Search
blog advertising is good for you
Advertise on Pawfun with Blogads
Categories
Contributors
Most Popular Posts3
Paw Links
What to Do if Your Dog or Cat Is Lost
By BL Ochman
Recently, Pawfun learned of a very sad blog chronicling efforts to find a missing dog.
This blog follows the bereft owners’ journey to find Jacob, their 3 year-old male, orange and white Bracco Italiano, who went missing in England on 21st January 2009. Our hearts go out to them, and we hope Jacob is found safe.
Sadly, one in three dogs and cats will get lost in their lifetime, and many are never found.
So we immediately wondered – what should you do if your dog is lost? What’s the best way to make sure you find your dog again?
We’ve put together some articles from different sources offering advice on how to find a lost dog or cat:
o Pet Rescue, a Florida-based animal rescue group, has detailed advice
o Publicity Hound Joan Stewart explains how she found her dog, who went missing after dark on a 20 degree night
o Missing Pet Network’s advice
o Humane Society of the United States: Finding a Lost Pet
o “How to Find Your Lost Cat: Tips for Tracking Down Your Missing Kitty”
o What to Do if You Lose Your Dog or Cat Wearing a Together Tag
o Together Tag: What did we learn about reuniting pets with their families after Hurricane Katrina?
Of course the best thing is not to lose your dog at all!
You should make your dog easy to identify if he gets lost. Make sure your dog wears a collar with an ID tag with the dog’s name and your telephone number. A microchip is another method of identification but does cost more than a collar and ID tag. Use a photo of your dog or cat to make a custom Pawfun photo-t-shirt. Wear it while looking for your lost pet so people know what your pet looks like.
We recently got BennyBix Together Tag, and we highly recommend that you get your pet one too.
Dogster.com, has teamed up with the American Red Cross to create The Together Tag program which combines Internet technology, social networking through Dogster’s millions of members, and community resources to help re-unite families with lost pets in the event of in the event of a natural disaster, terrorist attack, fire, etc.
Together Tag will also help you if you report your pet lost or stolen, because posters can be immediately generated through the Together Tag site and distributed to a lost pet recovery network including more than 5,000 shelters nationwide with your pet’s photo, description, and contact information.
All it takes is a squirrel or something spooking your dog when it’s off-leash, or a quick lunge at another dog, causing you to drop the leash and let your dog take off running.
I trained Benny to come to a Bosun’s Whistle after I lost him in Central Park. He was still a puppy, and was out of my sight and out of the range of my voice before I even knew which way he’d run. And if a friend hadn’t found him about to cross a main road, I might not have gotten him back.
One thing I’ve always done with my dogs is to take exactly the same route every single day on our way to and from dog runs and parks. So if, god forbid, we get separated, my dogs would, theoretically, know how to make it home. Several of my friends’ dogs have crossed busy avenues and traffic-filled streets and gone safely home to their buildings when they got lost. How they made it home is always a mystery – and a miracle. And certainly not something you can count on!
Preventive Must dos:
o Get a collar with your dog’s name and your cell phone number embroidered on it. Carry your phone when you are out with your dog
o Always, always have current photos of your dog on your computer in case you need to create a poster.
o Use the Pawfun Design Wizard to upload a photo of your dog or cat so you can design a custom Pawfun photo-t-shirt including your pet’s name and your phone number. Wear it while looking for your lost pet so people know what your pet looks like.
o Micro-chip your dog. Not fool-proof because not all shelters look for the same chips, but it can’t hurt.
o Train your dog to come when you call it. Practice, practice, practice.
o Use hand signals and voice to train your dog to “down” or “sit” or “stop” from far away. It could save his/her life.
Related Pawfun Posts
Pet Detective’s Tips for Preventing and Recovering Lost PetsTags: Dogster, find lost pets, how to find lost pets, Joan Stewart, Pawfun Blog, Pawfun custom t-shirts, Pawfun Design Wizard, Pawfun.com, PublicityHound, Together Tag
March 19, 2009
Add a Comment
5 Comments
Thank you so much for your kind words. But it’s Dogster.com, not us, who came up with Together Tag. I got one for Benny Bix, and I highly recommend them. Lots of interesting posts on your Dogcents blog!
Fabulous advice!! I just wrote about this topic on my Shine blog and another way to help protect your pets is by microchipping.
The Together Tag seems like a GREAT option to start with – especially since not everyone can have the microchip inserted (depends on your vet).
Always such good content here, BL. I’ll pass the word on the Together Tag…
BennyBix is micro-chipped. Every dog really should be. He wears a collar with his name and my number, but when dogs get lost, those can fall off.
Great advice. I do not even want to think about losing our Daisy. She is microchipped. The first thing most shelters do is scan for identification.
Latest Pawfun Ecards
Create & share a free e-card of your pet
Create & share a free ecard of your pet
I think these are great tips to find your pet if it gets lost and lots of good tips on prevention of losing your dog, also congratulations on you and American Red Cross getting together and making the Together Tag I really think thats awesome . Kep Up the good work I enjoyed your site, I also have a dog site at http:/dogcents.blogspot.com its about dog news and stories and tips of al kinds I invite you to stop by and visit. Hugs