Your Pet Went Missing :: Tips on Bringing Them Home

    0

    Tips on Bringing Your Lost Pet Home | Columbia SC Moms Blog

    I delayed writing this post for a while. Almost three weeks ago my beloved chi-weenie dog, Gumbo, got out and has been missing. Since that day, I am on a horrible journey of loss and attempts at recovery. I immersed myself in the world of lost pets and discovered, sadly, this happens all the time. Like many, my dog is truly a part of the family. 

    Gumbo is an indoor, five pound dog with little survival skills. He has never been out on his own, so he most surely does not know his way home. Our area is fraught with snakes, hawks, alligators, and other hazards, so it does not look good for my little guy. Regardless, I have done all I can to immerse myself in pet rescue, and am sharing the must-know details should you find yourself in this situation. 

    Helpful Tips

    • Contact Your Vet – If your pet is microchipped, make sure you report them missing on the microchip record. Ask if there are additional things you can do to aid in their recovery. 
    • Change Your Voicemail Message – Let people know they reached the right number about your missing pet, especially if you are plastering your phone number all over fliers and posts.
    • Leave Items With a Familiar Smell Outside Your Home – Leave unwashed clothing and dog bedding outside so your dog can smell it and find his way back home. I opened windows to allow the familiar smell of our house to filtrate outside.
    • Let Other Pets in Your Home Help – We took his dog brother out for a walk and he peed everywhere to make a trail leading back home. I relied on that excellent dog sniffer to be a guide. 

    Get Online to Spread the Word

    • Critter Alert – Critter Alert is a FREE international geographical lost, stolen and found pet reporting and alerting site. It utilizes mapping technology to help you report the precise location and enables their system to check and alert on possible matches. Critter Alert automatically generates a high visibility PDF flyer/poster of your report and cross posts to social media platforms.
    • PawBoost – They post a targeted ad to people near the address your pet was last seen, and you can choose what duration and how many people you would like to reach. PawBoost has continually stayed in touch with me throughout this process via email, sending check-ins to see if Gumbo is found. Of all the paid services, PawBoost‘s services impress me most (they have a free service too, but we opted to upgrade). 
    • My Lost Doggie – I filed reports with Animal Control, local animal shelters, and had missing fliers faxed to pet services in the area via My Lost Doggie.
    • My Lost Pet Alert – They make a flier you can print and disperse in the community. Make sure you laminate them, put them in a ziploc bag or put them in a plastic sheet protector so that the rain does mess them up.
    • Craigslist – I posted on Craigslist about my dog to spread the word. Although no one contacted me, try whatever means necessary when searching for a lost pet.
    • Social Media – I shared posts on Facebook and Twitter. In addition, I changed my profile and cover photos on Facebook to the missing dog posters so people would see when I posted things. 

    Do Your Research to Avoid Scams

    Sadly, there are scams out there that target and prey on the emotions of pet owners. These organizations offer a pet recovery service, promising to do things like issue a pet amber alter. I fell victim, trusting the recommendation of others. Do your research, read online reviews, and check with the Better Business Bureau. Don’t learn the hard way like I did. They took my money and did not provide the services.

    Check Shelters (and Stay Diligent)

    • Go to the shelters in person to look for your pet.
    • Keep in mind workers cannot remember every animal that comes through the door.  
    • Shelters are crowded. Stray hold time in my area is only five days.
    • If the battery is low on a microchip scanner it will not scan properly.
    • Less than 2% of lost pets are claimed from animal shelters. This is not an ideal situation for lost pets. 

    What to Do if You Find a Lost Dog

    Gumbo has only been spotted twice. He was seen the day he went missing not far from the house, and the people who saw him could not catch him and gave up. An individual saw him one other time, and Gumbo even played with the person before running off. Here, I urge you to try to help.

    If you see a dog wandering alone, try the following:

    • See if the animal has a collar and call the phone number. 
    • Bring the dog to a local vet, if possible, to get scanned for a microchip. 
    • Help protect the dog from cars.
    • Do not keep the dog without trying to reunite them with its owner. People think, “Oh, poor dog,” but in reality, there could be a distraught owner that needs your help.
    • Post online. 
    • Put up FOUND DOG posters, and make sure anyone that contacts you gives identifying information not found on the poster. 

    Don’t Give Up Hope

    I am staying on it, and not giving up. But it is not easy. I have a hard time sleeping at night as my mind goes through all the possibilities of where he is and what might have happened to him. I’ll continue to seek out other services that might help.

    If you lose your pet, do not give up hope. I see stories daily of pets reunited with their families. It does happen. I hope one day to be able to update this post with happy news about my little Gumbo. 

    Tips on Bringing Your Lost Pet Home | Columbia SC Moms BlogDo you have any tips for finding your lost pet?

    Previous articleHealing in Motherhood
    Next articleWhat Keeps Me Sane
    Tabitha Epperson
    Born and raised in Mississippi but making Columbia her second home since 2008, Tabitha is a sociologist, doula, college instructor, and sorority house mom. She knows more details about pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding than most people care to talk about and loves her three chihuahuas (Toto, Gumbo, and Shrimp). She is currently working on her dissertation for her Ph.D. and dreams about the day when she will be finished. Tabitha crafts but not that great, and if she used Pinterest more, she could probably be on a Pinterest fails page somewhere. She’s an avid reader but mostly reads things related  to her dissertation these days. As a house mom, she never knows how her day will go when she wakes up, but she mentors and guides over 200 women on a daily basis and loves accompanying them on the path to full adulthood. She volunteers often and tries to make the world a better place. 

    LEAVE A REPLY

    Please enter your comment!
    Please enter your name here