If you lose your dog DRAFT

This is a DRAFT of a proposed list of things to do if your dog is lost. It is NOT complete. If you have ideas that will help those who have lost their dog, please submit them to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

________________________________________________________________

If your dog is lost, start searching immediately, before the dog has had time to go far, or to be picked up or hurt. The large majority of lost dogs are found within a couple of miles of where they were lost.

  1. Mobilize all available help (family, friends, neighbors) and assign tasks to each person.
  • Ask for one of the above to read this entire flyer and assign responsibilities
  1. Prepare a written description with the dog's name, your veterinarian's name and your name, plus phone numbers.
    • An 8 1/2 x 11 size flyer is suggested in order to insert one or more photos
    • Make as many copies as can be distributed.
  2. Drive or walk through the neighborhood calling the dog.
    • Have two people in the car. One driving, the other looking for the dog.
    • Be cautious calling for the dog at busy intersections...your dog may try to cross the street to get to you.
  3. Notify all residents of the immediate area to be on the lookout for the dog.
  4. If your dog is friendly to strangers, check populated areas such as parks, playgrounds, busy yards, schools.
  5. If your dog is shy, frightened or may be injured, check places that offer seclusion.
  6. Leave the dog's crate where the dog was last seen with articles of clothing bearing your scent.
  7. Leave the gate to your yard open in case the dog returns home on its own.
  8. Contact emergency animal hospitals throughout the area leaving the written information with authorization you will be responsible for any medical attention your dog may need if brought to them.

If the dog is not found within a few hours, do the following:

A. Print and deliver more flyers to local Vets, Shops,  etc. Put up signs in the area that the dog generally walks/visits.

B. Notify Parish animal control officials and local animal shelters.

  • Policies vary so ask questions and keep records of each shelter's policies.
  • For example,some shelters maintain lost-dog reports and contact owners if the dog is brought in.
  • Visit Animal Control every day. Do not rely on phone calls.
  • Some only follow up if the dog carries license tags, others must be contacted on a daily basis.
  • Local rescue organizations names and phone numbers
    • 4 Paws Society
    • Animal Angels
    • Hobo Hotel For Cats
  • Advertise in the local papers offering a reward
If you do not use your cell phone on the flyer, make sure the number you use offers Voice Mail or utilizes an answering machine which is left on constantly.
  • Do not dismiss any leads no matter how remote they seem.
  • Consider consulting with a specialist in finding lost animals. If anyone is aware of a local service of this nature, please e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

    • We tell people to be aware that there is a chance someone may try to sell their pet. For this reason, we suggest looking in craigslist (for their region) under "pets" for sale, as well as checking the local paper. Remember, too, that since most newspapers offer free "found" ads, someone may have placed an ad in the classifieds that they found the pet, so people need to be sure to check that, as well.

C. Contact "lostmydoggie.com" to generate phone calls to neighbors. The fee varies depending on the number of calls, but $75.00 generally covers the immediate area.

D. Place lost dog internet notices:

If you dog was adopted through 4 Paws, send multiple photos and information to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . We will post on the home page for at least 3 days and leave on the site until the dog is found.

If the dog is not found within several days, it may have left the immediate area, or is being kept by someone who found it. Lost dogs have been recovered many months after they went missing, sometime many miles away.

  1. Expand the search to surrounding towns and repeat all of the above for each.
  2. Notify organizations that alert laboratories using animals for experimentation and vet clinics giving a description,  especially if micro-chipped or if the dog has a tattoo number.

When you find your dog, do not express anger!

  1. Let your dog know how happy you are to see it.
  2. Have a treat ready and give it to him/her
If applicable, take actions to be better prepared should your dog get lost again. See our corresponding article, "How to be prepared for a lost dog situation." (this article is in process)

Report the good news. Take down flyers and remove internet postings or report as found.