What To Do When Your Pet Is Lost

• Notify the animal charity in your area, as well as the animal charities in surrounding areas.
• Notify veterinary clinics in your area and surrounding areas.
• When speaking with animal facilities, be sure to check their policies regarding the length of time an animal is held before it is put up for adoption or is euthanised.
• Talk to your neighbours. Ask them to look into their garages, sheds, under decks, bushes, building rubble, etc.
• Put up posters in your neighbourhood, drop off flyers in mail boxes, and put advertisements in local papers.
• Visit and/or call your local animal charity every two to three days. Check surrounding animal charities every couple of days.
• Contact relevant breed associations, if applicable.
• Notify your mail delivery person as they cover your local area each day.

What To Do When Your Pet Returns

• It is a good idea to have a veterinary surgeon give your pet a check-up, especially if the animal has been missing for a considerable time.
• Notify your local animal charity and all surrounding animal charities that you have found your pet.
• Notify veterinary clinics in your area and surrounding areas.
• Take down posters in neighbourhood.
• If your pet did not have identification before it became lost, make sure you put an external tag identification on the animal now. Have your veterinary surgeon insert the microchip identification as a second source of identification should the external collar and tag identification go missing. Animal charities scan all incoming animals for microchip identification.
• Keep your dog on a leash during walks.
• If you own a cat, consider keeping it indoors especially if it is on medication or a special diet and runs the risk of suffering if it gets lost. If the cat is allowed outdoors make sure you see it regularly and don’t wait too long before wondering if it is lost. It is better to start the search early!

BEFORE Your Pet Goes Missing

• Your cat or dog should have external identification. Microchips are becoming popular, but do not replace external pet identification. The more identification the better.

• Keep a detailed description on file along with a current colour photograph of your pet. Pay special attention to details that will especially help identification (i.e. unusual markings).

• Make sure your pet is up to date on all vaccinations.

• Keep a list of local animal charities and rescue groups handy.

What To Do If You Find A Stray Pet

• Notify the animal charity in your area, as well as the animal charities in surrounding areas.
• Ask the animal charity or veterinary clinic to scan the stray to check for microchip identification.
• Notify veterinary clinics in your area and surrounding areas.
• Talk to your neighbours and ask them if they know who the stray belongs to.
• Put up posters in your neighbourhood, drop off flyers in mail boxes, and if possible put advertisements in local papers advertising that you found a stray.
• If the stray is sick or injured arrange for it to receive medical attention at your veterinary clinic or local animal charity.
• Even if it is not sick or injured it is a good idea to have a veterinary surgeon do a check up in case there are less obvious signs of trauma or illness.
• Keep it safe until the owner is found or alternatively take it to an animal charity for care.

Polden Hills Veterinary Centre team wants to thank you for rescuing a stray from further harm and stress!