Like many of you, my heart was breaking thinking about little Wilbur, lost, alone and scared in the cold.  Thank goodness he was found and is safe in a foster home now. I am sure many of you have gazed upon your own pets and felt a sense of relief and gratitude that they are safe at home.  Heartbreaking as it may be, thinking about how to find a lost pet is an important thing for all pet owners to consider.  I would like to share with you some basic steps to follow, should your beloved pet become lost:

• Contact as many animal control facilities and animal shelters as possible.  Shelters are not equipped to network with each other, so you will need to contact each facility individually.
• Print large flyers to hang in the neighborhood.  Decide on an appropriate radius for your dog. Active dogs can travel 2 miles or more before stopping to rest.
• Print smaller flyers to hand-out to people you meet during your search.  Ask local businesses to post flyers or hand them out to customers.
• Tell the US Postal Carrier, the UPS driver, and the Fed Ex driver that your pet is missing and provide them with a flyer.
• Notify the police in your district and several surrounding districts.
• GO TO as many animal control facilities and animal shelters as possible in person, and frequently.  Shelters can be extremely busy, and they may unintentionally overlook a matching “Found” dog.
• Expand your search to 20 or 30 miles or more.  Well-intentioned strangers may take a lost pet into their car, and your pet could end up in a shelter many miles from home.
• Notify veterinarian offices and pet stores, and ask them to post a flyer.
• Put an ad in the newspaper.
• Contact local television stations and ask them to make an announcement.

There are also many things that can be done to prevent your pet from becoming lost, or to quicken his return home:

• Have a clear photograph of your pet on hand.
• Provide your pet with clear identification tags and a secure collar.***
• Regularly check fences and yards for easy escape routes.  Even a good doggie wants to chase a rabbit now and again!
• Provide your pet with lots of exercise and stimulation including new toys and new learning opportunities.
• Have a microchip placed in your pet.
• Spay or neuter your pet.
• Be especially careful when bringing home a new pet or foster pet.  Double-check harnesses and collars for security.