Answer: Dogs that are allowed outside to roam free are at risk of disappearing for any number of reasons, including being knocked down, being stolen, finding somewhere else to live, being mistaken as a stray and taken in by a well-meaning person or by a rescue center. A missing pet could even result from him being stolen from you while you are walking him.
The pain of not knowing what has happened to your pet when he doesn’t come home can be devastating. If your dog goes missing there are several courses of action to take.
- Report the disappearance to the police, in case he has been found and handled in.
- Contact local authorities to see if there have been any dogs reported as being killed or injured on the roads.
- Contact local vets and rescue centers to see if your dog has been brought in. If your dog is microchipped or is wearing a collar and ID tag then he will be immediately identifiable.
- Ask neighbors if they have seen your dog and to check their gardens, outbuildings, sheds and garages.
- Put up “Have you seen this dog?” posters in the neighborhood shops, pet stores, schools and post offices (asking their permission to do first) featuring a photo of your pet and a good description. Offering a reward can sometimes help bring about a speedy recovery.
- Because there is a ready black market for pedigree dogs, if yours is one then it is possible he has been stolen; contact the police and have a description of your pet at the ready.
- Contact a lost-and-found pet service to register your loss – if you have internet access you will find sources there if you key in “lost pet” to a search engine. Failing that, vets and rescue centers can often provide contact telephone numbers for such services.
With luck, it won’t be too long before you find your pet, or at least know what happened to him. When this happens, inform the people you told about his disappearance so that they do not continue to look for him.
