Get Your Lost Dog Back Home Quickly: Follow These 12 Tips for Success

Vacations favor more frequent and longer walks with our furry friends. We travel, visit new places. Summer makes us loosen our brakes and allow our dogs to do more. Unfortunately, often the holiday chill ends tragically and our quadruped runs away. After the game, after another dog, and sometimes, unnoticed by us, it wanders away to an undefined destination. Anyway, it happens that dogs run away. Of course, not only during holidays, but it is a period that is exceptionally conducive to missing pet announcements.

What to do if our dog is missing? First of all, do not despair, do not cry, but ACT! Below are a few useful points that should be realized if your ward is ever lost.

STAY WHERE YOU ARE

A common mistake made by panicked owners is to chase after the dog. The truth is that we have very little chance of catching up with our dog. Therefore, it is definitely better to stay where he escaped from, as there is a high probability that the dog will return to us. It is best to ask someone for help, and one person stays at the escape site while the other walks around the area looking for our loss.

NOTIFY FOREST RANGERS

If your dog is missing in a wooded area, it is definitely better to pay the fine than to find the dog shot because it was chasing game. It is worth informing the local hunting association and ranger that your dog has escaped on their land. The fine will not be avoided, but we may save the dog. If we come across a sympathetic ranger, there is a chance that he will help us in the search.

POST ANNOUNCEMENTS ONLINE

Post announcements online right away. The internet is not just Facebook. Post information on all available portals; Craigslist and other local services. On Facebook, create an event and invite all friends, share it on thematic groups. Remember that the event should be public and everyone can join. Be concise; no one is interested in the history of your dog. Dry facts matter: appearance, age, microchip or tattoo number, characteristic features, circumstances of escape (date, place, and what happened). And most importantly, REWARD – remember to write about the reward for the finder or the person who will contribute to finding the dog. This is very important because nothing motivates people to act like money. Sad but true. Put information about the reward in the title of the event and announcement. PHOTO – it must be clear and colorful, where the silhouette of the dog can be clearly seen. This is not a competition for the best photo, and only whether someone will recognize your ward after seeing it counts. Contact information – be sure to provide your phone number.

POST PAPER ADVERTISEMENTS IN THE AREA

Not everyone has access to the internet. That’s why it’s ESSENTIAL to post paper advertisements in the area where the dog went missing. Posts, trees, notice boards, fire stations, bus stops, train stations, and shops are all good places to hang them. Hang them wherever possible. Remember, dogs can cover much greater distances in a shorter period of time than we can. After a few hours, they can be several kilometers away from the escape site. Post your ads in nearby towns as well. Just like in online advertisements, remember to title your ad with REWARD and provide all the important, specific information. Remember to include a colorful, clear photo.

GO TO CHURCH

No, not to pray. The church is a perfect place for information to flow. It involves a “donation,” but it pays off. If the priest says something from the pulpit, you can be sure it will spread around the area at lightning speed. It’s worth talking to the priest to see if he could mention during mass that a dog is missing and there’s a REWARD for anyone who finds it! This is a really effective method. I know several people who have used the persuasive power of clergymen (especially in rural areas) and were able to find their four-legged friends.

GO TO LOCAL SCHOOLS

Children pay much more attention to their surroundings than adults do. If you leave ads in the school area, you increase the chances of finding your dog. Just like in other ads, remember to be specific.

NOTIFY THE SHELTERS

Be sure to notify nearby shelters. Leave your contact number and request to be informed if a similar dog appears. It’s also worth calling or visiting the shelter yourself, as sometimes shelter staff forget to pass on information and the next change won’t call you. Check which shelters have agreements with the municipality in which the dog escaped. Sometimes, due to absurd regulations, it may turn out that your dog has been taken even hundreds of miles from home.

RADIO AND TELEVISION

If you have the opportunity, pay for an advertisement in the media. Especially local radio stations are friendly and willing to help in such situations. Don’t forget about CB radio – provide information there and it will reach local drivers.

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

Ask your friends for help in searching the area and posting notices. Let one person stay in the place from which the dog escaped and the rest help with other tasks. The more people involved, the better.

A WHITE LIE IN GOOD FAITH

If you own a female dog, write in the ads that she is spayed, even if she isn’t. This is especially important for purebred dogs and those with breed characteristics. This clever trick may deter pseudo-breeders from stealing or adopting your runaway. A spayed female dog is not a tempting target for them.

SECURE YOUR DOG

A microchip (registered with an up-to-date address), a visible ID tag, harness, or collar with reflective elements are basic equipment for every dog on a walk. Even a short one under your block.

PREVENTION

Don’t let your dog off leash. Simply put, if you’re not 100% sure that your dog will come back when called or if there’s a storm brewing and your four-legged friend is scared, don’t let him off leash. Choose a long leash for walks in the forest and practice recall.

In conclusion, losing a pet can be a traumatic experience for any pet owner. However, by taking some necessary steps like notifying the local shelters, using media outlets, and enlisting the help of friends, one can increase their chances of finding their beloved pet. Remember to also take preventative measures like properly securing your pet and ensuring they have identification to avoid the pain of losing them in the first place.

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