Det er alle hundeeieres mareritt. Ett øyeblikk er hunden der, i neste øyeblikk er den borte. Selvsagt er det opprørende og stressende at hunden ikke er der, men du er i tillegg engstelig for at den er redd eller skadet.
Den gode nyheten er at det er mange ting du kan gjøre for å øke sjansene for å finne hunden din.
Home is where the heart is
If your dog has disappeared from your home, the chances are that they won’t have gone far. They may have been distracted by a passing cat, or have been tempted to wander off in search of food and simply got disorientated. Alternatively they may have been spooked by a loud noise or a rumble of thunder, and sought safety in the garden or garage of a neighbour.
As you walk around stop and listen, and pay particular attention to outside garages or sheds where they may have got stuck or been locked in. If you live in a rural area check rabbit or badger holes and sets, and ask farmers if you can check their barns.
Similarly, if you’re on a walk when your dog is lost, call and whistle for them. If it’s a familiar walk go back to places you know they like, such as a particular pond or even the park café! Some dogs are very good at finding their way back to your car so do check the car park. Fellow dog walkers are often a great help as they’re dog lovers too, and their pet may even be a pal of yours. Give them your phone number and ask them to let you know if they spot your wandering dog.
If your dog does come bounding back to you, greet them warmly. As frustrated and scared as you might be feeling inside, they need praise not punishment for coming back!
- Contact local dog charities and rescue centres to see if they’ve found your dog or if a kind stranger has handed them in.
- Hopefully your dog is microchipped. If so, call your microchip company straight away to let them know your dog is missing. While you’re on the phone, double-check that they have your most up to date contact details.
- Call all local veterinary practices and all animal rescue centres with a description of your dog and their microchip ID. Ask them if they’d be happy to put up a poster or post something on their website or social media page. If so, they will probably ask you for a recent photo.
- If you have pet insurance, then contact your provider as they may provide financial assistance and advice on how to find a missing dog.
- If your dog’s run off from home, let your immediate neighbours know and ask if they’d mind keeping an eye out for you.
- Prepare a flyer with relevant information about your dog, including their name, breed, physical description and, ideally, a recent photograph. Contact information should include your name, telephone number and email address.
- We would advise against offering a reward for the safe return of your dog – this may attach a value to your dog, so if your pet ends up in the wrong hands, it could tempt someone to sell them. Good, honest, dog loving people should see the safe return of a pet as reward enough.
- Post and distribute flyers wherever your lost dog was last seen, as well as throughout your home neighbourhood, as some dogs have incredible homing instincts. Drop into places close to where you lost your dog such as shops, post offices, doctors’ surgeries, pubs and gyms and ask them if they’d be happy to display your flyer to help you find your missing dog.
- Canvas the neighbourhood, enlisting any willing volunteers to help you knock on doors or distribute flyers.
- Walk or cycle up and down the road near the area your dog was last seen and drive slowly through your neighbourhood. Show passers-by your flyer and ask them to keep an eye out for your lost dog. If they offer, ask them to help you widen your search by looking in surrounding fields or woodlands – you might want to give them some treats in case they do find your missing dog.
Who to contact
Get in touch with your local council, dog warden, police and animal control authorities with a description of your dog and let them know the time and area when you last saw your dog. These are the people that will be contacted if your lost dog is reported as a stray or is involved in a car accident, and they are also able to reunite you.
Some other organisations can be a great help in locating lost pets. To save time make sure you have the following details to hand when you contact them: your dog’s colour, age, size, temperament, identification on the dog (collar, tag, microchip, where the dog was lost), and your details.
The Blue Cross
Website: www.bluecross.org.uk
Phone: +44 (0) 1993 822651
RSPCA
Website: www.rspca.org.uk
Phone: 0870 55 55 999
There are also a number of places where you can advertise your missing dog:
Purina Editorial Team
