What to do if you have a lost dog
If you have
lost a dog or other pet, take the following steps immediately:
Make Telephone
calls:
Call
the Screven County Animal Control Officer (978-1491), FoSCA (564-0005
or 564-5869) and humane societies in all neighboring counties. Lost dogs
can travel up to 10 miles a day. You can also email us the information
at Lisa.Guidos@friendsofscrevencountyanimals.org Call
your neighbors and keep them on the lookout for your pet. Call
all nearby vet clinics and animal hospitals. Call
the vet that is listed on your dog's rabies tag.
Visit local
shelters:
Don't
just call the nearby shelters, but visit them every day. Shelters are
hectic places, and staff may not be able to search every kennel, or they
may not recognize your pet from your description. At the shelters be sure
to check any isolation kennels. Most shelters are forced to euthanise
unclaimed pets every 3 days to make room for more strays.
Make sure you check the shelters in surrounding counties,
too. Dogs can travel great distances. Also, sometimes folks will pick
up an animal and take to a shelter in another county.
Advertise:
Run
a 'lost dog' ad in local newspapers. Check
the 'found dog' ads in the local papers every day. Put
up large flyers in your neighborhood and on all major roads in the greater
vicinity giving a brief description of your pet and the date lost. Include
a reward if you can. |
Prevention
Here are ways to make sure your dog doesn't get lost:
Identification tags:
Microchips:
Microchips are about the size of a grain of rice
and are implanted under the loose skin on your dog’s shoulder. These chips contain identification information
that can be read by scanners that are found in animal shelters, vet offices,
and rescue groups around the country. When the chip is implanted in your
dog, you register the chips number/letter code and your contact information
with the microchip company’s registry. The code number will then be recorded
in a shared database that can be accessed by the organization using the
scanner.
Prepare a LOST DOG kit:
Include recent pictures of your dog (both paper
photos and electronic photo files for Internet posting), ready-to-post
LOST DOG flyers with your dog’s photo and an accurate written description
of your dog, and a phone number where you can be reached at any time.
Close off areas of possible escape:
Check your home to ensure that there aren’t any
open doors, windows, or gates that your dog could slip through. Check around your yard fences to make sure there
aren’t any craters or tunnels under your fences that lead to the world
outside. If your dog is small, remember that he may be able to squeeze
through very tight places to make his escape.
Check your dog’s leash and collar:
A loose collar, broken leash fastener, or threadbare
leash could allow your dog to get loose when you’re out for a walk and
he gives it a tug. Invest in a quality leash and collar—and make
sure you use them properly. |
