It’s a beautiful afternoon. You arrive home from a long day at work, juggling arms full of groceries picked up along your commute. You pay no mind to the quiet, cautious rabbit munching on the clover in the front yard. Your keys dangling from a spare finger, you wedge the door open with your elbow…
That’s the opportunity Bella was waiting for. She’d been watching that bunny from the bay window for the past twenty minutes. Your heart races with panic, as you enter every pet owner’s worst nightmare.
Your beloved companion is lost. Now what?
TAKE ACTION
Call the Local Police Department
This is one of the first points of contact for pet finders. In addition, officers are out patrolling the community at all hours, and may act as additional eyes on the lookout for free-roaming pets.
Distribute Photos
While it’s still beneficial to post traditional “Lost Pet” flyers on telephone poles at nearby intersections (FindToto.com offers a free template), it is a time-consuming process.
Use social media to your advantage. Include a clear, recent photo of your pet, the date, and the approximate location she was last seen. Providing this information is crucial for attracting attention to your post. A recent date creates a sense of urgency, and people are more apt to take notice if they recognize the locale.
Important: Supplying a means of contact in your post is critical, but for your own protection, it is wise to limit the amount of personal information presented. An email address is a safe alternative to exposing your cell phone and home address, allowing those without social media accounts to reach you without compromising the safety of your identity on the Internet.
Contact Local Veterinarians
Thanks to our friends at Pittsburgh Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center (P.V.S.E.C), you can now distribute a lost pet report to all veterinary offices in the region at once. Simply visit their website, fill out the form, and your submitted information will be faxed to area clinics and hospitals.
Bring Her Home Faster
Collar & ID Tags
This is the fastest way to ensure your pet’s prompt return. An identification tag should include your pet’s name, and at least one cell phone number, so that you may be reached anywhere – after all, you’re likely out on foot or in the car searching for your companion!
Additional important information to include, if space allows: your home address, or “Needs Medication”, if your pet has a special condition.
Many large retail pet stores offer a kiosk to engrave I.D. tags on-the-spot. Alternatively, you can custom order a tag online for a reasonable price (BoomerangTags.com offers free shipping & no sales tax).
Also, be sure to affix your pet’s Rabies tag to her collar. Its unique code serves as another means of identification, and provides assurance to whoever may find her that she is current on her vaccinations.
Microchips
Microchips are a permanent form of identification, using RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology. A small capsule the size of a grain of rice is implanted under your pet’s skin, traditionally between the shoulder blades of dogs and cats.
The procedure is simple, and only involves minor discomfort, similar to vaccine administration. When a microchip reader scans your pet, it will display a telephone number for the microchip registry, and your pet’s unique I.D. number.
Placement of a microchip alone will not guarantee your pet’s return, but does dramatically increase the odds of reuniting her with your family. Most importantly, you must register the microchip with a searchable database. Your veterinarian or shelter will provide the information needed to complete enrollment.
If your pet is already microchipped, and you are unsure if the chip has been registered, you may enter her number into the AAHA Pet Microchip Lookup Tool (petmicrochiplookup.org). If the microchip is not found, you can complete registration with an online database, such as PetLink.net, which provides lifetime registration for all microchip manufacturers for a one-time fee of $19.99.
Remember to keep your contact information current. If you move to a new home or change your telephone number, be sure to update these changes to the registry.
Thankfully, most pet owners will never have to experience the worrisome search for a lost pet, but if you ever find yourself in such a situation, be prepared, stay calm, and use the tools and resources available to help your Bella, or Max, or Whiskers return home safely.
Leave a Reply