“I can’t find my dog” is a sentence no dog owner ever wants to say, but it happens. Your dog could get lost while hiking, after getting scared by a loud noise downtown or escaping the yard after a gate has been left open. “When you notice your dog has disappeared, panic can set in and you will not think clearly”, says Michelle Sevigny, founder of DOGSAFE Canine First Aid and author of Operation Find Fido: How to Find a Lost Dog Fast, “so it is essential that you have a written action plan before it happens”.
Sevigny, a former Vancouver police officer, further suggests that you only use dog professionals that are prepared for lost dog situations. “Ask your dog professional if they have a written plan and to explain it to you in detail,” emphasizes Sevigny, “losing a dog is a potential risk for all dog professionals, whether through accident or negligence, and it needs to be a high priority in their emergency planning”.
Sevigny suggests attending a workshop for full training but offers the following tips to help people get their dogs home fast:
1. Design “Lost Dog” flyers in advance so you can start your search immediately. Use “Lost Dog” as your heading and add your dog’s name, breed and description if unusual or a mix breed, plus contact phone numbers. Include two colour photos that accurately portray your dog, a head shot and full body shot. Write “still missing” for date last seen and leave a blank space for “last location seen” and add “but could be anywhere”. Add “do not chase” and write that although your dog may be friendly, while lost, the dog could be cautious and chasing puts the dog at risk. The goal of posting flyers is to get reported sightings to allow you to focus your search, not to have your dog captured by strangers.
2. Remain at the last place your dog was seen and have a volunteer replace you before you leave in case your dog returns. Have a volunteer stay at the most likely places your dog may return to such as the trail entrance, your home or your car.
3. As soon as possible, conduct a thorough search around the area where your dog was last seen using as many volunteers as possible. Stop periodically to listen, especially if in the bush, as an injured dog may hide from view. Flashlights are essential at night as an injured dog may purposely hide.
4. Post Lost Dog flyers everywhere including community centres, schools, shopping centres, dog parks, hair salons, medical offices, bus stops and anywhere people browse or wait; and keep track of where you have posted flyers. Give copies of flyers to willing newspaper delivery people, school crossing guards, postal workers, couriers, etc as they are out and about every day.
5. Create poster board signs and post at major intersections for maximum exposure. You’ve got 5 seconds to grab a drivers’ attention so use large, fluorescent poster board with huge, easy to read text such as “LOST ROTTWEILER” or “LOST WHITE DOG with RED COLLAR”. Post your 8 ½ x 11 lost dog flyer in the middle.
6. Contact local shelters, animal control, veterinarians, rescue groups and other dog businesses to increase awareness.
7. Place a lost dog ad in the local newspapers, post on Facebook and create an email that you can forward to all your dog friends.
8. Be prepared for phone calls about sightings, 24/7. If you receive a call from someone stating your dog has been found, keep safety in mind and meet in a public place and with another person. Be aware of scams such as anyone requesting you send money out of town before your dog will be shipped home.
9. Do not give up! Replace damaged posters, renew ads in newspapers and keep in regular contact with shelters, animal control and rescue groups. Also, keep track of sightings and focus your on-going search in these reported areas.
10. When you find your dog, contact everyone who has been notified including shelters, animal control and flyer recipients and remember to remove all flyers and posters.
Michelle Sevigny
© 2010 Michelle Sevigny. www.dogsafe.ca. Reprint permission granted with full copyright intact.
Photo: Jsome1
Sevigny, a former Vancouver police officer, further suggests that you only use dog professionals that are prepared for lost dog situations. “Ask your dog professional if they have a written plan and to explain it to you in detail,” emphasizes Sevigny, “losing a dog is a potential risk for all dog professionals, whether through accident or negligence, and it needs to be a high priority in their emergency planning”.
Sevigny suggests attending a workshop for full training but offers the following tips to help people get their dogs home fast:
1. Design “Lost Dog” flyers in advance so you can start your search immediately. Use “Lost Dog” as your heading and add your dog’s name, breed and description if unusual or a mix breed, plus contact phone numbers. Include two colour photos that accurately portray your dog, a head shot and full body shot. Write “still missing” for date last seen and leave a blank space for “last location seen” and add “but could be anywhere”. Add “do not chase” and write that although your dog may be friendly, while lost, the dog could be cautious and chasing puts the dog at risk. The goal of posting flyers is to get reported sightings to allow you to focus your search, not to have your dog captured by strangers.
2. Remain at the last place your dog was seen and have a volunteer replace you before you leave in case your dog returns. Have a volunteer stay at the most likely places your dog may return to such as the trail entrance, your home or your car.
3. As soon as possible, conduct a thorough search around the area where your dog was last seen using as many volunteers as possible. Stop periodically to listen, especially if in the bush, as an injured dog may hide from view. Flashlights are essential at night as an injured dog may purposely hide.
4. Post Lost Dog flyers everywhere including community centres, schools, shopping centres, dog parks, hair salons, medical offices, bus stops and anywhere people browse or wait; and keep track of where you have posted flyers. Give copies of flyers to willing newspaper delivery people, school crossing guards, postal workers, couriers, etc as they are out and about every day.
5. Create poster board signs and post at major intersections for maximum exposure. You’ve got 5 seconds to grab a drivers’ attention so use large, fluorescent poster board with huge, easy to read text such as “LOST ROTTWEILER” or “LOST WHITE DOG with RED COLLAR”. Post your 8 ½ x 11 lost dog flyer in the middle.
6. Contact local shelters, animal control, veterinarians, rescue groups and other dog businesses to increase awareness.
7. Place a lost dog ad in the local newspapers, post on Facebook and create an email that you can forward to all your dog friends.
8. Be prepared for phone calls about sightings, 24/7. If you receive a call from someone stating your dog has been found, keep safety in mind and meet in a public place and with another person. Be aware of scams such as anyone requesting you send money out of town before your dog will be shipped home.
9. Do not give up! Replace damaged posters, renew ads in newspapers and keep in regular contact with shelters, animal control and rescue groups. Also, keep track of sightings and focus your on-going search in these reported areas.
10. When you find your dog, contact everyone who has been notified including shelters, animal control and flyer recipients and remember to remove all flyers and posters.
Michelle Sevigny
© 2010 Michelle Sevigny. www.dogsafe.ca. Reprint permission granted with full copyright intact.
Photo: Jsome1
