Finding Your Lost Dog

If you are going through the heartache of a lost dog, or even if you want to make sure you never do, check out our tips for finding your lost dog.

An ounce of prevention…

As with most things, prevention is much easier and cheaper than recovery.  To prevent the distress of a lost dog, the first step is to make it easy for people to return the dog to you if he does disappear.  The current “industry standard” is micro-chipping, where a vet injects a small chip between your dog’s shoulder blades.  Most veterinary offices and shelters have a chip reader and will scan any lost dog for free.  The information contained on the chip will provide not only your contact information, but also any medical information required to keep your pet healthy until you can pick the animal up.  For example, if your dog has diabetes or epilepsy, the chip might contain information on medication and dosages.  If your dog is already micro-chipped, make sure to keep your contact information updated if you move or change your phone number.

The only problem with micro-chipping is that the average citizen who might find your dog wandering the streets cannot read the chip.  For this reason, it’s a good idea to have ID tags on the animal even if you have a chip.  Your county registration tag will allow the dog’s finder to identify you through your local animal control office.  You might also want to get a tag imprinted with your dog’s name, your phone number, and your address.  You can get a tag for less than $10 at many pet stores, or you can upgrade to a custom tag through sites like Pet Tag Creations or Dog Tag Art.   Again, make sure to get new tags made when you move or change phone numbers.  You might want to include your cell number so people can reach you while you are out searching for your dog or even if the dog gets lost on your vacation.

The last step of prevention is to make sure that your dog never leaves home without a it.  A leash, that is.  If you have a fenced yard, your dog can get plenty of off-leash time there, or if you live in the city, you might find a dog park where your dog can play.  Other than that, though, your dog should be on a leash at all times when out of the house.  Even the best-trained dogs might be thrown off their game by a passing squirrel or another dog, so you just can’t rely on your dog to stay with you without a leash.

Recovery of a lost dog

So, in spite of your best preventive efforts, your dog escapes.  What do you do now?  Obviously, you will spend some time driving your neighborhood or visiting your dog’s favorite places.  Don’t forget to leave someone at home or at least drive past your own house periodically.  Many dogs will return home and be sitting on the front porch when you return!

Assuming you don’t find the dog right away, begin making phone calls.  Contact your vet, the animal control office, and any local shelters or rescue organizations.  If someone finds a dog and can’t keep him or her until you reunite, they may drop the dog off at the nearest convenient place.

You will also need to post flyers.  Make sure you keep a current picture of your dog available for this purpose.  Many people take plenty of puppy pictures, but then stop photographing the dog as he or she gets older.  If you’re going to post a flyer, it does no good to include a picture from five years ago.  The flyer should include your contact information, any pertinent medical information (or even the notation “needs medication”), the dog’s name, any identifying markings, and information on any reward you may be offering.

Post your flyers everywhere, but try to avoid utility poles.  Staples and nails in poles can rip the protective gloves worn by those who climb the poles, and cause injuries to workers.  (It’s actually illegal to place flyers on poles in most areas.)  Instead, ask local merchants if you can post in their windows or near their cash registers.  Send your flyer to the dog pound, vet, and shelters you contacted earlier, just to remind them and to help them identify your pet if he or she does show up.

Don’t overlook the value of your online friends, at least some of whom are often local.  Post a picture and information about your dog on your Facebook page, your LinkedIn profile, and on Twitter, or anywhere else you have an online presence.  Craig’s List or eBay Classifieds may also be a valuable resource for you, and posting is free.

Many newspapers offer free “lost” ads, both in their print and online versions, and don’t forget to scan the “found” ads when you review your published ad for correctness.

Don’t give up

Your dog may not come back today or tomorrow, but we’ve all heard those stories of dogs who find their way home after years away.  Keep looking, keep hoping, and keep notifying people in whatever ways you can to be on the lookout for your beloved lost family member every chance you get.  Sometimes it only takes one specific person seeing your flyer or ad to bring your loved one home.