General Information
What to do when you have lost a dog or when you find one. What to consider when you have a child.
[ Lost A Pet? ]
Search your local area and house thoroughly - small dogs can fit into tight spaces such as under houses.
Make sure that you GO IN PERSONALLY to all pounds and shelters even if they are miles from your home. Dogs can and do travel long distances. Calling the pound is not good enough - there are hundreds of dogs admitted into pounds every day, and you can not rely on pound staff to have seen your dog. They also may have listed your dog as a different breed; therefore when pound staff look on their computer system - your dog may not come up. You must visit each pound at least once a week, as most dogs are only held for eight days. When you visit the pound, enquire if they have a sick and injured section, and make sure your dog is not being held there.
Distribute flyers in your local area, put posters on lamp posts, in the windows of local businesses, vets, groomers, pet shops, animal shelters and pounds, obedience and dog clubs, doggy day care centres, do a local door knock (leave your name and number), walk the local neighbourhood and talk to every person you see, email a poster to every person you know, and ask them to then email it on to as many people as possible.
Put ads in the lost and found section of local and national newspapers. Some radio stations will advertise your lost dog for you.
Search internet sites specifically for lost and found pets:
- www.lostdogs.com.au
- www.doglost.com.au
- www.petalert.com.
- www.dogs4sale.com.au (go to the noticeboard)
- www.dogzonline.com.au (go to forums and lost and found)
Call or visit all vets in your area. Take a photo of your pet. Walk the streets calling your dog’s name, dogs have very powerful hearing. Be quiet and listen often as well.
Leave an email address if possible as well as a telephone number. If someone thinks they have sighted your dog, they may be reluctant to ring in case it is a false alarm. They are more likely to drop you a quick email.
Contact the local council to see if they have records of your dog being found, or a dead body having been found on the roads.
Contact agencies such as:
- Pet Search: wwww.petsearch.com.au
