1) As soon as possible organize friends, family, local
dog club members to help you do a thorough search of
the area. Look at a map and have each individual
cover a certain area. Take a collar and leash with
you. Use cell phones or walkie-talkies if they are
available. Knock on doors, show a picture of your dog
and leave a number to call should they see him/her.
2) If your dog is used to a crate or dog bed, place it at
the location where the dog disappeared and put an article
of your soiled clothing inside. Should a crate or bed
not be available, check with the SPCA to see if they
have a humane animal trap which you can leave there
instead. Place it in an area out of the elements.
3) Notify the following, and call every day:
a) Local SPCA and dog shelters,
b) All law enforcement agencies in area,
c) All veterinarians in the area,
d) Radio and television stations,
(Ask if they will announce your loss)
e) Government agency that removes dead
animals from roadways,
f) Local dog clubs,
g) Local dog groomers and boarding
kennels,
h) Pet stores,
i) People who normally travel the
local streets,
(mail man, milk man, school bus drivers,
home heating fuel delivery man)
j) Girl Guides and Boy Scouts,
k) Schools - ask principals to make
announcement,
l) Dept. of Highways, and
m) The Canadian or the American Kennel
Club
It is important to stress the dollar value of your
animal; give positive identification, such as tattoo
number or implant numbers; offer a reward and stress
that they can call you any time, night or day. Call
back frequently, thus keeping the pressure on, so that
these people will not forget.
4) Make up a poster and have a minimum of 250 printed up.
These should be distributed to all of the above. Be
sure to distribute these in a 2 mile radius, or more,
of where the dog was lost; including door-to-door
delivery. Should you not have the time to do this
yourself there are direct mail services that can do
it for you.
The poster should:
a) be as simple as possible,
b) use large lettering,
c) use the word 'REWARD' in large letters
at the top,
d) include a recent photo or sketch, and
e) use the words "CALL COLLECT - ANY TIME
DAY OR NIGHT" and give name and phone
numbers of your home and office
If the dog was lost far from home, perhaps there is a
friend in that area that would allow you to use his or
her name and number on the poster.
The posters should be put in places where the general
public will see them -- stores, gas stations, motels,
etc. Be sure to include the method of positively
identification of your dog on posters to vets, animal
shelters and police.
5) CB operators can be helpful. There are networks that
will gladly pass along the information for you.
6) If you have access to the Internet and World Wide Web,
be sure to put messages out on dog related lists.
7) Make up an ad for local newspapers. Give a complete
description of the dog -- when and where it was last
seen. Make it simple and offer a reward. This will
encourage people, who normally would not do so, to be
on the lookout for your dog. If you suspect that your
dog was stolen you may also include wording such as,
"I will not prosecute if the animal is returned."
8) Should your animal not be recovered within a week you
may wish to find organizations that send out newsletters,
that would be willing to include a lost dog notice for
you. Some of these might include:
a) Veterinary Associations,
b) Pet supply stores,
c) Dog clubs, and
d) SPCA or animal shelters
