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Five Things to do Right Away When your Pet is Lost! It’s hard to imagine just how distraught we would be if our pet ever wandered away. Even when they’re by our side, just the thought of it, can scramble one’s brain! So it’s an important thing to think about ahead of time. If it does happen, clear thinking surely won’t be easy! Here are five important things to do right away, if your pet is ever lost.

#1 Start Searching ASAP –

This can’t be stressed enough. As soon as you find out your pet is missing, start searching. First search your immediate surroundings (inside home, yard, adjacent lot) thoroughly. Scared or ill pets are great at hiding. Then expand your search a bit farther in each direction. Keep in mind these tips:

#2 Outside Stash –

There are a handful of items you can put outside of your home to attract your pet, or help them be comfortable if they return while you’re away.

#3 Call the Authorities –

There’s a long list of people who can help. Do this after you’ve searched as much as possible and stashed a few things outside.

#4 Promote -

Make up fliers which have a very clear and large photo of your missing pet. Include “LOST CAT” or “LOST DOG” at the top in large letters. These signs should be easy to read from a distance. Follow these additional guidelines:

Post these flyers around your neighborhood, but also wherever pet lovers will be (veterinary offices, pet stores, grocery stores, dog parks, pet-related businesses, etc.).

Print up additional flyers to hand out to people who are around your neighborhood on a regular basis. They include mail carriers, neighborhood children, regular walkers and joggers, meter readers, police officers, newspaper carriers and other delivery people.

#5 Go Viral –

There are many online services which cater to people who have lost pets. Find one that covers your immediate area and give it a try. You can also google “found pets” to see what directories turn up.

You may also use Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and any other social media accounts to help spread the word. Be sure to include a great photograph of your pet and details on how to reach you. Use the same guidelines suggested for the fliers, when posting to social media.

In the end, one of the best ways to increase the odds that you’ll be reunited with a lost pet is to make sure all your pets have identification tags on their collars.  The tag should include your pet’s name and your cellphone number, at the very least. For a more high-tech solution you can have a microchip (the size of a grain of rice) implanted under your pet’s skin. The microchip transmits an identification code and the phone number of the appropriate registry to a scanner (used by vets and some shelters). There is typically a fee for this service with whatever registry you use. The service needs to be maintained, or just having the chip will be useless.

Hopefully you will never, ever need to use these tips. However, why not print this out now and tuck it away, just in case. It’s always better to prepare now, and be ready later!


