|
Pages: [1]
|
 |
|
Author
|
Topic: IF YOUR DOG IS MISSING ,INFORMATION AND ADVICE (Read 1762 times)
|
|
|
alfiesmummy
Owner
Hero Member
Posts: 3566
Founder/Owner/ Editorials/ Petwatch co-ordinator
|
HOW TO FIND A MISSING DOG
- The first thing to do when searching for a lost dog is to confirm that your dog is actually lost. Dogs, especially curious breeds, can easily find an interesting place in your backyard to investigate for quite some time. Often no amount of calling your dog's name will distract him from finding out what exactly is moving under that bucket by the fence. Search every corner of your residence before venturing out looking for your lost dog.
- Once you've determined that your dog has definitely left your residence, don't pack up the whole family in an effort to search for the dog. Often dogs will return soon after their departure. You'll want someone at home to contact the others in the event that your dog wanders back home soon after the search party leaves.
- Lost pets don't usually go far. They're curious animals that like to look and sniff around. It's more likely for a dog to be a few blocks away than a few miles away. So stick close to home for the first part of your search. Be sure to check all the streets in your neighborhood. Talking to other dog owners you see is a good idea as either their dog or the owner himself might have seen your dog. It's more likely that a dog owner will notice a wandering dog than someone who is not a dog lover.
PLEASE TAKE NOTE....... if you see your dog in the distance, DO NOT GO RUNNING AFTER IT SCREAMING, YOUR DOG WILL THINK THAT THIS IS A GAME, just follow the dog and try to get the dog to a safe place away from any danger, THEN CALMLY APPROACH THE DOG. GOOD LUCK.
WHO TO CONTACT IF YOUR DOG IS STOLEN
Your local police station
Local Dog Warden (through local council)
Nearby animal rescue centres & charities such as RSPCA
Local vets
Ask your local postman/ milkman to keep an eye out
Petfinders – if your dog is microchipped
Missing Pets Bureau
Pet Hunters
Dogrescuepages
Lostyourpet
national petsregister
foundandlostpets
Put posters up around your local area – always put mobile numbers on, not your home number
Local press – try and get your local newspaper to feature a picture of your missing dog and its details
If someone calls to say they have found your pet do not go alone to meet them
Main possibilities - Dogs
Dogs do not often get trapped in sheds etc like cats but they do stray sometimes. They can walk a long way if this happens. It is more unusual to see a dog without an owner than a cat by itself. For this reason it is more likely that they are going to be picked up by the following people:- · Member of the public that takes them to the police station · Council Dog Warden · Local animal shelters We recommend that you ring every police station within 10 miles of your house and write down whom you speak to. They are more likely to take full details if you obtain their name at the start of the conversation. Contact vetsIt is always worth ringing as many vets as you can. We recommend not only you ring your own vet but others in the area. If someone has found your pet injured they may not have taken it to your vet but another they know themselves. Make sure that you make a list of which you have telephoned so that you can double check you have contacted them all. You can find a list of vets and police stations by using www.Yell.com then typing in your postcode with whatever you are looking for. The two week waitEvery year hundreds of cats get trapped in neighbours houses on the day that they go on holiday for two weeks. It is amazing how many owners report to us that their cat returned after exactly two weeks and the only explanation is that they were in someone's house. ScentLeave something with your scent on it outside your house, if your pet has maybe had a shock and ran off they may have become disorientated and the scent from a pair of your socks/a worn t-shirt may help them find their bearings. You could also leave their bedding outside too (it will have their own scent on it). Vacuum cleanerSome people recommend that you empty the contents of your Hoover in a corner of your garden. The dust will have hairs and scent that your missing pet may smell and as a result find their way home. This is particularly important with house cats that are lost. Inform peopleThe more people that you tell about your pet the more likely someone will be able to help. We recommend you tell the following people: Postman, milkman, paperboy/girl, taxi drivers, local bus drivers, cub scout groups, girl guides/ brownies etc, youth groups, pizza delivery drivers, window cleaners. Local BusesIf there is a bus that drives past your house or nearby, put a poster up inside so people on the bus can have a look as they travel past. Give your phone number to the driver on pieces of paper and mention this on the poster so he/she can give them out to the passengers. RewardIf a reward is offered then this will act as an incentive for people to keep an eye out for your pet. If your pet has been stolen then consult the police before paying a reward. Fire BrigadeThis is important in case they have rescued your pet from somewhere. They may have taken it to one of their homes or maybe a vet further away. Police stationAll police forces in England and Wales will take details of missing dogs and found dogs. However they do not have to take details of missing cats. It is still worth ringing them in case you speak to a helpful officer that will keep an eye out in your area for you. PostersIf your pet is insured then there is a good chance that the company will pay for advertising and rewards. To take advantage of this please read on. Posters are a good way of informing people but if you pin them to trees etc, you may find that people take them down. The best places to put posters are inside shop windows, pet shops, veterinary surgeries, school notice boards, and community centres, inside local buses if possible. Whenever possible include a photo on the posters. PUT POSTERS IN CAR WINDOWS
"We have found that quite often posters get taken down by children or other unhelpful individuals if they are put on trees and lampposts etc. - to stop this happening we recommend that you ask car owners to place your posters in their cars visible by pedestrians in your neighbourhood. This eliminates this problem straight away!" Local NewspapersPlace an ad in your local lost and found column. BBC Local radioSometimes local radio stations will broadcast details of missing pets, your local station can be found in your phone book. Check parks and woodland. When a pet is scared they will often seek out places away from traffic etc, inform the park keeper and council workers Contact local estate agentsTo see if anybody has moved house in your area on the day the pet went missing. They may have jumped into a removal van. Pizza Delivery DriversYou will be surprised how vigilant people can be when there is a reward on offer, most built up areas have a pizza company that delivers to local houses. Take a photo of your pet with your phone number printed on pieces of paper to the take-away. The drivers will have a mobile telephone they can call you on when they are out during the evening. It is during the evening that your pet will be walking about looking for food etc. Dog-owners- Council Dog WardenEvery council in Britain has a dog warden that will pick up dogs found roaming the streets so please make sure you ring the council as soon as you can. They should scan every dog they find for a microchip but these are not always 100% effective. Help us to help youIf you can think of any method not mentioned in our advice pack then please call us to tell us, with your help we can assist other pet owners in the future that are in the unfortunate situation of having a missing pet.
|
|
|
|
« Last Edit: December 11, 2007, 11:58:24 AM by K9 »
|
Logged
|
THANKYOU FOR SUPPORTING ALFIE AND "OUR" SITE. DEDICATED TO HELPING LOST DOGS AND DOGS IN NEED.
Justine is Alfie's mummy and Mummy to many X
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
K9
Chris
Owner
Hero Member
Posts: 7187
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DOG RELATED MAGAZINES
Please contact the following with a photo of your missing dog along with information. They will be able to print your story.
Our Dogs - Tel: 0870 731 6500, email: editor@ourdogs.co.uk, website: www.ourdogs.co.uk
Dog World - Tel: 01233 621 877, email: editor@dogworld.co.uk, website: www.dogworld.co.uk
K9 Magazine - Tel: 08700 114 115, email: mail@k9magazine.com, website: www.k9magazine.com
Dogs Today - Tel: 01276 85 88 80, email: enquiries@dogstodaymagazine.co.uk, website: www.dogstodaymagazine.co.uk
Dogs Monthly - Tel: 0870 730 8433, email: acc@rtc-mail.org.uk, website: www.dogsmonthly.co.uk
Your Dog - Tel: 01780 766 199, email: l.leftley@bournepublishinggroup.co.uk, website: www.yourdog.co.uk
The Stafford Magazine - email: editor@thestafford.co.uk, website: www.thestafford.co.uk
|
|
|
|
« Last Edit: September 25, 2007, 04:35:09 PM by K9 »
|
Logged
|
He is your friend,your partner, your defender,Your Dog! You are his life,his love,his leader! He will be yours,faithful and true to the last beat of his heart! You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion!
SAVING ONE DOG MAY NOT CHANGE THE WORLD BUT IT SURE WILL CHANGE THE WORLD FOR THAT ONE DOG!
|
|
|
K9
Chris
Owner
Hero Member
Posts: 7187
|
LOST YOUR DOG?
While out walking, dogs can wander off. They usually retrace their route back to where they left you but you could well have moved on. If a dog has visited the area before it usually knows the route home so it will often return home or to your car before you unless someone intercepts it.
If your dog has been missing for more than 12 hours you need to start checking with the Police, Dog Warden, vets and rescue organisations.
YOU ONLY HAVE 7 DAYS
You have 7 days to find your dog before it is put up for re-homing or destroyed.
If you trace your dog after that time for example in a rescue centre it is usually cheaper to adopt the dog since the fines will total more than the rescue are asking for it.
POLICE
It is a legal requirement that a 'found' dog is reported to the Police. Unfortunately, some local police stations are not interested in lost dogs and may not even keep a record of lost and found dogs reported to them. You can phone them in the first instance but if they have no trace of the dog you should write down as much detail of your dog as you can and give it to all the police stations in your area. Visit them several times at different times of the day. If your dog has been found and reported to them you may need to talk to the person that it was reported to who may only be there at a certain time of day.
The police usually only keep the dogs a few hours before passing it on to a local Dog Warden or Rescue organisation.
Do not assume that because your dog is fitted with an identification micro-chip that the Police will be able to trace it back to you. Some Police stations do not have chip readers and those that do may not read the latest version of micro-chip.
We suggest you make sure to get a Crime Number from the Police so your loss is logged on their computer. And remember that dogs come under the Sale of Goods Act and are therefore a chattel or 'good' which makes the theft of a dog equal to having your car, watch, wallet etc. stolen.
If you believe your dog has been stolen and find the Police less than helpful, you can always write to your MP, c/o House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA. So many dogs ARE stolen these days that it might help others if the scale of the problem is brought to the attention of authorities.
DOG WARDEN
Dog Wardens are employed by the local council and usually keep stray dogs for 7 days and then pass them to a rescue centre that could be many miles from where the dog was lost. Binfield Dog Rescue re-homes dogs from council pounds up to 150 miles away. If there is no room at any local rescue centre the dog could be destroyed. Leave details of your lost dog with your local dog warden and with dog wardens of neighbouring areas. Ask them where they send stray dogs after 7 days.
VETS
Vets will usually treat an injured dog if they can. They will then pass it along to their preferred Rescue Organisation that could be 50-100 miles from where you lost your dog. Leave details of your dog with all the local vets and ask them where they send stray dogs.
RESCUE CENTRES
The Police or a member of the public may take your dog directly to a rescue centre. This could be 50-100 miles from where you lost the dog. Check the yellow pages for rescue centres and leave details of your lost dog with them along with several contact numbers (home, work, mobile and/or a person who is likely to be in most of the time). Ask them for details of any other rescue organisations they know of. Don't let them put you off by saying they don't receive dogs from your area. Give them the information anyway.
MICROCHIPS
This system works like the registration plate on a car. The microchip is a transponder that is about the size of a grain of rice and is injected under the skin usually in the scruff of the neck. When a detector is placed near the chip it transmits an identification code. This code is then passed to Petlog (the dog version of the DVLC Swansea), they check the database and tell the finder whom to contact regarding the dog. If your dog moves house you just update the database - you don't have to remove the microchip. Most vets and many rescue centres can fit these for £15-£30. Microchips are not a substitute for a tag since very few people carry a chip reader in their pocket! If your dog ends up with a dog warden you are more likely to get it back if it is microchipped. A microchip can also be used to prove that the dog is yours if ownership is disputed.
TAG YOUR DOG
Make sure your dog has attached to it a tag that has on it your house and street number, your postcode, and phone numbers of people who can be contacted during the day. Tags are better than containers because containers tend to unscrew and fall off. Tags are also easier to read when wet.
FOUND DOGS
If your dog has been found it could be many miles away. Some people who find dogs may keep them for several weeks before deciding to hand them over to a rescue centre!
THINGS TO DO IF YOUR DOG IS MISSING
• Don't assume someone is going to find the dog and return it to you.
• Don't assume that the Police, Dog Warden, Vet, Rescue Organisation will inform you if they find your dog even if it does have a collar tag or micro-chip.
• There is no central list of lost dogs. Give the details of your dog to all the Police stations, Vets, Dog Wardens and Rescue Centres within at least a 50 mile radius of where you lost your dog.
• Ask at all the local newsagents and Post Offices near to where you lost the dog in case someone has mentioned it.
• Check with the drivers at the taxi rank. They drive around the local area day and night so are likely to see stray dogs wandering about.
• Make up some posters preferably with a colour photograph (find someone with a computer and colour printer or a colour photocopier). Give these to the postman and milkman in the area. They cover the area slowly so are likely to see stray dogs wandering about.
• If there are farms near where you lost the dog check whether your dog has been seen. Ask to check outbuildings, barns, etc as these are comforting places for a dog to shelter.
• Keep checking with the above even if you have done so several times already.
• Put your dogs' details on the lost and found databases on the web
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
He is your friend,your partner, your defender,Your Dog! You are his life,his love,his leader! He will be yours,faithful and true to the last beat of his heart! You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion!
SAVING ONE DOG MAY NOT CHANGE THE WORLD BUT IT SURE WILL CHANGE THE WORLD FOR THAT ONE DOG!
|
|
|
K9
Chris
Owner
Hero Member
Posts: 7187
|
Posters will be on each dogs page so please save and print out. Distribute these to your local vets ,kennels ,PDSA,RSPCA etc. If you need posters sent to you by post please let us know if you cannot print them yourself. Also if you require 4 to a page to hand out as fliers to walkers and to post through doors , utility services such as dustmen etc and cannot do these yourself. Helpers please print these posters out and distribute for our owners of missing dogs.
If there is not a poster on a dogs page please inform us and this will be done for you. Please also keep us informed of any changes that need to be made ie. contact details ,sightings or ages, Chrisk9
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
He is your friend,your partner, your defender,Your Dog! You are his life,his love,his leader! He will be yours,faithful and true to the last beat of his heart! You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion!
SAVING ONE DOG MAY NOT CHANGE THE WORLD BUT IT SURE WILL CHANGE THE WORLD FOR THAT ONE DOG!
|
|
|
|
Pages: [1]
|
|
|
|
|
