Things You'll Need
- Recent photo of your pet, preferably color
- Phone book
- Printer
- Friends and family willing to help
- Telephone
- Computer
- Fax Machine
- Staple gun
- Copier
Instructions
Instructions
When you first notice your pet is missing, begin the search by walking in your neighborhood, calling your pet's name. Stop every quarter of a block to make certain your pet can hear you if she is in the area. Walking works best. If your dog is in someone's backyard, she is likely to hear you if you are walking around the neighborhood. If you are driving and yelling out the window, you may easily miss your dog. Enlist all members of your family, if possible, to cover as much ground as possible.
If you strike out, you have to widen the search. Make a lost-dog flier, with a good recent color picture of your dog. Offer a reward for safe return, but do not specify an amount. Make the fliers easy to read. Make as many copies as you can afford; more fliers in the community will increase the chance of finding your pet. Fax a copy of the flier to all vets within 25 miles of the area your pet was lost. Have someone telephone the same veterinarians to make certain they received the fliers and have your contact information.
If you pet is microchipped, telephone the microchip registry.Call the Police Department in the jurisdiction where your pet was lost and make certain you leave your contact information.Call and visit all area animal shelters. You can find animal shelters in the phone book under animal shelters and humane societies. It is best to visit every few days. Make certain you walk through the shelter to see if your pet is there. Confirm with shelter staff how long stray pets are held before they become property of the state. If they hold pets for four days, visit every third day.
Use Internet adoption services. Visit petfinder.com and list your pet as lost in the classifieds section. Also try pets911.com, another pet adoption listing service. While on the websites, locate animal rescue groups in your area and send an email describing your pet. If your pet is a purebred, search akc.org to locate breeders and rescue groups in your area for your breed. Send them the flier about your missing pet.
Finally, call all area kennels. Sometimes people who find pets take them to kennels because they do not trust animal shelters. Give fliers to your postal worker, UPS and Fed Ex drivers and anyone else who works in your neighborhood. Put fliers up in stores (don't forget to ask permission first). Hang fliers in community kiosks. Call the local newspapers and place lost pet ads. Make sure to give a good description of your pet that people will understand.