By Kelly Maue
A gate is left open. A collar is too loose. A foster or adopted pet hasn’t had time to acclimate to different surroundings or bond with its new people. Seemingly countless scenarios can result in a missing dog or cat .
Lizz Tuder and Tina Roe of BNR 4 PAWS Recovery have decades of experience finding lost animals and offer their advice.
First, before such a stressful event can occur, take proactive measures by getting your pet microchipped. When an animal is found, it’s often brought to a shelter or vet’s office and routinely scanned. A happy reunion could be just a phone call away if that animal is already chipped.
Roe adds other preventive measures include keeping a new dog on a leash for at least a week to help them safely learn their new boundaries. She says, “Watch your doors, put up gates at the doors, don’t let them have free roam for at least a week because most of the accidents happen in the first week they’re adopted or brought home – and they bolt.”
But mistakes happen. First instincts may be to chase after or yell at a running dog. However, Tuder says this is the wrong thing to do. “They go into a flight mode, especially if they got out maybe during fireworks or a thunderstorm. They’re not in their right mindset, and they’re not the animal you’re used to on your couch.”
Tuder and Roe warn owners against yelling their pet’s name. The animal doesn’t know where that shouting is coming from and can become even more confused, as sound can bounce off structures and be hard to pinpoint from a moving vehicle. A lost animal will continue to move, and the goal is to get them to settle down for the best chance to capture them safely – so don’t chase or yell.
Assuming the pet is chipped, one of the first steps to take is to contact the microchip company if your pet goes missing. Also, notify any area shelters and animal control centers in your area and neighboring regions.
Next, post a recent photo of your pet and a phone number on social media sites, Nextdoor and Ring. Encourage friends to share your posts and help spread the word. Create similar flyers that are easy to read and hang them in your area immediately. Put the clear, easy-to-read signs in plastic sleeves to protect them from the weather. Telephone poles, stop signs, and street signs are all good locations. Be sure to find spots where people have a moment to read the information.
Put dirty clothes, a dog bed or blankets, stinky food, or used cat litter outside your house. A strong, familiar scent may lure them back. Also, put food and water outside.
And if a cat goes missing, it’s essential to go door-to-door for at least 2-3 blocks. Owners have often found cats on a neighbor’s property or inside a shed or structure. Roe says one cat they helped find was two houses away from its own home.
Another option for finding a lost pet is to contact a trapper. Once sightings start coming in from social media posts and flyers, an experienced trapper can help determine a location to bait and set a live trap. A camera set near the trap will alert the trapper to any nearby activity. Roe and Tuder say once a trap is set, someone is always two minutes away or less to respond.
Recently, BNR 4 Paws Recovery helped locate a small dog named Ellie, who had been missing for six nights during the frigid month of January. Roe and Tuder set a trap, and after several hours, Ellie finally decided to eat the food inside. Ellie’s owner, Kelly, finally received the call she had been waiting for. “They said come get your baby girl, so it was a blessing. I never could’ve done this without them.”
