The Best Ways to Find Lost Pets

More than 10 million pets are lost in the United States every year. Out of them, many end up in animal shelters. Not only that but some are never found.

With that said, there are things that you can do to increase your chances of finding your pet.

Interested? Looking for some tips on how to find lost pets? If so, you’ve stumbled on the right page.

We’ll be going over everything that you need to know in our guide below. Keep reading to learn more!

Search Your Home and Neighborhood 

Ask your family members or roommates when they last saw your pet. Search your home carefully; check under beds, sofas, and in dark places such as closets (just in case they’re sleeping or hiding somewhere).

Once you’re sure they’re not in or around the home, check the neighborhood. Take a slow walk or ride around the area and ask any neighbors or delivery people if they’ve seen your pet.

Make sure to bring a recent photo with you so that you can show them what they look like.

And don’t forget to check under shrubs, porches, and decks. You can also ask your neighbors if you can search their properties. Most indoor cats will become frightened when outdoors and will find a place to hide near the home.

For example, it’s not uncommon for them to end up in a neighbor’s garage or shed.

As for dogs, they’re typically recovered within a two-mile radius of the house. Assuming that they’re outgoing, they might go to a neighbor’s yard or a local park. Older or shy pups may hide in bushes or under cars.

Contact Local Shelters, Animal Control, and Veterinary Clinics

Report your missing pet to every animal shelter within a 15-mile radius of your home. If you can visit them daily. Take photos of your pet and distribute them to the staff. Some shelters may also post found animals on their websites so be sure to check regularly.

If there are no shelters near your home or if you suspect that your pet was stolen, call the police.

Also, you may want to visit or call your local city pound. Ask if there’s an animal that matches your pet’s description.

It’s also a good idea to check veterinary clinics and animal hospitals. If your pet was found injured, chances are, they’ll be taken there.

Post to Social Media 

Let people know about your lost pet on social media. For example, you can post on Facebook or Twitter. Make sure to include a photo and details such as the time of the incident and the area in which they went missing. Encourage your friends, family, and colleagues to share the information on their page.

You can also reach out to local “Lost Pet” Facebook pages where they post about lost dogs and lost cats. Let the administrators know about your pet and see if they can share the information on the page. That way, it’ll reach more people.

If you want, you can also create your own Facebook page for your lost pet. Share it across your social networks and ask for help spreading the word.

Search Online 

There are websites dedicated to finding lost pets. For example, there’s Petco Love Lost, which utilizes pet facial recognition technology to find lost animals. All you have to do is upload an image of your pet to the database and it’ll automatically scan the system for your pet.

There’s also Zulutails, which uses new innovative technology to reunite missing pets with their owners (visit this website to learn more). 

Another option is to post on the ‘Lost and Found’ section on Craigslist. With that said, there are a few precautions that you want to take. For one thing, you don’t want to list your home address in the ad.

Also, it’s a good idea to withhold a small amount of information about your pet. That way, you can ask the potential finder about any identifying marks; that’ll help weed out any scammers.

Tip: Don’t reply to anyone who asks for a verification code to verify your post—it’s a scam.

Create a “Lost Pet” Flyer 

Create a lost pet flyer. Make sure that the headline is big and bold so that people can easily read it from a distance. Include a recent photo and list the breed, coloring, sex, age, and weight. Also, write down when and where they were last seen.

And at the bottom, provide your contact information. You can also offer a reward—that might attract more attention. To protect the flyer from the weather, you can cover the paper with clear packing tape. 

Post them at eye level around your neighborhood so that people can easily see them. For example, you can put them up on telephone poles, bus stops, or lamp posts. You can also post them around schools—children tend to be more observant than adults, especially when it comes to animals.

Knowing How to Find Lost Pets

There are several steps that you can take to find lost pets. It might take some time, but it’s possible—even animals who have been lost for months or years have been reunited with their families!

Did you find this post helpful? For more tips like this, check out the rest of our pet care section!