Stray or lost

signs signs signs!!!

If folks would just put up signs!  When you've lost an animal or found one. 

One time back when we had just taken Muffin the Intrepid -- it was a placement that had gone very wrong and we'd just gotten him back and he was SOOOOOO sick.  Well, my "old guy" at the time decided to open the gate and Muffin wandered far and it was Christmas and a nasty rainy day. 

 Some well-intentioned soul over 3 blocks at the phone company maintenance yard took Muffin home with him "because he was a stray".  Except his 'home' was an hour away, and he was going on a 2 week "work shut down".

 David and I peppered a 2 mile area with posters.  Not blocks -- MILES.  Covered with contact paper so they'd stay relatively waterproof. 

I honestly figured he was dead.  And one day I got a phone call "I think I must have your little doggie!"

Because the signs were still up when the guy came back to work he saw I was looking for him!!  By then, Muffin's demodex was raging and he stunk to high heaven (and the guy's wife wouldn't let him keep that "stinky dog" anyway). 

But it's just one more example of how a **LOST** dog winds up 40 miles away.  I'd have never found him if not for those signs and the fact that the man came back this way.

When folks put up signs they try to use some really detailed color picture of the dog on the sofa with 3 toys.  From the street it looks like a blob.

Crop a picture to just a headshot or bodyshot and GREYSCALE IT.  Blow it **way** up to 8 X 10. 

Up close it looks bizare but stand about 10 - 15 feet away and suddenly it's a very recognizable picture that someone from a car travelling 40 miles an hour can *identify* and just blow up the word

**LOST**

and then a phone number. 

Maureen is absolutely right -- assume LOST first. 

If I find a dog that's lost and I can find the owner I will.  But, if the dog has no ID and I have no idea where he is supposed to be, I call animal control.  It might sound horrible to some to do that.  But, honestly, if my dog was lost I'd be searching every shelter hoping to see her there.  And, I'm not comfortable rehoming a dog that I know nothing about.  I'd rather leave that to the pros at the SPCA. 

I agree - 110%.

Whenever our shelter takes in a stray animal, we call all shelters in the county, and sometimes in the next couty too - depending on the location of where the dog was found. We scan (at least two of us) for a chip. And we always check again before chipping, just in case - because they can be missed!

We've started posting ads on craigslist, not descriptive or anything - just found dog - Xbreed, clearwater, e-mail description for more information. or whatever the case is.

We recently aquired a stray boxer. We searched for 2 weeks for the owner before finally neutering and placing up for adoption. We canvased the neighborhood where he was found, a volunteer even went aound knocking on some doors. We checked with the other shelters at least twice a week. We had an ad running on craigslist, and alerted the emergency vets in the area. No bites, we've had the dog since 11/29 - he's a stray. He was skinny, but that doesn't mean he wasn't loved. Times are hard - people might not be able to afford to feed their dogs as MUCH food as they have before, but dogs shouldn't be FAT either.

The newspapers will post free found ads too.

 Yes, yes, yes, I agree 1000%.  I wish people wouldn't attribute poor condition to a neglectful owner either.  A dog like Woobie would end up very far from home and in just a few days would probably be in very bad shape given his fear of strangers and metabolism.  He's just at weight right now and a few days of running scared and not eating would have him looking bad.  Granted, he's chipped, but I've read posts where people haven't bothered to even check for that and automatically assume whoever the dog got away from wasn't taking care of them anyway.

ETA: I don't want to tell tales out of school, but...........

if you've dropped off a lost flyer to a shelter and expect them to check dogs against your flier when they come in.... don't.  There may be many wonderful shelters who will do this, but some *ahem* don't really, and especially if it's been a while, or the flier has been posted on a bulletin board somewhere, it's quickly covered by other fliers, and then not seen.  Just go, every couple of days and look at the dogs/cats for yourself.  A city shelter, overwhelmed with animals and understaffed, isn't going to being doing cross checking or indexing, if it's not chipped and not wearing identification, it's a stray and the clock is ticking.  And if you do find your beloved, go collect the fliers.  If someone is checking fliers at a shelter, they're wasting precious time looking for an animal that's been found. 

BCMixs

Just go, every couple of days and look at the dogs/cats for yourself. 

I can't stress this enough! When I worked in the larger shelter, I knew every dog on the property - BUT - I still encouraged people to come look for theselves. Their description of a lab, might look like a pit to me, and then the dog is stuck.

BCMixs

If someone is checking fliers at a shelter, they're wasting precious time looking for an animal that's been found. 

PLEASE! It's sad to look through the 'lost' file, and wonder, was that dog from August ever found? We don't know, but we'd like to. I always tell peoplet that WHEN they find their pet, come down and have him chipped, it can't hurt anything.

I always assume the dog/cat has a mommy somewhere. ALWAYS.

ETA: when Sammy the cat showed up on our roof - I COVERED the neighborhood in flyers and checked with the mailman. I checked with the shelters daily for weeks, and the local vets offices. We even contacted the people we bought our house from, to see if maybe they had a cat, and he had gotten out from their new condo - but nope. Well, needless to say - the cat is still here (a few years later) and he's ours now. But I didn't assume that because he had no tags on that he wasn't someones pet.

This is in Advocacy so we're all preaching to the Choir here ... *sigh* Just wish this thread could be gotten in the hands of John Q. Public.

 The first day I got Dancer, she accidentally got loose and my neighbor picked her up.  Because she was still wearing her old tag from Washington, my neighbor had no idea she belonged to me, so she called animal control.  I called the ACO the minute I realized she was gone and I couldn't see her anymore!  He no sooner got back from the shelter when he got my message and called me back.  Within an hour, I had my girl back.  Funny, but she never left my side after that, and I could have turned my back six ways to Sunday.  One hour back in a shelter and she was thinking - hmmm better stick to that lady, at least she bailed me.  But, it would have been soooooo easy for my neighbor to make the wrong assumption and think she was a dump.  Some dogs get caught on fences and slip their collars, some dogs slip out a door (my little Rambette, rest her soul, did that once and ended up 1/4 mile away before Mike's son caught up with her on his bicycle - his grandfather accidentally left both doors open while delivering us a TV), and some just don't have a great recall, or get scared by something and run.  Well intentioned people aren't always smart about dogs, but they love their dogs just the same, so I agree that it is best to assume the dog is lost and act accordingly.  There's plenty of time to help with a rehome once you establish that no one is claiming the dog.

This is a GREAT post!

I always think of it like this...if I found a toddler running around alone I would NOT take it home and assume no one wanted or cared for it,a nd keep it or place it with someone else...I would contact the authorities and get that child to the firm who's JOB it is to reunite the child with their parents AND file any charges that need to be filed or make any points that need to be made.

I understand the "pound" is a scary thought and with GOOD reason many times...but you can always put your name down when the dogs time is up...or simply stop by and adopt the animal and THEN place it or find a rescue for it.

I have heard that "if you took care of your dog it would not have run away" stuff and for me...that's rankling. Accidents happen...mistakes happen...and assuming you know anything aside from cases of obvious neglect or cruelty (and even then...maybe the animal is sick, and under a vets care!?)....please make every single effort you can to reunite...even if that step is taking the dog to an AC in THE AREA IT WAS FOUND.

I know my cuzin and I always went around asking people if it was there dog/cat/goat/whatever. We always asumed it had a home somewhere. Even if we didn't like the home situation. If no one knew the animal, or if more then one person claimed it was a stray, we would then devise a plan to keep it!(please keep in mind we were between the ages of 7 and 14, k? seriously, were 6months apart and animal-crazy) LOL!

4 summers ago, we found a cat that was still nursing/weaning kittens. Well, we found the kittens, they ran, we dived, we caught 2 out of 3...pretty good, yes? Two kids, 11 & 12, catching 2 feral kittens that were fast as lightening, oh course, I cought the bitey kitten. LOL. Along with Momma kitty. WWe named Momma cat "Tootsie" she was a brown tabby long hair with white toes and chest. Her 2 sons were named "Max" and "Steele", as in Max Steele, LOL. One was brown tabby the other, steal gray. We took the kittens to the Petshop(bad, I know), but the owners of said shop were nice, and found homes for the kittens that day. Tootsie escaped, and we named the 3rd kitten "Phantom" because it was Black, and got away.

Before, when we found Miss Tootsie, we walked around, cat in tow, asking everyone if she was there missing cat. Nope. Nobody. I haven't seen that cat sense, I hope she found a home thou......

This is an excellent topic! Over the years I've picked up a number of lost/strays and been blessed with mostly finding their owners. Here where I live we are fairly rural, and very close to the state line. It really compounds things trying to advertise in a couple weekly papers, and in two states.

About 2 years ago a nice adult black Cocker showed up on my porch. He had been recently groomed, was wearing a collar, and was in good weight. Super friendly!  I asked all the locals, and found out that he had been in a 6 mile area for about a week. The local vet didn't know of any lost Cockers, nor the town police, or the county sheriff.

Long story short, I found someone to foster him while we searched for his owner, and he still lives with her. I know he probably wandered away from somebody, probably at the hiway rest area. Most of our fliers were posted in New Mexico, as were the found ads, even though he was found in TX. The local police and vets knew we had a found Cocker, but our only hope was that whoever lost him would know where to start their search. He is now well loved, but somebody may be missing him still.

dstull

Here where I live we are fairly rural, and very close to the state line. It really compounds things trying to advertise in a couple weekly papers, and in two states.

Yet another good reason to microchip your pets.

I had the absolutely best lost dog scenario yesterday.  I went out to warm up the car so we could go shopping.  There was a chow mix who lives down the street (he's let loose to do his business :( daily) near my yard and a little Shitz Tzu. I thought the little one was with the chow and I shooed them off.  I was in the process of opening the door when I noticed the little guy comin to me, I opened the door and then reached down for him.  He hopped right in the car, over the console to the passenger seat and sat down.  It was so funny!  He had a collar with tags with his name, Gizmo, his address and his phone number.  The address was just down the street so since he was loaded up, I drove him home.  His Mom was happy to see him and didn't know he was out. This is the kind of lost dog I like but not the kind I usually find.  Collars and tags are the answer plain and simple. It was a done deal in under ten minutes.

My MIL lost her pet on vacation one year and her tags had her "home" phone number on it.  My MIL drove 4 hours home to wait for calls after contacting every shelter in the area, the police and local radio channel who reports lost and found pets.  When she got home there was a message from someone who found her, she drove back and picked her up.  Tags should have a cell number on them of some kind, even if it isn't yours.

OT:  I never understood people who take in the dog and immediately start looking for a new home and no real effort is given to finding  their true home because they assume they are dumped.

We had a great post here recently where the owner was found posting a lost dog ad on Craigslist!  Everyone should do all they can do to find an owner and if you can keep the dog while all the shelters, police and notices made aware of your find that's wonderful but if not please bring them to the shelters, most people always report a loss there first.

I agree about the cell phone, it's on all my dogs' tags.  The dog I found even had the address which was great in this case since it was just down the street.  I don't think I will put my address though, guess that's more info than I want on my dogs tags.  I always put "Reward" to encourage someone (in case they need some incentive) to call me.

OT, luvmyswissy I LUV your new sig pic!!  Cracks me up everytime since my dogs run on the treadmill........