Missing A Dog As anyone who’s a fan of crime shows on TV can tell you, the most critical time in a missing-persons case is the first 24 hours. The same goes for missing dogs. If your dog has decided to go on an off-leash adventure, the sooner you start looking, the sooner you’ll find him. The longer your dog has to go free, the larger the perimeter you’re going to have to search will be. So as soon as you ascertain that the dog truly is gone (not sleeping behind the couch or hiding in the basement), it’s time to set the wheels in motion. • Man the phones. If you’ve been smart enough to put your phone number on your dog’s collar (see How to Prevent Your Dog from Going Missing), you’ll hopefully be getting a call from a neighbor or passerby. If the collar has your cell phone number, make sure you take the phone with you on your search. If the collar has a landline, make sure someone is home to answer the phone in case someone calls. Also, if you put the address on the collar, make sure someone’s home in case your dog gets dropped off by someone or comes home on his own. The person in charge of waiting at home can also use the opportunity to call local animal shelters, veterinarians, and the police department (check your local phone book—there may be a dedicated animal control number, rather than 911). Make sure you use a different phone than the one on your pet’s ID tag or that you have call waiting turned on so you don’t miss any calls from a finder. And don’t forget to leave your phone number and a description of your dog with the shelters in case he turns up collar-less later. • Take a picture. The best timesaver and memory-jogger on your search is a recent picture of your dog. Then you can show potential witnesses the photo and ask if they’ve seen that dog. It’s a lot faster than having to go through a confusing “We think he’s a poodle and a mix of something else and his fur’s different colors but mostly brown…” If you don’t have a picture of your dog, try and print out a picture of the breed he most resembles. • Bring some bait. Is there a sound your dog loves to hear? Like the shaking of the treat box or a favorite squeak toy? If so, bring that item on the search and make a little noise. That, along with the tone of your voice, can let your pet know you’re not angry and not cause them to hide from you. Hopefully, he’ll come running when he hears his favorite sound. • Rally the troops. Bring business cards or a pad of paper where you can write your phone number with you. Give your phone number to your neighbors or anyone you run into on the search, and ask them to call you if they see any sign of your dog. There are also Web sites like PetAmberAlert or Craigslist where you can post your dog’s disappearance to get your word out to the concerned citizens in your area. Your local shelter or veterinarian may also be able to recommend good Internet resources for your area. Read more: cesarsway/training/leadership/What-to-Do-if-Your-Dog-Goes-Missing#ixzz3D8ctrHX3
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 21:12:15 +0000