7 Things to do If you Lose Your Dog
My dog Louie has escaped from the yard a handful of times, but I was lucky to quickly find him over at a neighbour’s house and bring him home safely. Not knowing where he had gone or whether or not I’d find him was one of the worst feelings ever. I cannot imagine how it would feel if I had really lost him. I also would not really know what to do. This led me to do some research on what to do in the event Louie gets lost. Here are some tips I have come across. I hope you and I will never have to put these into practice.
Tips and Advice
Look closest to home. If you lost your dog near your home, look around the neighbourhood first. Walk around calling its name or a command that your pup typically responds to. Go to places that you and your dog frequent (local dog park, specific routes your walk along, etc.). Think about all the places he or she likes to go and check to see if they are there. Don’t forget to also check in your house, the backyard, or other places within and around the house where they may be hiding. You may want to bring your dog’s favourite treat in order to lure him to you.
Use the microchip. Contact the microchip company to let them know that your dog has gone missing. The microchip company is there to help you find your dog if they have gone missing. Make sure your contact information is up-to-date.
Put up some posters. Print some posters with information that accurately describes your pet, and put them up at local shops, vet clinics, pet stores, lamp posts at nearby parks, as well as neighbourhood bulletin boards. Include a photo to help people identify your pet and a contact number where people can reach you.
Place an ad in local papers and online classifieds. Post an ad in your local newspaper, community newsletter, Craiglist, Kijiji and any online community forums. Alerting as many people about your missing dog, will increase the number of people who will be on the lookout. Include the same information you have on the posters.
Visit municipal animal shelters. Your dog may have been found by a good samaritan who has taken them to a nearby animal shelter. Visit all animal shelters to look for your lost pet. Call some animal shelters as well to let them your dog is lost so they can be on the lookout if someone brings it in.
Reach out on social media. Social media can be a great tool during situations like these. Make a post on your personal Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and any other platforms you’re on letting people know your pet has gone missing. There are tons of dog groups on Facebook where you can share this information. If you are not a member of any groups yet, find dog groups in your neighbourhood to join. Post that your dog is lost. Include its name, photo of your dog, where it was last seen if you have that information, and a contact number. There are many great souls in these groups who will help share the information with their networks and in some cases will even go out and assist with the search themselves.
Don’t stop looking. Keep looking for your dog. Keep calling or visiting animal shelters and local veterinary offices. Frequently check-in with your neighbours to ask if there have been any sightings of your dog. Keep checking social media and responses to your ads for leads on where your dog may be. Whatever you do, don’t stop looking. There are stories of dog owners being reunited with their pups after they have been lost for several months.