I lost my pet. What should I do?
Many of the messages we receive come from people who have lost their dog, so here are some tips you may follow in order to reunite with your pet.
- Go out in your neighborhood, in places you go for a walk, etc. Do not expect the dog to come back on its own, he is most likely in danger out on his own.
- Report your dog missing at your local Police Department.
- If your dog has a microchip (which is mandatory by law), you should have already made sure that your veterinarian has registered it in the database.
- Report your pet as lost through a veterinarian, to the Ministry database, where the microchip has been registered.
- Find out if there is an animal rescue group in your area and contact them, giving a full description of the animal and a photo, as well as details about where and how it was lost. Probably someone has found your dog and informed the rescue.
- Post posters in your area with a clear photo of your animal and your phone. Be sure to put up posters in all the vet clinics in your area, in the pet shops etc.
- Use social networks (eg Facebook), animal welfare websites and groups to post the loss of your pet. Find a clear and representative photograph of the animal, indicate sex, size, presence or absence of microchip, the area from which it was lost and date, whether it wore a collar, special features, etc. Necessarily fill in contact details, preferably a mobile phone, so that whoever finds your dog, can easily contact you.
- Send the announcement to animal rescue groups so they can share it. Do not wait for them to do the work for you. You should have already uploaded the photo of the animal with the information mentioned above in a public post on your profile (if you have set only your friends to see the post, then it can not be widely shared), and send them the link.
The more of the above steps you follow, the more the chances you find your pet faster!
But in order for avoid situations like that, you should follow some simple steps:
- Place a microchip to your dog and make sure that it is registered, because it is common for dogs to be found with a microchip that has not been registered and thus is completely useless.
- Always have a collar with an ID stating your phone number on, even if the dog has a microchip, because it is easier for people to see that and contact you immediately.
- Do not let your dog off leash, even if you are next to him. You may be confident that he is obedient, but our experience has shown us that animal reactions are unpredictable and this can expose them to sometimes fatal dangers, from a car accident, to eating something bad, be attacked by another dog, lose his orientation etc.
- If your dog has access to a garden, check all possible escape points, taking appropriate action.