The most important thing for you to do when your pet is missing is give it some exposure. Call the shelter of course but don’t stop there. The animal may not end up in the shelter. I recommend calling the shelter every two or three days. If your pet doesn’t return after a few days, expand your search to surrounding town shelters. Dogs can travel for miles by themselves but in some cases people passing through may spot the dog, pick it up and take it home or a shelter their towns. When describing the pet, be as detailed as possible. Saying that you lost your pointer mix is not enough. The shelter staff may think the dog they just got is a Dalmatian mix. Give the sex, size, and coat color and distinguishing markings. The holding period is five days for a dog, or two days for cats not wearing I.D. Call shelters every few days for a better chance of finding your pet. Post flyers around the area the pet got lost. A picture is best but a good description will do. Send flyers to shelters and animal hospitals, too. Post them in public places.

For lost cats, check with neighbors. Indoor cats that escape usually stay around the area for a while. They are so frightened they will hide in spite of you calling. Because they are not accustomed to the outside they will remain hidden until things quiet down. Try calling the cat in a familiar voice while opening food. You may need to set a hav-a-heart trap for several days. A hav-a-hart trap can be borrowed from the shelter. If you trap another animal, release it. Keep in mind that a collar alone is useless; the animal needs to have a tag. Another option is to have your pet micro-chipped; this will be useful if your pet ends up in a shelter or vet clinic with scanners. Micro-chipping is a good back up but I still recommend a good old-fashioned tag. A hav-a-hart trap can be borrowed from the shelter. Never assume the pet will return in a few days. It’s best to call right after the incident. It’s always a good idea to stop by and have a look at cats or dogs in shelters.