We all know how stressful it can be to lose a pet, whether it’s yours or someone’s you are watching, it can be nerve wrecking and devastating. No matter how smart or trained your dog is, it will always be a horrible experience or feeling to the owner.
We are sure that here in Arizona - a lot of pet owners experience this too. We are going to share with you as much information as possible to ensure that you are as prepared as you can possibly be when you lose your pet with this go-to resource!
FLYERS
Start handing out flyers to friends, neighbors, local businesses (like groomers, vet clinics, etc) as soon as you can.
Our first recommendation to making an effective flyer is to get a good picture and start making your lost pet sign to distribute! This will be handy to post on social media, send electronically via email and to print and post up in the area your pet was lost.
There is a website that has templates you can use that can help save you time and help you take action fast. I found a great one HERE that has everything you need. You just simply enter in all your info and the picture of your pet. If you choose not to go this route, what I have found to be most important and helpful to have on any flyer is the following:
- picture of your pet
- date last seen
- area last seen
- contact info if found
CONTACT LOCAL PET SITES
Contacting local deceased animal pickups or any animal shelter that could’ve possibly seen or have your pet, would be your next step.
We know contacting local deceased animal pickups is not what you would think to do first, but read on. Every city has their own agency in which they use. Talk to them first. We say this because often times deceased animals will be immediately cremated or (per Arizona law) taken straight to the landfill. What this means in most instances is that if the pet does not have a collar on, most pickup companies will NOT check for a microchip.
Another reason why is most drivers for these agencies pick up quite a few deceased animals per day. It is not always easy for them to remember if they picked up your pet if you ask them a week later. Exhaust this avenue within the first 24 hours.
We have a full list of these agencies at our disposal, and we have it in a PDF document. Please email me us to get this emailed to you.
We also recommend checking out the Maricopa County Animal Care & Control website. They have an interactive search tool that can help you see where they have picked up stray dogs as well as a website called PetHarbor which will show pictures of the dogs they have picked up as well as dates. They have a stray hold period that lasts about 3 days in order to give the owners ample enough time to try and get their pet back. Also keep an eye out for sites like Craigslist. People who have found strays will usually post there as well.
USE SOCIAL MEDIA
Countless of times we’ve seen lost pets or even people get found on social media. Sites like Facebook have helped greatly for owners who have lost their pet. I have seen a great community of animal lovers and rescuers come together to help each other out. It is a great tool that many take for granted when you have a pet missing. There are specific pages dedicated to posting lost and found dogs.
Many people help each other out and keep an eye out for possible matches. If you do not have Facebook, ask a friend to help post on your behalf. Here are just a few of the pages, just be cognizant of each page’s guidelines:
Lost Dogs of Arizona: you can post your lost dog here or if you found one you can post here too. Straydar: you can post your lost dog here or if you found one you can post here too.
Lost Cats of Arizona: you can post your lost cat here or if you found one you can post here too.
We are not the foremost expert, but we have been part of the rescue community so we sincerely hope you find this informative and that it helps you when you need it.