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It’s horrifying when you lose your dog, isn’t it? It’s like losing a child only worse because the dog can run much faster and much further… Definitely much further than you can anyway.
The worst thing you can do right now is panic. This isn’t going to get you anywhere and it’s not going to do anything to get your four legged friend home any faster.
Search Your Local Area
Start searching in your local area to see if you can see any sign of him/her. Call his or her name and have some of their favourite treats and perhaps a toy to hand as well. I know it might not seem easy to remember to grab these things as you are rushing out the door but there is a good chance your dog will be scared and overwhelmed when you find it, so these things will help you to calm it down. Plus they may take some convincing to get back on the lead, which you should also take with you. How are you going to be able to get your pup home if you don’t have a lead?
Stay within the local area at first – remember he or she is likely to be wandering around, finding bearings and having a good old sniff. Try and get someone to give you a hand too; someone the dog is already familiar with, and you’ll double the search area faster.
Ask people around if they have seen your pet. Chances are someone may have seen a dog similar to yours running locally and can help you with the general direction. If you feel you trust the people you are speaking with, give them your telephone number or email address to contact you should they find your dog.
Contact Your Local Vets & Dog Warden
Has your dog been microchipped?
If you answer yes, you need to contact your Vet or microchipping company to find out if your pup has been reported as found anywhere, and also to report that your dog has gone missing. You should always make sure that your microchipping company has the latest information for you too. If they don’t and your dog were to ever get out and found by someone else, it would take them a lot longer to hunt you down and return your pet.
You should also contact your local dog warden as they will keep an eye out for your dog and contact you if they get any reports or sightings.
Ring Your Pet Insurance Provider
If you still haven’t managed to find your pet, it might be worth getting in touch with your insurance company. Sometimes your policy will include financial assistance on finding a lost pet, and they can also give you more ideas on how to find your dog once you have reported it as missing.
Use Flyers & Social Media
Flyers are a great idea and these days, you should never underestimate the importance of social media sites like Facebook. With local community groups now present, posting a “missing dog” status with a photo on one of the groups could lead you right to the doorstep of the person that found your dog in their yard earlier on that day. Plus, once you’ve put it on your wall, your friends and family can share the post to their circle of friends and work colleagues in the area, so on and so forth. You’ll be amazed how many missing pets are found with the power of social networking.
There are even special Facebook groups who specialise in renting lost dogs with their owners such as the Stolen and Stray Pet Recovery Organisation Ltd. They will post on their wall the lost dog details and picture and their many followers will share the details so a lot more people will see it.
Stolen and Stray Pet Recovery Organisation Ltd
Act Fast
The more pro-active you are, the bigger the chances of finding your beloved pooch but you do need to act fast. The longer you leave it to start getting out and about, physically hunting for your pet, the further away he or she could possibly get.
Remember – microchipping will help you to be relocated with your missing pet, so if you haven’t done so already, it might be a god time to start thinking about it. Speak with your local Vet for more information.
Adam & Laura
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Photo by freedigitalphotos.net – Stuart Miles