What to do if your dog is missing

While missing a dog is indeed a very frustrating situation, it is important not to panic. Lost pets sometimes return home on their own, and if they don’t, they are often picked up by kind people who are just happy to help the dog reunite with his family.

To make your search as easy as possible, you can use the recommendations from this article. She will also help you figure out what to do with the found dog in order to help it find its owner.

Contents

What to do if your dog is lost
How to prevent a dog from escaping
Found someone else’s dog: what to do

What to do if your dog is lost

First of all, it is worth checking the closets, basements and plinths, look under the beds, under the porch and in the cracks that you can crawl through. It is important not to make exceptions: a pet can climb almost anywhere if he is determined enough.

How to find a lost dog: tools

If you could not find a dog in the area of uXNUMXbuXNUMXbthe house, you should first prepare a few tools and only then start searching. Photos of the dog to show to people, a flashlight to peek under bushes, and a whistle or squeaky toy to get the pet’s attention will help a lot. The use of strong-smelling treats or familiar sounds can also encourage a fugitive to find themselves.

Where can a dog run?

Did someone leave the gate open? Or did the dog run out into the street chasing the cat? Or dug a hole under the fence to visit a friend who lives next door? Finding out the reasons and circumstances of the pet’s escape will help shed light on his motives, writes Petfinder. This will help to understand if the dog went to explore the area or went away in an attempt to hide.

The dog was frightened and ran away: searches in the area

It is important to comb areas of the area where, in all likelihood, the dog disappeared. If possible, you should ask for help to cover as much territory as possible. You should search by car or on foot, call the dog by name, and ask someone to stay at home in case he returns. Anyone who gets in the way should show a photo of the dog and ask them to be on the lookout.

Lost dog: mark in the database

If pet is chipped and registered in the chipped dog database, the organization maintaining the database should be informed as soon as possible that the dog is missing. If it has been stolen, then veterinarians or specialists will know that this pet is separated from the family. For this reason, it is important to constantly check the validity of the information on the dog’s microchip, including current address and contact information.

The dog ran away from home: preparing flyers

Even in the digital age, missing dog flyers are still one of the most effective ways to find a dog, according to FidoFinder. It should include:

the title “Missing Dog” in big bold letters;
a recent and clear photo of a dog;
all possible contact details.

If possible, offer a reward. This will give people an incentive to look for the dog and return it safe and sound instead of keeping it for themselves. Post flyers throughout the area and distribute them at animal shelters, veterinary clinics, and grooming salons—anywhere a missing pet might be taken.

How to search for a missing dog on social media

Posting on social media can be a very effective way to reunite pets with their owners. The publication must contain a photo and the same information as in the leaflet, as well as indicate exactly where the dog disappeared. The post should be shared in groups in the area and groups dedicated to lost pets. It’s also important to ask your friends and followers to do the same.

Contact animal shelters

It can be difficult for shelter workers to identify a dog from a description provided over the phone. It is better to visit the shelter in person to find out if the pet has been admitted there. You can ask to see the dogs that were brought to them recently, leave one of the flyers so that they can call if a four-legged friend appears. Many shelters also have the ability to read the microchip information of dogs, so you need to tell if the dog has a microchip so that it can be more easily identified if it enters the shelter.

Place ads in newspapers

Advertisements on the Internet and in the local newspaper can be an effective way to find a dog. In addition to announcing a missing pet, you need to regularly review the section dedicated to found animals. This way you can find out if someone has found your dog.

Engage pet hunting organizations

This can be especially helpful if the dog is lost away from home or while traveling. If it is not possible to stay in place to search for the dog, such organizations may continue to search for the owners.

How to prevent a dog from escaping

One of the best ways to keep your dog from running away is to reinforce the fence. You need to block off areas of the fence that your pet can dig a hole under, close up any gaps it can squeeze through, and increase the height of the fence to make it harder for her to jump or climb over it.

You also need to move doghouses, picnic tables, and other items away from the fence that a four-legged friend can climb to get over the fence.

In addition, training aimed at weaning the dog from digging and accustoming to stay in the yard will be a good help. Even if the yard is fenced, it’s a good idea to check your pet every few minutes to make sure it’s still just playing or napping outside. This is especially important if the dog has already run away before.

Other ways to prevent an animal from escaping:

Use pet fences. Open the outer doors only when the dog is behind the fenceso that she doesn’t run out into the street.
Do not leave your pet in the car unattended. This will eliminate the possibility that the dog will climb out through the half-open window or catch the eye of the kidnapper.
Keep your dog on a leash. While this is especially important when a family with a pet is away from home, sometimes these precautions can make all the difference in your own backyard. If the owner is not sure that the dog will not run away from the yard, it is better to keep him on a leash.

Putting on a dog collarсtag—addressee, vaccination tag and current contact information, you increase the chances that the dog will be quickly returned if it gets lost. Microchipping a dog and registering it in a database can also help ensure its safe return home. If you’re really worried that your dog might run away, consider buying a collar with built-in GPS or a GPS tracker that attaches to the collar. Such devices allow you to track the whereabouts of the dog at any time.

Found someone else’s dog: what to do

If a person wants to return a lost dog to its owner, there are a few simple steps to take:

Check dog tags. They may contain the owner’s contact information. In the absence of such a tag, it is important to clarify whether the dog has a rabies vaccination tag. This will help to contact the veterinarian indicated on it, who will tell you where to look for the owners.
Talk to neighbors. There is a chance that they will recognize the dog and be able to point out where its home is.
Visit a veterinarian. Firstly, he will be able to check the dog for a microchip, and secondly, he may have already received calls about a missing pet matching this description.
Pay attention to leaflets about missing dogs. It is worth carefully studying the leaflets posted on the bulletin boards in the area, photos and descriptions of pets. So you can find out that someone is already looking for the dog you found.
Check ads and social networks. You can post photos of the dog on local social media groups to let everyone know that the pet is looking for its owners.
Take the dog to the local animal shelter. This is one of the first places owners of a missing dog can go. First, you can call and ask if they have received any calls from worried owners who have lost their dog.

By staying calm and following these instructions for finding a lost dog, you can find it as quickly as possible. However, it pays to be patient, as finding a lost pet takes time and perseverance. About what to do if you find a dog lost by someone – in a separate article by Hill’s experts.

See also:

Do’s and Don’ts to Train Your Dog to Discipline
Why does a dog run away from home and how to avoid it
Tips for Keeping a Dog Outside the Home
What is the danger of self-walking dogs