Oh No, I'm LOST!

It's a terrible feeling to lose a pet. Where are they? Are they okay? Will they come back? The anxiety and uncertainty is awful. 

But according to an ASPCA survey, about 85% of lost pets are recovered. There are some things you can do to help your pet get back home. 

The most important thing you can do to protect your pet is to microchip your pet, and make sure it wears a collar with an identification tag with the owner's name and phone number. Animal shelters  routinely scan for microchips when an animal comes in, and any veterinarian will check for one if asked. 

Speaking of veterinarians and animal shelters: let them know your pet is missing. Start right away, as soon as you suspect your pet is missing. Check back often, especially with the shelters. Some only give found pets 72 hours to be claimed by an owner before they are put up for adoption or euthanized, so don't delay. Bring in a poster that includes the date your pet was lost, and from what area. Make sure it has your name and phone number, and mention any identifying characteristics that might make your pet stand out. If your pet has any special needs, put them in. Here's an example:

MISSING PET: Arlo is a neutered three year old male black lab. He was last seen on July 23, near the Walmart on Maple Street. He has a white tip on his tail. He is friendly, but might be scared. Do not chase! Call Brenda and Don at 123-555-1234

Add a good, clear, up-close picture of your pet. If you have a dog that gets groomed and clipped, take pictures showing what he looks like before and after grooming. 

A clean, clipped dog can look very different between haircuts and after a few nights sleeping rough. 

Put these flyers up around where the pet was lost, and around your neighborhood, and don't forget the power of social media. Facebook is great for getting the word out. Nextdoor is a social media site that posts to people in your area; easy to use and a good resource for getting those lost and found critters back home.

Fortunately, animals have a natural homing instinct and if they stray from their yard and home, they can usually find their way back. A slightly different situation is the indoor cat that gets outside. Because they haven't established their scent outside the house, they have difficulty recognizing what is home. If your indoor cat gets outside, they often find a place to hide and lay low. The first thing to do is to put their litterbox outside. The familiar scent will guide them. Because they want a place to hide and be safe, put a box or crate outside with a towel, blanket, or shirt inside that has your scent on it. 

Something as simple as this works just fine. 

I used this strategy myself when our cat Speck streaked outside through the screen door late one night. She was gone over a month, and then one day I came home and she was sitting inside the shelter box, waiting for someone to let her in. She had lost a lot of weight, and we think she probably hid in someone's shed and got shut in accidentally. When a cat goes missing, it's a good idea to go around to your neighbor's homes and ask them to check any outbuildings, to make sure the cat isn't trapped inside. 

Another special situation is the dog out of place, like if you go hiking or hunting. An excited dog following a scent or running after wildlife might not respond to your calls, or might be farther away than you realize. Where's that dog gone off to?The worst part is when it's time to go home and you still haven't found your dog. How can you just leave? It feels like you're abandoning him! 

Again, use the power of scent recognition and tracking. Leave a blanket or jacket in the spot you were last together. (Don't leave food, as that might attract other wildlife.) If you have a crate, that's great. Attach a note to these items, if you can, saying that you're attempting to find a lost dog -- that way other people won't assume the stuff is litter. Come back and check often. My dad had to do this when our dog Duchess didn't respond to his calls. He came home after dark feeling just awful, but the next morning he went out to look some more and there she was, curled up on his hunting coat waiting for him. Where did you go, man? I've been here all night!

I sincerely hope your pet never gets lost, and is always safe and happy at home or right by your side.