Lost Your Pet?

Here are some basic steps to take:

~As soon as possible, start alerting all appropriate agencies.  This means law enforcement and all rescue organizations within at least a 60 mile radius.  Submit a full description of your pet and include pictures whenever possible.

~Why such a big radius?  Often people pick up a pet on their way to or from work, and turn it in to a shelter quite far from where the pet was lost.

~Call these agencies often, and when possible, visit the facilites in person to search for your pet.  One person's gray tiger kitty is another person's brown tabby.  You might think your dog looks like a shepherd, someone else might think he looks like a collie.

~Place classified ads.  Ask local radio stations to place an ad.  Place an ad on Craigslist.  Put up flyers wherever you can, especially at local veterinary clinics.

~Offer a reward, even if it's only $20.

~Search for your pet yourself, don't rely on neighbors to just keep an eye out.  Especially when searching for a cat or any fearful pet, focus your searches on quite times of day, such as early mornings or right before bedtimes.  Look under porches and in outbuildings, even if the doors are shut.  They might have been open, and got shut, trapping your pet inside.

~When searching for a house cat, try placing their UNCLEANED litterbox directly outside the door of escape.  The smell of their bathroom often brings them home.

Found A Pet?

Please, please, please do not feel obligated to keep it!

~Many people find a stray cat or dog and simply add the pet to their own furry family.  There might be someone searching for this pet!  PLEASE contact law enforcement or the appropriate rescue agency.  This is the only way the pet can be reunited with it's family!

~Don't assume that if the pet is in less that perfect condition that it has been a victim of abuse.  Cats and dogs have been known to be missing for days, weeks, or even months before finding their way into rescue.

~If you refuse to take the pet to the appropriate facility, at least follow the principles in the above steps to make known that you have a homeless pet in your custody.

~Ask potential owners to provide proof of ownership, such as photographs or veterinary records.