hiding places: entrances, yards, playgrounds, spaces under stairs, basement windows, garages, parking lots. Call your dog’s name in a calm, non-anxious voice. Organize surveillance outside your home: leave the front door open. Place an item of yours (such as a T-shirt) nearby so the dog hears a familiar scent. Put a missing person’s notice on the door. Also, ask someone close to the dog to be on duty at the place where the dog ran away from – pets often follow the dog back there. It is desirable to return to this place as often as possible: every hour, every two hours, daily. Check surveillance cameras, find out if there are any in the neighborhood where the animal disappeared. Ask the owners of the cameras (neighbors, stores) to watch the recording and tell you in which direction it ran.
Put out a missing person’s notice
Print brightly colored ads and post the largest number in the most crowded places: on poles, near trash areas, at bus stops, near stores (where allowed). This method is very effective for finding lost dogs. Be sure to include the exact location (street, house, park) and time of disappearance. Write two phone numbers in case one cannot be reached. Promise a reward, even if the amount is symbolic – it attracts people’s attention.
Spread the word on social media about the missing dog
All channels of communication should be utilized. Post an announcement in local social media groups and chat rooms: neighborhood, district, parent groups, and others, asking for help finding the dog, and include photos, vivid details of the dog’s appearance and behavior. Ask your friends to make reposts so that more people will see your request for help. Monitor new posts and comments carefully. Volunteers are especially eager to find animals, so you can search for their groups in your city and ask them to help in the search.
Take insurance against fraud or extortion
About the remuneration in the ad should be written very consciously. At a minimum, you should not specify something like “reward for any information”. You may get calls for any little thing that will only interfere with a normal search. Even if the person is nice and they have really found the dog and want to return it to you, it is better not to go to a meeting in private. You should also be wary of phone scammers who may threaten you and demand a ransom for the dog. It is better to contact the police with such calls.
If some time has passed, and the search does not lead to anything, then you can start looking for and on sites (in groups), where people give pets in good hands. As a rule, in this way looking for a home for abandoned or lost animals. Pay attention to the Internet resources of your city, because it is much more convenient for the new owner to give the animal, when people can come and pick it up in the near future.
Do not lose hope of finding a favorite
There have been cases when the animal turned up after two or three years, and in a neighboring region. It also happens that people find a dog, leave it for a foster home until they find old owners or find new ones, but in the end they get attached to it and keep it. And one day the former owner comes across a photo of his missing pet on the Internet! If this is your case, you can write to the new owners, describing the situation and adding photos. As a rule, people meet their needs and return the pet.
How to avoid losing a dog
Of course, it is better to provide all options in advance, which will not allow the animal to get lost. We can highlight such tips from dog owners and trainers:
- Buy an address book in the form of a metal tag, hang it on the dog’s collar. If the animal gets lost, you will be called on the phone number or brought to the address on the tag.
- Chip the animal. This will increase the chances of finding a lost dog many times over.
- Do not leave your pet unattended.
- Do not let your pet off leash if you go out in an open area (street or park) and the animal is not trained to walk beside its owner.
- You can purchase a GPS collar, you don’t need a cellular network or the internet to transmit data, they send a signal directly to satellites. Such collars work almost everywhere: in the mountains, far from civilization, where there are no cell towers. If an animal gets lost in such an area, a satellite collar will track its location.
- For the city, trackers will do. But remember that they need a stable cell phone connection and internet, the tracker sends information to your smartphone. If the dog gets lost, you will be able to see the point on the map and come quickly.
What to do if you find someone else’s dog
- Check to see if the dog is wearing a collar with an address or other contacts. Contact these contacts.
- If there is no collar, inspect the dog for rabies vaccination tags. This will help you contact the veterinarian listed on it, who might be able to suggest how to find the owners.
- Take the dog to the veterinarian. He or she can check the dog for the presence of an installed chip.
- Pay attention to flyers hanging on bulletin boards in the neighborhood. Someone may be looking for this dog.
- Post a notice on social media about finding someone else’s dog.
- Call animal shelters. Ask if any people have been contacted about a lost dog.
- If the search is unsuccessful, you can keep the dog, try to adopt it or take it to a shelter.
So, the main thing is not to panic and act according to the plan, your persistence is the key to success. But remember, it’s easier to prevent a disappearance than to find a four-legged friend, so take precautions and don’t let your dog go out on its own. Take care of your pets!
