Can you help? We're lost!

If you have a lost pet, send me an email. I'll post the picture and write-up here. In the mean time, here are some tips.


LOST DOGS

Bandit





Missing since September 1st, from Windsor area Brown & white (some black) Sheltie ( Little Collie/Lassie type) Please DO NOT approach or chase, very shy and scared may run away. If seen, please call: 798-3033, 798-4537, 792-7036, 792-8001, or 798-0822 REWARD OFFERED

 


 

LOST CATS


Tango






REWARD-LOST CAT-Tango was last seen at 545B Brookside Rd. on Sep. 2. She is a tabby with white paws and belly. She LOVES people and has been known to wander into homes and/or cars and/or sheds/garages. She will also run up a tree if frightened, so please check your property and look in the treetops. If you have ANY information please call Lynn. Home: (902)850-2889 Cell: (902)412-0392

 

Preventing a lost pet

To avoid the stress of looking for a lost pet, here are a few things to keep in mind.
  • Be extremely vigilant when you are in unfamiliar situations. For example, if you are having work done in your house or yard and a door or gate is propped open, confine your pet to a safe area where you know he won’t get out. If you are on vacation with your pet, make sure he is wearing the proper size collar so he won’t slip out of it when you are out for a walk.
  • Periodically check your fence where an animal can slip out. If your dog likes to dig, fill in the holes near any fences. It may not look very deep now, but if he digs more tomorrow it may be big enough for him to fit through. If you have a wooden fence, check for missing or broken planks.
  • Crate or buckle your dog in the car. If you get into an accident a dog that is loose in the car may be thrown or at the very least, frightened by the accident. If they are crated or buckled in, they are less likely to be thrown or flee the scene out of fear.
  • Teach your dog some commands. Trainers consider "come" the most important command to teach your dog. If he associates "come" with his favorite treat or toy, even if he is chasing after something exciting, like a leaf, he will stop and come back to you. However, it takes time to build up to a reliable recall. Another tactic is to try "sit." Many dogs master "sit" before anything else, and know that good things happen when they sit. If he doesn't respond to "come" try "sit" instead.

Increase Your Pet's Chance of Coming Home

Even the most vigilant person has to look away for a moment and that can be when your pet sees his chance to take off exploring. If your pet does get out, this will help him get home.

  • License your pet. This works a little different in each community, but basically you are registering your pet with your local animal control agency (whether it is city or county run). If your pet gets picked up by animal control, they can search their records and find you. If you aren't sure who handles animal control in your area, ask your vet. Important: some communities issue new license numbers every year and purge the records from the previous year. Make sure you update your pet's license when it expires. Also remember to update your address and phone number if you move!
  • Give them a name tag. Sometimes a kind person will find your pet. If your pet has your phone number on them, the person can call you and save your pet - and you - a trip to the shelter. An alternate to this is a collar with your phone number written directly on it. You can even order collars that are embroidered with your phone number! Again, remember to keep this information up-to-date if you move or change your phone number.
  • Have them microchipped. It sounds vaguely "big brother-ish" but microchipping may be your pet’s last resort. If his tags fall off and then he slips out of his collar, how will he get home? A microchip is small, like a grain of rice, and designed to stay put, usually between the shoulder blades. Most vets and shelters have scanners so they can scan your pet, retrieve your information and send your pet home to you.

The importance of microchips was reinforced recently when a family lost their dog and she ended up at the vet’s. Turns out she had been hit by a car and no one could find any of her IDs. If she had not been microchipped, she may not have gotten the treatment she needed. Luckily, she is now recovering at home and will be just fine.

What To Do When Searching For Your Lost Pet

Losing a pet is very stressful, but don't panic. You need to stay calm to help your pet find his way home. Here is a check list of what you can do when you realize your pet is missing.

  • Create flyers with a picture (if available) and brief description of your pet. Post them at stores, vet offices, groomers, and anywhere else that will let you put one up. Make sure to include a phone number that is always available.
  • Talk to your mail carrier, newspaper delivery person or anyone who is regularly in your neighborhood.
  • Go door-to-door to your neighbors with a flyer and ask if they have seen your pet. Some neighbors may be willing to help look.
  • Put an ad in your local newspaper(s).
  • Look for your pet in unusual places around your home, including outside storm drains and ditches.
  • In many cases, pets don't go very far. It is not uncommon for a house cat, for example, to get scared and hide in the neighbor's bushes, too afraid to come out. So be sure to thoroughly search your immediate area before concentrating on areas farther away.
  • If you have to go to work, or to sleep, you can leave out your pet's favorite food in a dish, luring him with the scent. If you prefer not to leave out food, since it may attract other animals, try leaving a T-shirt or blanket with your scent or your pet's scent. Animals have a much more sensitive sense of smell than humans and it is possible for them to smell it from a distance.
  • Put a message on your answering machine/voice mail that says, "If you are calling about our lost pet, we are out looking for him/at work/sleeping (or whatever the case may be). Please call us on our cell phone at 555-555-5555."
  • If you believe your pet was stolen, contact the police or sheriff to file a police report.
  • Contact the veterinarians in your area. Let them know your dog is missing, and if he or she is turned in to their office and needs care, you will pay whatever amount (or up to a certain amount) to take whatever measures are needed to save his or her life. Give them your phone numbers in case they need to call you to confirm identity or if they need a credit card to start treatment.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, continue to visit your local shelters every day. Don't rely on the kennel attendant's description of an animal; what is brown to one person can be red to another, or tan to yet another. Check the shelters for yourself!