How to Find a Lost Pet

Each year, approximately 5 million pets become separated from their human families. And the vast majority brought to shelters (86 percent of dogs) are never seen again. The reason? Most pet owners either don't know how to conduct an effective search or give up looking after a few days. Taking these steps, say experts, will greatly improve your chances of a reunion:

Create a paper trail. Put up posters in veterinarians' offices, pet supply stores, and other places that cater to animals, advises Irv West, executive director of PetFinders, a national non-profit lost-pet clearinghouse in Arhol, NY. Says West, "Most people who take in lost animals are pet owners." Also, blanket high-traffic areas, like laundromats and community bulletin boards. Give flyers to garbage collectors, newspaper carriers, joggers -- anyone who is out early in the morning. "Most sightings take place at sunrise, when animals come out to forage," explains West.

The National Human Education Society in Leesburg, VA, recommends distributing a minimum of 200 flyers within a one-mile radius of where the pet was last seen. If you don't get a response after a few days, post signs even farther from that area.

The flyers should include a detailed description and photo of your pet, as well as your telephone number. "Offer a reward -- it gets people to read the flyers -- but don't specify an amount, or it'll attract crank callers," says West.

Hound the shelters. Familiarize yourself with all the shelters in your area, not just the one closest to home. Visit each one at least once every three days, because you can't count on the staff to identify your pet. "What may be a brown tabby to you looks like a grey calico to someone else," says Martha Armstrong, vice president for companion animals at the Humane Society of the United States in Washington, DC.

Many shelters also offer a free voice-guided phone service, which uses a computer database to match descriptions of lost pets with found ones; ask if the shelters in your area have this capability. For $39, PetFinders (800-666-5678) will search its database for pets found within a 60-mile radius of where the animal was last seen for a 4-month period. The group will also send notices to shelters and rescue groups and post the information on its website.

Enlist the media. Place ads and check the "Found" section of the local newspaper. Also, notify area radio and TV stations; some may broadcast lost pet announcements for free, while others may charge a fee.

Think like your pet. Sometimes animals will return to their old haunts, such as a favorite park or former residence.

Keep Fido close to home. Keeping your dog or cat from getting lost in the first place is a lot easier than trying to find her. Take these precautions:

• Make sure your pet wears tags at all times, even indoors.
• Ask your veterinarian about inserting a tiny computer chip under the skin of your pet's neck. This is a painless, simple procedure that costs about $25. At least a thousand shelters nationwide are using scanners to read the ID number contained in the microchip.
• Spaying or neutering your dog or cat will dampen your pet's urge to roam during his or her breeding season.
• Dogs should be kept on a leash at all times when not safely secured in a fenced area. The American Humane Society in Denver, CO recommends at least a 6-foot high fence for medium- and large-sized dogs. Keep your pet in a closed-off room on the Fourth of July and New Year's Eve (as the sound of fireworks terrifies some animals), when workers are coming and going in your home, and when you're entertaining guests.
• It pays to periodically check the security of the fenced areas of your yard. A fence or gate that may have been sturdy and reliable a year ago may not be in the same condition today.

Article from Good Housekeeping, August 1998, pages 154-155
By Diana H. Jeffrey