Have you ever lost a dog?
If so, you’re not alone — millions of dogs go missing each year. Some dogs find their way back home and for others, their fate remains unknown to their loving families.
This year, April 23 is National Lost Dog Day, so PetArmor® is here to educate pet parents on what to do if their dog ever gets lost. If your dog goes missing, here are some steps you should take to find them:
- Post flyers in your neighborhood. Or, if you are on a community social channel, post an announcement on your neighborhood timeline. Include a clear, recent picture, your pet’s name, and your contact information. Adding on a reward will make a return that much more likely. A dog’s natural instinct to roam is only balanced by its natural instinct to find home, so make sure to utilize resources that are local to your home.
- The ER at your vet is one of the first places you should check. Regardless of if they are injured or not, someone may have found them and brought them to safety inside. Call them before going over and ask if any strays have been brought in recently. Any uninjured strays are usually sent to animal control immediately, but if they are injured, they may still receive treatment.
- Call all the nearby shelters you can find and make sure you contact local animal control. Usually, the local police non-emergency number can connect you after hours.
- Ask any social circles or communities you are a part of to keep an eye out— that’s an easy way to reach a lot of nearby people in a hurry.
Like many things in life, prevention is the key to avoiding being in a lost dog situation in the first place. Make sure your fence is secure and the gate latches shut. Check all of the slats and make sure none are rotting or missing — replace any that can be moved aside for an escape attempt. Dogs like to dig under fences, so make sure that the base is secure and consider having a concrete barrier under the base.
Make sure your dog has an ID tag with current contact information and consider getting a microchip — and if you do, keep the information up-to-date. If your dog has the right ID and you take the steps outlined above, you’ll have better chances of a safe and happy return.
