What to do if your dog has gone missing.
First, don't panic!
Before you start frantically phoning people up, take a few minutes to collect some information together.
Write down a detailed description of your dog, then you can use this description whenever you are have to describe the dog to other people. (Suggestions for a good description can be found in the first topic).
Find a recent clear photo of your dog. It has to be clear so that you can copy it for posters and to send it over the internet.
Then you will need to contact these people. Don't just confine this to your immediate area but cover the larger surrounding area as well. Stray dogs can end up miles away from home because of shortage of kennel space. It's quite amazing where they can end up.
* The dog wardens for your area and the surrounding areas
* The police especially if the dog was stolen, in which case, MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET A CRIME NUMBER! Dogs are property just like your video, TV and jewelry, so the police HAVE to act if a dog is stolen. Don't be put off insist on your rights!
* The local stray pounds and any rescue centers in the area
* All the local vets
* Local radio, TV and newspapers
*The local Highways or Refuse dept. of your council (in case of a road traffic accident).
* As many dog people as you know (and get them to pass the word around)
* Organisations such as Lurcher Search UK, Petsearch and the Lost Dogs UK Site. (Contact details can be found in the next topic)
Often what leads to success in getting your dog back is the use of posters. Make up a poster with the brief, description of the dog and the area it went missing from, plus a photo if possible. Get these photocopied and stick them up everywhere that you can think of ie local shops, vets, pet food suppliers, village halls, community centers, libraries, schools, post offices etc. The more people that see it, the greater the chance of finding your dog. Also if someone has taken your dog in then it makes it more difficult for him or her to keep it. If you are offering a reward then don't put how much on there. Oh and don't give out a full description on the posters. Keep something back ie a small scar or broken tooth that kind of thing. So that when you get phone calls you can use the information to find out if the person actually does have your dog or is one of those sad sickos that gets a kick out of upsetting people. I wouldn't put the dogs name on it either.
Remember that the stray pounds only have to keep a dog for 7 days and then they can be rehomed, sent to a rescue or put to sleep. If the dogs are sent on to a rescue then they can be sent all over the country. They may travel hundreds of miles to a rescue centre and then a new home. Once rehomed it's hard to get a dog back. So you have to move very quickly and keep the area in which you are searching wide.
First, don't panic!
Before you start frantically phoning people up, take a few minutes to collect some information together.
Write down a detailed description of your dog, then you can use this description whenever you are have to describe the dog to other people. (Suggestions for a good description can be found in the first topic).
Find a recent clear photo of your dog. It has to be clear so that you can copy it for posters and to send it over the internet.
Then you will need to contact these people. Don't just confine this to your immediate area but cover the larger surrounding area as well. Stray dogs can end up miles away from home because of shortage of kennel space. It's quite amazing where they can end up.
* The dog wardens for your area and the surrounding areas
* The police especially if the dog was stolen, in which case, MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET A CRIME NUMBER! Dogs are property just like your video, TV and jewelry, so the police HAVE to act if a dog is stolen. Don't be put off insist on your rights!
* The local stray pounds and any rescue centers in the area
* All the local vets
* Local radio, TV and newspapers
*The local Highways or Refuse dept. of your council (in case of a road traffic accident).
* As many dog people as you know (and get them to pass the word around)
* Organisations such as Lurcher Search UK, Petsearch and the Lost Dogs UK Site. (Contact details can be found in the next topic)
Often what leads to success in getting your dog back is the use of posters. Make up a poster with the brief, description of the dog and the area it went missing from, plus a photo if possible. Get these photocopied and stick them up everywhere that you can think of ie local shops, vets, pet food suppliers, village halls, community centers, libraries, schools, post offices etc. The more people that see it, the greater the chance of finding your dog. Also if someone has taken your dog in then it makes it more difficult for him or her to keep it. If you are offering a reward then don't put how much on there. Oh and don't give out a full description on the posters. Keep something back ie a small scar or broken tooth that kind of thing. So that when you get phone calls you can use the information to find out if the person actually does have your dog or is one of those sad sickos that gets a kick out of upsetting people. I wouldn't put the dogs name on it either.
Remember that the stray pounds only have to keep a dog for 7 days and then they can be rehomed, sent to a rescue or put to sleep. If the dogs are sent on to a rescue then they can be sent all over the country. They may travel hundreds of miles to a rescue centre and then a new home. Once rehomed it's hard to get a dog back. So you have to move very quickly and keep the area in which you are searching wide.
