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What To Do If Your Pet Gets Lost
Don't forget to visit our Lost/Found pet page regularly...
Unfortunately, statistics show that most lost animals do not find their way back home on their own. However, here are some tips from the Humane Society of the United States for finding a lost pet:
1. Contact local animal shelters and control agencies. File a lost pet report with every shelter within a 60 mile radius of your home and visit the nearest shelters daily if at all possible. Most have too many animals to deal with to remember to call you if they see your pet come in so visit them often.
2. Search the neighborhood. Walk or drive around several times each day. Early morning and evening are the best times to look for a lost pet. Listen for dogs barking and investigate any commotion you hear.
3. Advertise. Post signs at grocery stores, community centers, veterinary offices, traffic intersections and other locations. Try to include a photo of your pet on the signs. You can also pass out flyers to your neighbors. Place an ad in the newspaper as soon as possible. You can also register your lost or found pet at Pets 911.
4. Don't give up. Animals who have been lost for months have been reunited with their owners.
The majority of pets on our lost and found page have either been wearing tags with outdated phone numbers, or wearing collars with no tags. It's sad to think had it not been for this major oversight, most could have probably been back home in time for dinner. Remember, an animal has a better chance of being returned if he/she always wears a collar and an ID tag with your name, address and current phone number, even if your animal is not usually outside. Accidents happen. Ask your local animal shelter or veterinarian about permanent methods of identification, such as microchips and tattoos.
For more information, contact HSUS, 2100 L. Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 or visit http://www.hsus.org
You can also take extra precaution ahead of time, just in case, by enlisting the help of a Pet Retrieval Service. Below are some of these organizations and their contact information:
Help-4-Pets 1-800-435-7473 Cost:$25 annual fee for one pet, $20 for each additional pet and additional discounts for five or more.
Doctors Foster & Smith Lost Pet Service 1-800-562-7169 or 1-800-442-PETS. Cost:$14.99 one-time fee.
Pet Assure 1-888-789-7387 Cost:$9.95 annual fee for the first pet. $5 for additional pets.
Pet Finders/Pet Club Of America 1-800-223-4747 Cost:$15 annual fee
Before you make a decision on which service to use, make sure they offer around the clock service. Some services close at nights and on weekends. When your pet is lost, sometimes the delay could mean the difference between finding your pet or not.
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