We’re sorry, but BSARD does not use our dogs to find missing pets. This is because we’ve trained our dogs to ignore animal scents in favor of the human scent for which they are searching.
Nonetheless we sympathize with the anguish a missing pet can bring on a household. Some of us have had first hand experience with the pain and fear such a loss entails. To help, we’d like to mention that there are multiple resources available:
- Post on social media, especially any accounts you have targeted to your local area.
- Post a listing on LostMyKitty.com or LostMyDoggie.com.
- There are some people who have specifically trained dogs to track missing pets. Try the Missing Pet Partnership or the National Lost and Found Database service.
- Put a few articles of your clothing around the perimeter of your property. The lost pet might be able to pick up your scent and find their way home. This can also work if the pet has its own bedding or a favorite toy. DO NOT put food out as it is more likely to attract wildlife that could threaten your pet.
- Put photo posters with your phone number around your neighborhood and in your local supermarkets and drug stores.
- Give multiple copies of photo posters to your local police department, fire department, and animal warden. If you live near a park, make sure to give the rangers several copies also.
- Make sure to check the local animal shelters, not only in your own county, but in surrounding counties as well. Give them copies of your posters.
An ounce of prevention
Make sure your pet has your phone number on a collar tag.
Better still, check with your veterinarian about getting your pet microchipped. This nearly painless procedure implants a tiny microchip under your pet’s skin, which cannot be lost as the pet goes about their business. The microchip contains a code that can be cross-referenced in a national database. The database record assigned to that code includes your contact information and can help get your pet home to you.
The chip can be painlessly read by a chip reader available at most animal shelters. Most veterinarians and now many police departments also have a chip reader.