Lost Your Pet: To Do List

Hearing my brother-in-law’s voicemail, on our cell phone, my stomach flipped and my mouth suddenly went dry. We had just finished a glorious morning of hiking with some good friends in the California desert. After the hike, we feasted on delicious Mexican food, including fresh salsa, real guacamole, and ice cold beer.

Now, I was hearing a message that our 11 year old black Lab had been missing for 24 hours!

My heart sank. We spent Christmas and New Years in California with friends. He was staying in the comfort of his Calgary home with his favorite dog walker. She is a dog, a much loved dog who enjoys a good life. What inspired her to sneak out the back door on a sunny afternoon the day after Christmas, we’ll never know. She is a purebred Labrador, driven by her stomach and her love for people. So it is possible that he was off in search of Christmas leftovers.

Our story has a happy ending, she made it home safe and sound. However, it was 72 hours of hell for everyone involved. Our fabulous dog sitter and brother-in-law were tireless in their efforts to find her. They put many miles on their feet and spent hours driving. By the time we got the call, they had done almost everything that is suggested when a pet is lost.

Pet lovers understand that cats and dogs are really part of the fabric of a family. Losing a pet can be just as devastating and upsetting as losing a loved one. We put up with a few sleepless nights and spent hundreds of dollars on roaming charges on our cell phones.

Now that our home is back to normal, I thought I’d share this checklist so others can have guidance if they find themselves in a similar situation. The list is not an official City of Calgary list, but we hope it will help others find their lost dogs and other animals.

1. Don’t panic your pet doesn’t really realize he’s lost.
2. As soon as possible call City of Calgary Animal Services at 311. You will be asked to submit a report with all relevant details; race, age, weight, color, tattoo, microchip, etc.
3. Follow the checklist which is available on the Calgary Humane Society website and register on their PetLynx site. You can do this at any time, ideally before your pet is lost.
4. Call the veterinarians in your local area, to alert you in the event your animal is injured or someone carries it.
5. Make lots of posters, they do not need to be done professionally. The posters should include all the key information and how to contact you. Print Many copies and then give them to neighbors, post them in dog parks, stick them to poles, trees and anything else where people can easily see them.
6. Talk to your neighbors and let them know that your pet is missing.
7. Place advertisements in local newspapers and media. such as The Calgary Herald 403-235-0511, The Calgary Sun 403-250-4222 and Shaw TV 403-716-6010, which offer free online listings for lost pets.
8. Take advantage of social networks use Facebook, Twitter, SMS, blogs and any other site to spread the word.
9. Contact local dog walkers. These are the people who go out almost every day walking through neighborhood parks. Please use Google for your local area for a complete list.
10. Contact your local community associations as they may have a website or an email distribution list.
11. Don’t panic and don’t give up!

keep in mind– This specific listing is for Calgary. Your local area will have similar organizations and communication tools.