We know that a pet is a cherished member of the family. Losing your pet can be a scary time not only for your pet but for everyone involved. If your own pet has ever gone missing, you know what a relief it is to get the phone call from someone who’s dialed the number on your dog’s collar, seen one of your lost animal flyers around town, or to find your missing pet at the animal shelter. Critical in many of these owner-pet reunions is that a Good Samaritan found your pet. Knowing how grateful we were or would be to them, we naturally want to do our part if we ever find a lost pet.
Don’t assume that just because you found a dog or cat wandering the streets that he or she was abandoned or unwanted. As any of us who own pets can attest, it’s very easy for the most beloved pets to go astray. You know you’d want whoever found your pet to make every effort to find you, so return the favor.
Dogs may be man’s best friend, but they and other pets sometimes need to rely on the kindness of strangers. Today, you can be the one who helps them out in their time of need and tomorrow, hopefully their owners will pay it forward, so that someday if your pet ever needs a helping hand, someone will be there for them.
Did you know that dogs only have a 10% chance of finding their way home once they go to a shelter, and cats only have about a 2% chance? Can you help keep them out of the shelter by looking for their owner?
By temporarily holding on to this pet (assuming they are healthy and friendly) and searching for their home, you are giving this pet a much better chance of getting back to their family.
The majority of lost or stray animals have families who love them and are typically found less than one mile from their homes. To keep pet families together, it is best to try to locate a lost pet’s family prior to bringing the animal to the shelter.
There are many ways you can try to find the owner of a lost pet….
- Check for ID – Some pets have a collar with the phone number stitched in, or a tag with a number that you can call to locate the pet parent.
- Take a Walk – If possible, take a walk around the neighborhood to see if anyone might recognize the animal and know who they belong to.
- Check For a Microchip – Bring the pet to the nearest veterinarian clinic or shelter to get a free microchip scan.
- Walk the Neighborhood – Take a photo and share it with your neighbors. Walking the area where the pet was found can be helpful to find the owner or someone that may know where the pet lives.
- Make a Flyer – Pet FBI has an easy online pet flyer template that you can print from home. Make sure to include a picture of the animal. This will catch people’s attention. If you need help creating and printing a flyer a member of our team can assist you at our shelter. Circulate the flyer in your area, at stores, veterinary offices, etc. Post within a 3-mile radius of where the dog was found or a 1-mile radius of where the cat was found.
- Search Local Lost & Found Pet Sites – The owner may have posted their pet as missing, so be sure to check websites such as Petco Love Lost, PawBoost and social media groups. If you do not find a post for the animal, make your own found posting on those sites.