Finding Your Lost Pet

[Badshah Mamun]

Finding Your Lost Pet

The following tips are offered to help you find your lost companion.

Contact Animal Agencies

Immediately telephone all humane societies, animal care and control agencies, and animal protection organizations within a large radius to file a lost-pet report. Pets often stray farther from home than their owners believe possible. If there is no shelter in your area, contact your local police department. Visit your local shelter every 24 hours to search. Several of the local shelters and veterinarians are listed at the end of this page

Notify Others

Call your local veterinary clinics, especially those that offer boarding. Injured pets are often taken directly to a veterinarian for care prior to transfer to an animal shelter.

Search The Neighborhood

Walk and/or drive through your neighborhood several times every day. The early morning hours and sunset are prime times for finding lost pets. Question neighbors, joggers, postal carriers, garbage collectors and newspaper carriers and ask them to keep an eye out for your pet.

File a Report

Even if there have been suspected cases of pet theft in your area, don't assume that your pet is the latest victim. Pets are far more likely to stray from home and get lost than be stolen. However, if you have evidence that leads you to believe your pet has been stolen, notify your local police and animal control departments immediately.

Use The Power of Scent

Place a recently worn article of clothing in your yard; for cats who usually stay indoors, place their litter box outside. Familiar scents can bring them home.

Don't Give Up

Keep searching even when you have little hope left. Animals who have been lost for months or years have been reunited with their owners. Visit the Animal Shelters at least every two days and check in with lost & found staff so they can take you to all areas of the shelter.

Advertise

Post fliers at all public places - grocery stores, community centers, churches, etc. Place an ad in the classified section of your local paper. Offer a reward if possible. Caution: To protect yourself from pet-recovery scams, leave out one of your pet's identifying characteristics so you can verify the honesty of any caller who claims to have found your pet.

And The Next Time.......

Protect your pet from getting lost again. Always keep a collar and identification tag on your pet. An ID tag is a lost pet's ticket home. Permanent methods of pet identification, such as tattoos or microchips, are readily available from most veterinarians.   License your pet as local law requires. Other important steps include keeping your pets supervised at all times and having them spayed or neutered. Finally, keep a photo of your pet on file in the event he or she strays again.

It's The Difference Between Lost and Found!!!

Source: http://www.weforanimals.com/articles/Finding%20your%20lost%20pet.htm