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LOST DOG?
What to do if you have lost
your dog
Begin your search immediately
Any delay - whether a few
minutes, an hour or a day can make a big difference. Walk quickly through your
neighborhood (or in the area where the dog was lost) loudly calling your dog
by name. Plan to spend a few hours on your initial search.
Recruit others to assist you
Ask family members, friends and neighbors to help. Make sure to call the
dog by name - the dog will be more likely to respond if it knows the person's
voice.
Visit every house in the area
Retrace your steps through the neighborhood or area where the dog was lost
- go door to door. Make sure you take a recent photograph of your dog to show
everyone you contact. Leave your telephone number and ask each person to contact
you immediately if your dog is seen in the area. Tell each person whether your
dog is friendly with strangers and whether he/she can be safely approached.
Call the Humane Society
File a lost dog report. As soon as possible, make a personal trip to the
Humane Society shelter. Make sure you look at all of the dogs. Repeat your search
every other day if possible.
Prepare a "Lost Dog" poster
Describe your dog in detail and attach a recent photo. Do NOT use the breed
as the only description; many people are not familiar with dog breeds. Provide
two telephone numbers (day/evening; home/work; ours/neighbors; etc.) Do NOT
put your name or your dog's name on the poster. Do NOT place a monetary value
on your dog or indicate if it is pedigreed or registered. DO offer a reward,
if possible. (It is not necessary to specify the amount of the reward.) Make
at least 100 copies of your poster and post them throughout your neighborhood
or area where the dog was lost. Place the posters on every street corner, at
bus stops, gas stations, laundromats, apartment complexes, etc., within a two-mile
radius of your home. If there are schools in the area, be sure to place your
poster near them. Children are very effective at spotting stray animals. Send
a poster to every veterinary clinic and grooming shop in the area. Be sure to
notify the emergency clinics, as your dog may have been taken to one if it were
injured.
Place a "Lost Dog" Ad in the daily newspapers
Describe your dog as specifically as possible. Do NOT indicate a monetary
value for your dog, or describe it as valuable or pedigreed. Do NOT give the
dog's name. If possible, offer a reward for the return of your dog. Provide
two phone numbers in your ad. Run the ad for at least two weeks, and be sure
to check the "Found" ads on a daily basis. Respond to any possibilities, no matter
how remote, as soon as possible.
Follow up on responses immediately
Arrange to see any dog that could be yours as soon as possible; the finder
may not wish to hold the dog for long. Do NOT expect the finder to deliver the
dog to you. It is important to use caution when arranging to meet someone who
may have your pet. Don't go alone unless absolutely necessary. If you must go
alone, try to meet in a public place, or tell a friend or family member when
and where you are going. Make sure you identify the dog as your pet and have
it in your custody before you turn over reward money!
Don't give up easily
Take heart, many missing pets have been found a month or more after their
disappearance. Sometimes, through no fault of your own, the efforts are futile.
Just do as much as you can to find your lost pet.
TAKE STEPS TO PREVENT THE LOSS
OF YOUR PET: A well-fitting collar with identification, including a license
tag, is one of the best ways to help your lost pet be returned to you. Additional
methods of identification include ID microchipping and tattooing. A spayed or
neutered pet is more content and far less likely to roam. Obedience training
will help make your dog a good canine citizen. It also provides a positive outlet
for your dog's energy. If your dog tries to get out of the yard while you are
at work, consider indoor "crate training" so that it may have a secure place
to stay. Leave a radio or TV on to keep the dog company. Prepare a packet of
information on your dog to be used in the event of an emergency. Include an
accurate description and several good, clear color photos; update them from
time to time. Also include the names and phone numbers of your veterinarian
and friends /relatives to contact if your dog should become lost. Be sure to
instruct house sitters, babysitters, etc. on immediate steps to take if your
dog is lost or injured.
We'd like to thank the following
folks at these websites for helping us compile this information to give to you.
Helpful links with more information
http://www.petrescue.com/library/find-pet.htm
http://www.sonic.net/~cdlcruz/GPCC/library/lostdog.htm
http://www.goldenrecovery.org/lostpet.html
  HOMEAGAIN
microchipping will donate $1.00 back to MVBC Rescue if you register your chip
through our website. HELP US HELP YOU!
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