HELP! I lost my Dog!!!
21 Tips to Find a Lost Dog
Special Thanks to Michiana Missing Dog Network for these tips!
1. Enlist Friends and Family to take on these tasks immediately. Divide them up since time is critical.
* Start a Call Chain Calling Neighbors
* Posting on Social Media and Craigslist
* Printing up Posters and Door Hangers (See button below for a template)
* Calling the Vets and Chip Company
* Taking photos and information to the nearest Shelters for LOST REPORTS
* Searching the area being sure to look under bushes, porches, garages and other areas they can crawl into
* Send them this page link for details
2. If your dog has a chip, make sure the company that has the chip info has an up-to-date address and phone number. If you DON'T have a chip, do not say so on your Lost posters or Social Media. That will let people know they can keep or sell your dog if they find it.
24PetWatch 866-597-2424 www.24petwatch.com
AKC 800-252-7894 www.akccar.com
AVID 800-336-2843 www.avidid.com
Banfield 877-567-8738 (Part of HomeAgain)
Bayer resQ 877-738-5465 www.petlink.net
HomeAgain 888-466-3242 www.homeagain.com
Be a responsible pet owner - A microchip with current contact information and a 10 DIGIT PHONE NUMBER TAG are the best ways to make sure good people can return your dog quickly!
3. Make sure your vet knows your dog is missing in case they get a call from the vaccination tag or chip company. Also, you may need photos and vet papers to claim your lost dog to prove it is your dog.
4. Post paper posters with a good picture in the area the dog went missing. Put one out by the road in front of your home. (Not on the mail box since that is illegal) Be sure to take them down after your dog is found so they do not become trash/litter. Also give flyers to pizza places to hand out with delivery and pickups, Uber Eats, DineIn and any other delivery services that may help you.
5. Call your neighbors and ask them to call the neighbors they know also. Start a telephone chain. Remind them to look under bushes and behind things since a frightened animal may hide or seek shelter.
6. If you have a neighborhood association or community email, as them to send out an email with an attached photo. Put a photo and message on www. NextDoor.com or have a neighbor do it for you if you are not on it.
7. Other places to post include:
Lost My Doggie has a call service where they can call landlines in your immediate area www.LostMyDoggie.com
Paw Boost can post additional posts for you www.PawBoost.com
Petco Love has a NATIONAL Database you can search and enter information. One in three pets will go missing in their lifetime according to them. https://lost.petcolove.org/
Pet FBI is a free database that also has a way for you to CREATE FLYERS. https://petfbi.org/
8. Contact the local newspapers. They often have a free Lost/Found Pet Section you can put a notice in. Someone who finds your dog may put a notice there also. Some Seniors are not on Social Media and will use the newspaper.
9. Check Craigslist and post there. Also look in “Dogs for Sale” since someone may try to sell the dog. Note: Don’t use your regular email since Craigslist can attract a lot of spam.
10. Put the word out with kids, people walking by, neighborhood association and a flyer to your Postal Person. If there is a school nearby and it is session, see if they will make an announcement and post a few paper posters.
11. If you are near a business district, see if businesses will post your flyer. Also if there are restaurants in your area, let them know since dogs often show up looking for food. Make sure the kitchen knows also since they may see the dog when they are taking out the trash. Dogs go for the smell of yummy food. They also look for water. Search near creeks and rivers.
12. If you own more than one dog, take the other one out on a walk and ask it, “Where is (dog’s name)? They may know and take you to the other dog. If they bark, while out on the walk, let them. They may be calling out and getting a response from the other dog.
13. Take a poster with a picture to ALL the local shelters. In South Bend there is a City one and there is also a County one in Mishawaka. These shelters will not tell you if your dog is there. SUPER IMPORTANT: You will have to go look in person. You only have a couple days to claim the dog, so keep checking back with them. Be prepared to pay fees for vaccinations unless you have Vet receipts for them. Check our other "Notes" for a list of Shelters in the Michiana Area. Post with all nearby Shelters, not just the closest one to you. A Husky, German Shepherd or other large dogs can cover over 5 MILES IN ONE DAY. Also, people may put them in their cars and take them to the shelter closest to them that may be outside your immediate area.
14. Change your Facebook Privacy Settings so strangers can contact you. There are two things you need to do:
Turn ON your TAGGING so people can reach you in a comment.
Make it so EVERYONE can send you a MESSAGE. EXTREMELY IMPORTANT You have two Inboxes in Facebook. There is a second one called “Message Requests” where messages will go when you are not “Friends” with someone. You need to look at these messages on your computer since this box is sometimes not available on phones.
ALWAYS give a cell phone number or a GOOGLE VOICE PHONE NUMBER where someone can send you a text message. You may not get the FB messages. People will call or text. If you don't want to use your personal phone number and you have a GMAIL account, you can set up a FREE INTERNET PHONE Number that also has text. The calls will go to your gmail account. Sign-up here: https://voice.google.com
Note: If you type your post in ALL CAPS, FB will show it on your Timeline but hide it from everyone else’s? Although you are upset about your dog being missing, don’t use all caps. FB thinks you are being offensive and yelling so it blocks you.
15. Notify vets close to your location you are missing your dog and leave your information with them. If someone finds your dog, they may take it to the nearest vet to be scanned.
16. Put a Sign on Your Car so as you drive around looking, people will know more about your lost dog
17. Print Door Hangers for your neighborhood.
18. Put their food out in a bowl with in an area they can get to with a towel or sock next to it for your scent.
19. If you have an electric fence, turn it off. The fence will keep them from coming home. Contact the electric fence company and let them know in case someone calls them with the collar serial number wanting to know the owner.
20. Instruct people NOT TO CHASE the dog or yell for it. In dog language this will scare the dog and it may run further away or into traffic. NOTE: When you offer a reward, people often chase it further out of the area. Also, we do NOT recommend rewards. It encourages dog theft and discourages Good Samaritans from helping as much. Ask them to immediately notify you instead of chasing.
21. Record your voice calling the dog and whistling onto other people's smartphones that are searching. They can replay it loudly. Your dog recognizes your voice and whistling. Sound happy and glad like you would at home. If you sound mad or stressed, the dog may run away because it will think you are mad and it's been a bad dog. Always approach with, "I'm so glad to see you! You are the best dog ever!" Don't rush over. Pause and let it come back to you so you don't get in "chase mode". You may want to even sit on the ground looking away so you look smaller and less threatening. Wait for sniffing and wagging, don't immediately try to grab them.
22. Dogs lost during an Auto Accident are especially spooked. Put a LARGE sign by the road where the accident happened with the dog's picture and a telephone number on it. State that they "should not chase", just call or text immediately. A dog will try to return to the place they last were with the owner, so put out a trail camera, used towels with the owners scent, food and water. Give fliers to law enforcement agencies to pass out during their roll call that gives the exact location of the accident, picture of the dog, phone number, etc. They can stop by the area as they patrol.
Be sure nearby local Vets and Shelters have the information. If the dog was hurt, someone may bring it in for treatment.
As always, make sure the dog's chip address and phone information is up-to-date. See the section for that on this site.
A tracking dog may be needed. Sometimes live traps are used, but have to be monitored continuously. They should not be used during extreme heat or cold. If there are homes near the accident site, give them flyers. There is a Facebook group called, "Lost Pets of Auto Accidents" you may want to join for addition exposure and tips.
23. Find a Paw is a service you can pay to notify the people around you. https://findapaw.com/
FindToTo is a service you can pay to send out mobile alerts for you. https://www.findtoto.com/
Note: If this is a custody dispute over the dog, it is a legal matter.
If you think your dog has been stolen, please file a report with the police.
When someone says they have your dog, go with someone else to pick them up and meet in a public place. Ask them to text you a picture as proof they have your dog first. Use caution. A Fire Station is often a good place to meet. Do not bring your kids with you.
* Start a Call Chain Calling Neighbors
* Posting on Social Media and Craigslist
* Printing up Posters and Door Hangers (See button below for a template)
* Calling the Vets and Chip Company
* Taking photos and information to the nearest Shelters for LOST REPORTS
* Searching the area being sure to look under bushes, porches, garages and other areas they can crawl into
* Send them this page link for details
2. If your dog has a chip, make sure the company that has the chip info has an up-to-date address and phone number. If you DON'T have a chip, do not say so on your Lost posters or Social Media. That will let people know they can keep or sell your dog if they find it.
24PetWatch 866-597-2424 www.24petwatch.com
AKC 800-252-7894 www.akccar.com
AVID 800-336-2843 www.avidid.com
Banfield 877-567-8738 (Part of HomeAgain)
Bayer resQ 877-738-5465 www.petlink.net
HomeAgain 888-466-3242 www.homeagain.com
Be a responsible pet owner - A microchip with current contact information and a 10 DIGIT PHONE NUMBER TAG are the best ways to make sure good people can return your dog quickly!
3. Make sure your vet knows your dog is missing in case they get a call from the vaccination tag or chip company. Also, you may need photos and vet papers to claim your lost dog to prove it is your dog.
4. Post paper posters with a good picture in the area the dog went missing. Put one out by the road in front of your home. (Not on the mail box since that is illegal) Be sure to take them down after your dog is found so they do not become trash/litter. Also give flyers to pizza places to hand out with delivery and pickups, Uber Eats, DineIn and any other delivery services that may help you.
5. Call your neighbors and ask them to call the neighbors they know also. Start a telephone chain. Remind them to look under bushes and behind things since a frightened animal may hide or seek shelter.
6. If you have a neighborhood association or community email, as them to send out an email with an attached photo. Put a photo and message on www. NextDoor.com or have a neighbor do it for you if you are not on it.
7. Other places to post include:
Lost My Doggie has a call service where they can call landlines in your immediate area www.LostMyDoggie.com
Paw Boost can post additional posts for you www.PawBoost.com
Petco Love has a NATIONAL Database you can search and enter information. One in three pets will go missing in their lifetime according to them. https://lost.petcolove.org/
Pet FBI is a free database that also has a way for you to CREATE FLYERS. https://petfbi.org/
8. Contact the local newspapers. They often have a free Lost/Found Pet Section you can put a notice in. Someone who finds your dog may put a notice there also. Some Seniors are not on Social Media and will use the newspaper.
9. Check Craigslist and post there. Also look in “Dogs for Sale” since someone may try to sell the dog. Note: Don’t use your regular email since Craigslist can attract a lot of spam.
10. Put the word out with kids, people walking by, neighborhood association and a flyer to your Postal Person. If there is a school nearby and it is session, see if they will make an announcement and post a few paper posters.
11. If you are near a business district, see if businesses will post your flyer. Also if there are restaurants in your area, let them know since dogs often show up looking for food. Make sure the kitchen knows also since they may see the dog when they are taking out the trash. Dogs go for the smell of yummy food. They also look for water. Search near creeks and rivers.
12. If you own more than one dog, take the other one out on a walk and ask it, “Where is (dog’s name)? They may know and take you to the other dog. If they bark, while out on the walk, let them. They may be calling out and getting a response from the other dog.
13. Take a poster with a picture to ALL the local shelters. In South Bend there is a City one and there is also a County one in Mishawaka. These shelters will not tell you if your dog is there. SUPER IMPORTANT: You will have to go look in person. You only have a couple days to claim the dog, so keep checking back with them. Be prepared to pay fees for vaccinations unless you have Vet receipts for them. Check our other "Notes" for a list of Shelters in the Michiana Area. Post with all nearby Shelters, not just the closest one to you. A Husky, German Shepherd or other large dogs can cover over 5 MILES IN ONE DAY. Also, people may put them in their cars and take them to the shelter closest to them that may be outside your immediate area.
14. Change your Facebook Privacy Settings so strangers can contact you. There are two things you need to do:
Turn ON your TAGGING so people can reach you in a comment.
Make it so EVERYONE can send you a MESSAGE. EXTREMELY IMPORTANT You have two Inboxes in Facebook. There is a second one called “Message Requests” where messages will go when you are not “Friends” with someone. You need to look at these messages on your computer since this box is sometimes not available on phones.
ALWAYS give a cell phone number or a GOOGLE VOICE PHONE NUMBER where someone can send you a text message. You may not get the FB messages. People will call or text. If you don't want to use your personal phone number and you have a GMAIL account, you can set up a FREE INTERNET PHONE Number that also has text. The calls will go to your gmail account. Sign-up here: https://voice.google.com
Note: If you type your post in ALL CAPS, FB will show it on your Timeline but hide it from everyone else’s? Although you are upset about your dog being missing, don’t use all caps. FB thinks you are being offensive and yelling so it blocks you.
15. Notify vets close to your location you are missing your dog and leave your information with them. If someone finds your dog, they may take it to the nearest vet to be scanned.
16. Put a Sign on Your Car so as you drive around looking, people will know more about your lost dog
17. Print Door Hangers for your neighborhood.
18. Put their food out in a bowl with in an area they can get to with a towel or sock next to it for your scent.
19. If you have an electric fence, turn it off. The fence will keep them from coming home. Contact the electric fence company and let them know in case someone calls them with the collar serial number wanting to know the owner.
20. Instruct people NOT TO CHASE the dog or yell for it. In dog language this will scare the dog and it may run further away or into traffic. NOTE: When you offer a reward, people often chase it further out of the area. Also, we do NOT recommend rewards. It encourages dog theft and discourages Good Samaritans from helping as much. Ask them to immediately notify you instead of chasing.
21. Record your voice calling the dog and whistling onto other people's smartphones that are searching. They can replay it loudly. Your dog recognizes your voice and whistling. Sound happy and glad like you would at home. If you sound mad or stressed, the dog may run away because it will think you are mad and it's been a bad dog. Always approach with, "I'm so glad to see you! You are the best dog ever!" Don't rush over. Pause and let it come back to you so you don't get in "chase mode". You may want to even sit on the ground looking away so you look smaller and less threatening. Wait for sniffing and wagging, don't immediately try to grab them.
22. Dogs lost during an Auto Accident are especially spooked. Put a LARGE sign by the road where the accident happened with the dog's picture and a telephone number on it. State that they "should not chase", just call or text immediately. A dog will try to return to the place they last were with the owner, so put out a trail camera, used towels with the owners scent, food and water. Give fliers to law enforcement agencies to pass out during their roll call that gives the exact location of the accident, picture of the dog, phone number, etc. They can stop by the area as they patrol.
Be sure nearby local Vets and Shelters have the information. If the dog was hurt, someone may bring it in for treatment.
As always, make sure the dog's chip address and phone information is up-to-date. See the section for that on this site.
A tracking dog may be needed. Sometimes live traps are used, but have to be monitored continuously. They should not be used during extreme heat or cold. If there are homes near the accident site, give them flyers. There is a Facebook group called, "Lost Pets of Auto Accidents" you may want to join for addition exposure and tips.
23. Find a Paw is a service you can pay to notify the people around you. https://findapaw.com/
FindToTo is a service you can pay to send out mobile alerts for you. https://www.findtoto.com/
Note: If this is a custody dispute over the dog, it is a legal matter.
If you think your dog has been stolen, please file a report with the police.
When someone says they have your dog, go with someone else to pick them up and meet in a public place. Ask them to text you a picture as proof they have your dog first. Use caution. A Fire Station is often a good place to meet. Do not bring your kids with you.
There are services that use tracking dogs to find dogs and cats:
Pet Search and Rescue National Pet Detective List Lost Pet Detection PetFBI Private Investigator Search
Pet Search and Rescue National Pet Detective List Lost Pet Detection PetFBI Private Investigator Search
Finding a STOLEN DOG - https://doggiemanners.com/finding-a-lost-or-stolen-dog/
In Indiana dogs are considered "Property" so you will need to find a stolen property report with the police. Be sure to give them photos and the microchip company and ID #.
Drone Search and Rescue:
You may want to contact a local drone hobby group to see if they have ones with cameras that could fly low to the ground or have ones with heat / infrared cameras. Note: You will have to abide by local and federal laws when using these.
You may want to contact a local drone hobby group to see if they have ones with cameras that could fly low to the ground or have ones with heat / infrared cameras. Note: You will have to abide by local and federal laws when using these.
Be sure your dog gets a microchip and a 10 digit phone number ID! These are samples on Amazon and you can also often get tags engraved with your pet's name and phone number at your local pet store.
If you are in the Northern Indiana / Michiana Area, Contact: Michiana Missing Dog Network on Facebook for assistance on locating a lost dog or finding the owner for one you have found.
