Losing a dog or a cat is like losing a member of the family, and thats scary.
Its possible they already found your pet without knowing it was yours.
Give them a description of your pet over the phone, and offer to bring in photos.
And dont hesitate to check the shelters yourself on a daily basis.
The people there will do their best to identify animals, but they can only do so much.
As you knock on your neighbors doors and make some phone calls, begin to search around the neighborhood.
The longer you wait the further your pet can stray.
Now, verify everyone has a flashlight (for looking in dark hiding spots) and fan out.
You never know who might have seen a dog or cat running around.
And depending on what kind of pet youve lost, there are few other things you should consider.
It will probably hide nearby, smelling all the new things close to home.
If your cat is both an outdoor and indoor cat, its probably okay.
You dont need to be too concerned until its at least been 24 hours.
Call the cat calmly as you search for itdont shout.
Familiar noises that mean snack time will draw it out.
The familiar smells can guide it home.
Check neighbors yards, public parks, and anywhere nearby where people gather.
Dogs will go much farther than cats.
Most dogs are recovered within a few miles of home.
If possible, dont stray too far from home, or have someone stationed there as you search.
Even so, have someone around just in case they come back on their own.
If you want some more pet-specific tips while you search, I recommend the ASPCA Pet Safety app.
it’s possible for you to download it for freeon iOSorAndroid devices.
Heres what you should have on yours:
Lost Pet or Lost Cat/Dog in huge letters.
A large, clear photo of the animal in color.
If you dont have a good photo, find one on the internet that looks close enough.
A description of the pet: size, color, traits, name it answers to.
The word Reward in huge letters, and a dollar amount.
Money talks so dont skimp here.
Suggest people to take a picture of the flyer with their smartphones.
Your flyer needs to be colorful and eye-catching.
If youre in a bilingual neighborhood, make versions in both languages.
when you land your flyers made, hang them up everywhere youre allowed to.
You should also pass out flyers to people you know live in the area.
Now stay near your phone and be prepared to answer calls from numbers you dont recognize.
Post a quick update with a photo on Facebook, Google+, Instagram, and Twitter.
Neighborhood social networks likeNextDoorare also a good place to post notices and check for any lost pet updates.
you could post about your missing pets there and send out mass alerts to people in the neighborhood.
And if your pets dont have Microchip IDs, you should definitely consider it.
The more preventative measures you take, the lower the chance youll have to go searching for them again.
Photos byJannis,Grant Baldwin,Sarah Laval,Diana Parkhouse,Michael Gil, andLottie.
