Finding Lost Pet Checklist Complete
As Soon as You Know Your Pet is Missing
Start detailed search for your pet in the area
1. Start from their last known place and work out like a spiral.
a. Get as many people as possible to help.
2. Thoroughly check your house and yard, especially if the animal is small like a rodent or reptile.
3. Talk to everybody you see and ask if they have seen your pet.
a. Leave your number until you get the flyer designed, printed and dispersed.
4. If there are any positive sightings, get the time the animal was seen, the direction of travel and any other pertinent information. Then get their name and number to call them back if necessary.
5. Check your pet’s favorite spots like parks or friends’ homes.
6. Make sure one person remains at home in case the pet returns.
7. Save any articles of your pet’s in a clean, unused plastic bag.
a. These can be used later for a possible search dog.
b. Put these items in a cool dark place like a closet. Beds and toys are the best items.
8. Make note of vacant and abandoned homes, empty rentals and people on vacation.
a. These places are great hiding places for scared animals.
b. Permission will be needed to enter any private property.
Create a flyer
1. See downloadable sample flyer and tips on how to design an effective flyer.
a. http://www.thesocialpet.com/lostpetflyer.html
2. Only use white paper. Color paper distorts the photo and your pet’s true colors.
a. Bright color paper can be very difficult to read
Distribute flyers throughout the neighborhood as soon as possible in as wide of an area as possible.
Don’t limit these to just your block.
1. Cover all light poles and the outside of mailboxes (It is a federal crime to put items inside a private mailbox.
2. Go door to door to your neighbors and surrounding neighborhoods.
3. Check dumpster areas and trash cans.
4. Ask delivery people: mail carriers, UPS, Fed Ex, DHL, etc.
5. Ask garbage truck drivers, utility meter readers, road crews, gardeners, etc.
6. Visit local pet stores, feedstores, grocery stores, gas stations, convenience stores, coffee shops, etc. a. Generally mom and pop shops are more open to posting flyers.
b. Chain stores tend to have a corporate policy against the posting of any flyers.
7. Contact all veterinarians and groomers as far out as possible.
a. This is easy to search on Google. Search by: veterinarians, city/county, state
8. Visit all schools, churches and police departments in the area.
9. Feeding stations by local cat rescue groups. Go to www.Petfinder.org and put in your zip code.
Supplies to have on hand to search for your pet
1. Plain white copy paper - 8 1/2 x 11 size
2. Extra black/white and color printer cartridges
3. Several 20 x 30 flourescent poster boards
4. A couple of thick black markers for poster boards
5. A box of push pins to stick flyer to cork boards
6. Clear sheet protectors to put flyers in outside
7. Heavy duty staple gun with extra staples
8. Several roles of thick clear packing tape about 2 inches wide
The Next 24 Hours
Check all local and surrounding shelters, both public and private, at least every other day
1. Your pet may have traveled or taken into an adjacent animal control jurisdiction.
2. Confirm with the shelter what their minimum holding period is.
3. Make sure you physically go to the shelter and fill out a Lost report with your flyer
4. Be sure to check the “Deceased” and “Found” books also
Put up large, colorful posters in key spots throughout neighborhood
1. These catch the attention of people driving back and forth in the area.
2. These are different than the flyers you hand out to people
Notify your pet’s tattoo and/or microchip registry
1. Make sure your contact information is up to date.
2. Call these companies directly. Most are open 24 hours a day for receive calls.
Advertising
1. Craigslist: Both Pets and Lost/Found sections.
a. In order to put in two ads, just change the words around so it is not a duplicate.
2. Place an ad in local neighborhood newspapers. Also check Found ads.
3. Look at automated phone message services: www.Findtoto.com, www.LostMyDoggie.com
4. Look at post card mailing services: www.Petharbor.com
5. Use your car: post the flyer in a sheet protector on the back or use colored car chalk.
6. Place volunteers at key intersections holding large Lost signs and wearing “sandwich boards.”
Check all flea markets and outdoor centers
1. Confirm with the organizers whether animals are allowed to be sold inside the market.
2. If animals are not allowed to be sold inside, ask if they are allowed to be sold outside the gates.
3. Also, it needs to be determined if these rules are enforced or not.
a. Check by walking around the market and see if animals are actually being sold.
4. Post flyers for your missing pet outside all the gates of the market in case the pet is being sold beyond the view of the management.
Change your voicemail to say your pet is missing
1. Make sure the voicemail states clearly that your pet is missing so people know they have correct phone number.
2. Ask people to leave their name and phone number so you can call them back.
3. Ask people to leave specific information like where and when did they see your pet and if they attempted to catch them or not.
Check websites
1. See if your shelter list their found animals.
a. Some shelters list their found animals online or voicemail.
a. Sign up for automated emails for animals matching your pet’s description
b. Check the shelters on their list for their Found animals
a. Find the search engine on the left side of Home page
b. Put in “Dog” or “Cat” in the search engine and then your zip code
c. This will bring up all rescue groups: public and private in your area
d. Go to the hyperlink on the far right side and click to get to their main site
e. Send them your pet’s flyer in case your pet shows up at their group.
4. Craigslist
a. Check both Pets and Lost/Found sections for ads placed by others who may have seen or picked up your pet.
Using an Animal Communicator to help find a lost pet
1. My recommendation is Marta Williams ( www.martawilliams.com)
If your pet is spotted and won’t come to anybody
1. Try a feeding station. Multiple bowls of food are set out to attract your pet to the area.
2. Set up humane box trap with yummy food.
a. These can be rented from your local shelter, purchased from home store, or rented from an equipment rental store.
3. Walk the area laying your scent with your clothing, starting and ending at your home or a trap.
4. Leave their bedding or your clothing in an area to attract them.
If Your Pet is Missing for More Than One Week
Review everything on the first two pages again
1. Double check to make sure nothing was missed
2. What can be done better and more thoroughly?
Update the flyer
1. Make sure flyer says, “Still Missing.”
2. Add the date they were missing from.
3. Add the location (city and state) they were missing from since your flyer will now be sent out much wider.
4. Check to see if a better or clearer picture of your pet is available
5. If your pet was lost as a baby, state that he/she may look different and will be older.
Double Check All Leads
1. Was anything missed or forgotten?
2. Were all leads followed through on, even all “possibles” and “maybes”?
3. Did any evidence not get checked?
Extend your search further beyond your immediate neighborhood and community.
1. Your pet could have been picked up or literally traveled to another area.
Make sure your Craigslist and newspaper ads remains current
1. Put “Still Missing” in the ad and the date and location when they were lost
New Flourescent Poster Boards
1. Make new poster boards to put at intersections.
Re-interviewing
1. Go back and talk to people who said they saw the dog
2. Somebody may have seen something else they didn’t initially say.
If somebody calls to say they have your pet
1. There are people who will say they have your pet, but they don’t. They want the reward.
2. Confirm they have your pet by asking for a photo sent to you.
3. Ask for a phone number to call them back to authenticate who they are.
4. Agree to meet them in a public place like a store or coffee house. Do not go to their home.
Yahoo Lost Pet Groups
4. You can post your flyer or your dog’s photo
Start a free blog with Blogspot to help put all leads and updates
1. Go to www.blogspot.com to get started.
2. This helps to let others know what is happening with your search
3. Flyers can be added for people to download right from the website.
Start a free Yahoo group to direct all search discussions and leads.
1. This is similar to a blog, but instead live discussions can be happening
Create a YouTube video to display various photos of your pet and distribute online.
If You Think Your Pet Has Been Stolen
Contact the police immediately
1. Make sure they file a report
2. Find out who is in charge of the case and follow up regularly
See the page on my website
Follow the same steps outlined for lost pets
If Your Pet is Missing for More Than One Month
Some Reasons Why Your Pet May Not Have Been Found Yet (in order of probability)
1. Your pet has traveled out of the area where you are searching and is still loose.
2. Somebody has picked up your pet and transported them outside the search area.
3. Somebody had picked up your pet and hasn’t seen a flyer, particularly if your pet is not wearing visible ID tags.
4. Somebody has picked up your pet, has seen a flyer and is choosing not to respond.
5. The pet is deceased and the body has not been found.
Repeat steps again from the beginning
1. Update flyer with “Still Missing” and lost date and last known location.
2. Make sure your flyer is still in Lost book at shelters.
3. Continue to extend search further beyond your city, county and state.
If you move, make sure your microchip information is current.
1. Many microchips are scanned and the information comes up as not registered and unable to be tracked.
Don’t give up hope.
Your pet is out there somewhere waiting
for you to find them and bring them home!
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