What to do if your pet ran off
I am a volunteer at an animal shelter, and right after the 4th of July, we get an influx of animals that got scared of fireworks and bolted. Here’s how to go about finding your pet.
-Craigslist and Facebook are your best friends here. Put up listings with clear and recent photos, your phone number, and your pet’s name.Â
-If your pet was wearing tags, Animal Control should call you if they find you animal, but if you aren’t notified, you should check their holding facility, and all shelters as soon as possible
-Animals that are afraid will run without thinking, in any direction, and for long distances some times. Check shelters in a 10 mile radius.
-Make some flyers. I have returned and found animals like this.
-Drive around your area and scan for your animal. Check places like canals and ditches in case your animal has hidden
-If your local shelter has a website with pictures of their found animal, make sure to check that.
-When checking facilities, have a picture, the pet’s age and gender. Saying that your dog was brown doesn’t help us at all.
-Be prepared to pay a fee to get your animal back, especially if they have been gone for several days or needed medical attention.
-Be ready to revisit shelters several times to look. Sometimes it takes days for a animal to come in, or we had them at the vet for medical care.Â
-Be kind and respectful to all employees. We manage an influx of hundreds of animals during this time, and it’s very stressful. We will always do our best to help you, but we simply cannot remember every single dog we have seen.