Tommi Orchards by PVII

emergencies

Lost Dogs If your dog is lost get a pad and pen and start making calls.  Write down every place you call, their number and the person you spoke to because you will need to follow up with them.

what to do immediately

  • Talk to your family members or housemates and ask when they last saw your dog. It’s a good idea to search your home carefully—under beds, in closets, dark places, small places, behind bulky furniture, outside under the porch or under bushes—in case your dog may be hiding, hurt or sleeping somewhere. Shaking a food dish, treat jar or favorite toy will sometimes lure them out
  • Call all police departments in and around your community [call back when they change shifts because information is not always shared when new officers come on duty]
  • call your vet and all vets in the vicinity
  • If you are sure your dog is not in or around the home, take a slow ride or walk around the neighborhood. Ask friends or neighbors if they’ve seen your animal companion; be sure to bring along a recent photo to show them. Check under porches and shrubs, and ask neighbors to check in sheds and garages just in case your dog was accidentally locked in
  • call all local shelters/pounds and shelters/pounds in neighboring communities (then go in person after you make these calls)
  • put a CB call to all truckers in the area
  • call the local pet stores
  • call local groomers
  • call all highway and utility departments--they drive around a lot
  • call friends and family for help
  • if your dog is microchipped notify the microchip company and check that your contact information and numbers are correct
  • if you have another dog, take that dog outside on leash and see if he follows where your dog might have gone
  • PREPARE A FLYER IMMEDIATELY OFFERING A SUBSTANTIAL REWARD:  with your dog’s picture, name, contact information for several people (cell numbers are the best, just keep your cell with you); get out and post these around your block, at the supermarkets, pet stores, vets’ offices, by parking lots, parks and playgrounds, anywhere where there are lots of adults and children. Put the flyers up at children's eye level because children are great at locating roaming dogs
  • wherever you go to look for your dog take a spare collar and leash, as well as a blanket if needed. Stop at every neighbor’s house, store, and restaurant

I CAN NOT EMPHASIZE ENOUGH THAT YOU MUST GO YOURSELF TO ALL ANIMAL SHELTERS/DOG POUNDS EVERY DAY BECAUSE THEY WILL ONLY KEEP A DOG A FEW DAYS AND THEN KILL IT OR ADOPT IT OUT, AND THEY MAY NOT RECOGNIZE YOUR DOG FROM YOUR DESCRIPTION OVER THE PHONE

  • take a photo of your dog to leave at the shelter and YOU stop and look in EVERY enclosure they have because your dog may be so frightened that it won’t hear you or recognize you right away. So be sure to look at every face. If your dog is hurt or dirty it is possible that you may not even recognize it

you should also

  • call the local newspaper who usually put one day of a free ad in for a lost dog
  • contact rescue groups--not just of your breed--many groups get  calls on purebred dogs regardless of the breed; check their websites too because you may find your dog there up for adoption
  • call the post office
  • call any newspaper carriers who come to your house
  • call anyone who makes deliveries in your area such as FedEx or Parcel Post
  • call local kennel clubs or training schools
  • contact other dog people in your area
  • call local AM and FM radio stations--many radio stations have shows where you can put the word out about your missing dog
  • put ads in newspapers (local and surrounding areas)
  • if you have friends or relatives involved with Boy or Girl Scouts, contact them to help look
  • check on PetFinder to see if anyone has found you dog and check petfinder listings every day to see if your dog is listed for adoption

NEVER GIVE UP NO MATTER HOW MUCH TIME HAS GONE BY; KEEP CHECKING IN PERSON AND ON-LINE!