Missing Pets

Kare Romanski, Director of Missing Pet Recovery Services, talks with us about how many pets escape during the July 4th weekend due to fear of fireworks, backyard barbecues where the gate gets left open, and other causes. Find out how to secure your pet and make the Independence Day festivities as safe as possible for Fido. Also, hear about a ground-breaking program in North Carolina that places volunteers and search-and-rescue personnel on watch for escapees during the July 4th weekend. Call with your questions, and find out how to start a program in your area.

www.missingpetrecoveryservices.org

Call 704-773-0706

More than 2 million pets are lost or stolen from American homes each year. The average recovery rate is 30% to 60%.

What do to if your dog runs away:

1. Check your bushes, garage, under vehicles and other small den-like areas on your property to see if your dog is frightened and hiding.

   One website, www.k9sardog.com, claims that they find 15% of dogs still on the owner's property.

2. Most dogs are recovered within 2 miles of their home. Put signs up in your neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods with a current, clear picture of your dog. Offer a reward. Put flyers on peoples' doors.

3. Notify the local police department and give the patrol officer a few flyers so that he can a) help you look and contact you if he finds the dog, b) notify dispatch so that if neighbors see you lurking around the houses and yards, they can know in advance what you're up to, and c) he can give the info to the officer who will be patrolling on the next shift.

4. Look in areas where your dog is likely to find food, protective shelter, other dogs, or water.

5. People take lost pets to local veterinarians, police stations, shelters, animal hospitals, kennels, groomers, even pet stores. Make sure all local places where your pet might turn up have your poster.

6. Put an ad in the paper right away. Put ads in both the daily paper and any weekly community papers that your local towns might publish.

7. Look online for local shelter websites. They often post found dogs on their web pages. A website called pets911 lets people post free lost and found ads for pets. Do a Google search; there may be more websites like that one. The Humane Society recommends that lost pet owners send shelters within a 60-mile radius a picture of their dogs, along with details for returning him/her if someone should bring your dog to them.

8. Don't forget to read the local papers to see if there's a FOUND DOG ad for your dog.

9. See if there's a pet search-and-rescue operation in your town. Beware of paying high fees to private SAR teams; look for volunteer teams or get a recommendation from your shelter.

Here are some more websites with great tips:

• http://www.wikihow.com/Find-a-Lost-Dog

• http://www.petrescue.com/library/find-pet.htm

• http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/finding_a_lost_pet.html

• http://www.petfinder.com/journal/index.cgi?article=831

• http://www.missingpet.net/advice/index.html

• http://www.bestfriends.org/theanimals/pdfs/allpets/findinglostpet.pdf

• http://www.1888pets911.org/animal-academy/lost-pet-prevention/

Pet recovery certification courses and MAR Technician certifications are available through Kat Albrecht. Learn more at  missingpetpartnership.com

Calming products can include bach flower essences and a commercial preparation called Calm Down liquid. Follow directions carefully. It only takes a tiny amount to be effective; do not over-dose.

Home Again micro chipping services (others are Vantage, Avid, 24 Pet Watch). TIP: Don't just get the chip implanted ... be sure to go online and register so the vet or volunteer who scans the chip can connect the dog to you.

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