A lost dog. It can happen, and does happen, more often than you think. When your dog is lost, you’re frustrated, upset, anxious and scared. But you need to push through and get to work tracking the dog down. Please follow the article to see how keeping a clear mind and positive plan will help find your lost dog.
Your Dog is Lost, What to do now?
When your dog is lost, being worried is the norm, but being clueless on what to do next is not. Let’s devise a plan on getting your family pet home safe, sound and increasing your chances quicker than expected.
Before and after you’ve developed your action plan, you need to ensure all of your details are correct. Your phone, email and other contact details need to be updated along with your plan. Example: If you have chipped your dog, check every so often on the site that hosts this information that your contact details are up to date.
Before you lost your beloved dog, it’s good to take measures to ensure that YOU can be located if your lost dog is found. Micro-chipping your dog or at least, an ID dog tag, is enough to get started helping your dog make its way home.
Here’s how to begin devising a plan on getting your dog home, quickly:
- Create an “Emergency Kit” for your dog. This is an important folder full of details about your pet. It should have the following details and information included:
- Shot Records/Medical health info
- Vet contact info
- Recent pictures (at least 6 months new). This includes distinguishing marks, what they look like prior to going to the groomers, etc.
- A leash, collar and poop bags. When you find your dog, you will more than definitely need the leash. To be on the safe side, and to be a good neighbor, some poop bags as well.
- Make sure that your dog is actually lost. Check your house and back yard completely first. Your dog might just be too distracted to answer your call, or may have accidentally locked themselves in a room.
- Gather up the emergency kit you would have prepared as mentioned in the very first tip. Keep this with you as we are about to travel the neighborhood.
- Search around your neighborhood. Most dogs don’t usually wander off far from their house and sometimes are in a neighbors yard playing with their dog, or trying to catch their rabbits.
- Start by calling out their name. It is a more useful searching tool than your eyes. Dogs can hear a lot better than we do and the distance from which dogs can hear things is four times further than humans.
- Ask around during your search. Talk to people especially people walking their dog, because they are the group to be most concern and take notice with a wandering dog.
- Alert your neighbors and people in your neighborhood that your dog is missing. You can put up poster at eye level and in areas where people frequent. You can also E-mail your friends to keep a “lookout” for your dog.
- Put up or distribute useful information. A poster with a large “Lost Dog” and “Reward” heading might be most eyes catching. Also remember to include your dog’s name, breed, color, distinct features (if any) and ways to contact you like your phone number.
- Call local shelters and pet related places within a 100 miles radius of your house. Leave your contactable number with them so that they can reach you if your dog turns up. Visit these places if possible to pass them a poster of your lost dog so that it can reach out to more people.
- Post lost dog ads on the internet – With the ever increase use of the net. A lot of people have found their pets through this avenue. You can start off with FidoFinder.com and TerrificPets.com. Find more lost pet ads posting site on the search engine – Key in ‘find lost dog’ or ‘lost dog ads’.
- Beware of money scams. There are people who are out to cheat you out of your money. Knowing that you are worried, it’s easy for these people to take advantage of you in many different ways. Think logically and ask for advice if necessary before you give someone money to return your dog.
- Don’t give up easily. Dogs have been known to find their way back home after being lost for several months. Your dog might be just one of them!