What to do if your pet is lost

Start Looking Immediately! Don’t wait in hopes your pet will find his or her way home.  Walk or drive through your neighborhood several times each day.  Alert neighbors your pet is missing and ask them to help you canvas the area.  In addition, post signs around the area and have extra copies to pass out to local businesses and friends.  Consider putting a sign in your yard alerting those in your neighborhood that your pet is lost.

 

Contact every shelter and animal control facility in your area.  Visit in person if possible.  Provide a description of your pet and a recent photograph.

 

Use Social Media!  Post lost pet notices on your neighborhoods Facebook page as well as area lost pet pages, create a page dedicated to your lost pet with photos and descriptions people can share, ask your friends and relatives to help spread the word.

 

Alert your Microchip Company!  If your pet is microchipped, contact the company to verify your information is up-to-date with current phone numbers, address and emails. In addition, let them know your pet is missing.  If you are not sure of the microchip company’s information, check your pet’s records or contact the clinic where they were chipped.

 

Spread the Word!  Post notices or flyers at local veterinary offices, grocery stores, pet supply stores and anywhere with a community bulletin board.  Consider placing  an advertisement in your local community paper and posting on free sites like Fido Finder and Craig’s List.

 

Don’t Give Up!  It can take days, weeks, months, and even years for lost pets to be reunited with owners.