Provided by Petsguide Magazine
If you have lost your pet:
1) Have someone stay behind to field phone calls, and then drive around the neighborhood with a flashlight (after dark), whistle, your dog’s leash and a current photo to comb parks, schools and open areas.
2) Call your local animal-control office for recent pick-ups and found-pet reports.
3) Search petharbor.com, a service of the Humane Society, for listings and pictures of animals brought into shelters, updated hourly. If you have not found your pet after searching, register your pet as lost to receive an email when matching animals are listed by a shelter or registered as found on the site.
4) Blanket a five-mile radius with “Lost Dog” signs. Include a picture, breed, color and your phone number; listing a reward helps too. Leave flyers at houses on your street, shelters, pet-supply stores, vet offices, groomers, dog parks, supermarkets, the post office and coffee shops. Post “Lost Dog” ads on Craigslist and in the local newspapers for at least two weeks.
5) Personally visit all shelters in your area; neighboring cities often contract with different shelters. Visit as often as possible. If the shelter policy allows, leave your contact information with a recent photo of your pet; shelter staff cannot always provide notification, but most will provide as much assistance as possible.
6) Visit amberalertforpets.com, findtoto.com, fidofinder.com, pipmypet.com, thecenterforlostpets.com and whistle.com, which are “Amber Alerts” for lost or stolen pets; fees apply. Tip: Always have your dog wear license and ID tags, and invest in an ID microchip (keep your contact information current) for quick returns.
If you have found an animal without tags:
1) Check for ID tags or tattoos, or drive him to your vet’s office to have him scanned for an ID microchip.
2) You can also put him on a leash and tell him to “go home!” He might lead you straight to his door, or to neighbors who know him.
3) By law, you’re required to register him at the local animal shelter, because that’s likely the first place his owner will look. If you decide to search for the owner on your own, call and register the dog at local shelters and register the pet as found at petharbor.com; matching descriptions will be emailed to owners who have registered lost pets.
4) If you decide to take the animal to a shelter, the animal will be scanned for microchip ID and logged. Generally, stray animals are held for an owner-reclamation period prior to being available for adoption. If you are worried about the life of the animal, always ask the shelter about their policy before taking the animal in. Most shelters practice euthanasia for a variety of reasons and circumstances. There are few true no-kill facilities. All shelters work with rescue groups, sanctuaries and other animal welfare organizations to find families for homeless dogs. You can also find advice and assistance through local rescue organizations.
5) If you cannot transport the animal to a shelter or find the owner on your own, call your local animal-control office.
Petsguide Magazine is a resource for all things pet-related in the Long Beach metro and Orange County areas. To pick up a free copy of the magazine, call (562) 799-0140 or visit petsguidemagazine.com.
