“I lost my pet” are words you never want to utter! Just the thought brings anxiety and panic to your mind. Unfortunately, losing a pet is fairly common. The best way to prevent losing your pet is to have a plan in place. Pets are a member of our families and just as you take steps to avoid losing your human child, it’s important to make plans about how to avoid losing your furry loved one. This guide will give you tips on how to make a prevention kit, first steps to take if you lose your pet, and a list of resources to help you if necessary.
Importance of Preparation
In the unfortunate event, you actually lose your pet, having a plan in place is critical and should include the following actions.
- Keep a list of any identification tags you have on your pet such as microchip companies and phone numbers, collar tags, and your SuperPet ID information.
- Have a RECENT photograph of your pet. Make sure it’s clear and presents a good representation of your pet.
- Make a list of your local veterinary clinics, animal shelters, and animal control agencies.
- If you can, develop a list of friends and neighbors who are familiar with your pet, including their phone numbers.
Preparing a Lost Pet Kit
A lost pet kit consists of essential items you should have on hands to help you act immediately should your pet get lost. It should include:
- Photos: As mentioned, you should have a recent, clear, close-up picture of your pet.
- Medical Records: You can easily obtain a copy of your pet’s medical records and vaccination history from your veterinarian.
- Contact Information: As already mentioned, having a list of vets, animal shelters, and animal control centers with their phone numbers is essential.
- Missing Pet Flyers: Many pets have been found by papering the neighborhood with flyers. Pre-template flyers can be found on Google and make it quick and easy to start spreading them.
What to Say to Someone Who Has Lost a Pet
It can be difficult and awkward to always know what to say or do when a friend or family member has lost their pet. The most important 3 things you should do is offer compassion, useful advice, and an offer to help them locate their pet.
“I’m here for you; let me help you” is a simple but comforting thing to say. You might also ask them if they have contacted vets, shelters and pet alert websites. Offering to walk around the neighborhood with them is also a very appropriate and appreciated thing to do. Your friend or loved one is feeling absolutely dreadful right now, can’t think straight and needs support.
Fido Folder Health Record Tag: The Essential Tool for Pet Safety
Fido Folder is a service for storing your pet’s medical records in one place, but you can also purchase an optional Health Record Tag. It is a lightweight, waterproof pet tag containing a QR code and Fido Folder’s unique identification number. This tag offers several benefits:
- Quick Access to Information: When the QR code is scanned, it brings up your pet’s full medical history and vaccination proof.
- Emergency Protection: 1/3 of all pet’s go missing each year and many are found in need of medical care. If a pet is taken to an emergency vet, a doctor needs to know their full medical history to make informed decisions to get them back in good health. Fido Folder’s Health Record Tag displays all that information instantly to protect your pet at anytime.
- Future AI Powers: Pet safety is more than keep your pet from getting lost. Fido Folder will soon learn from your pet’s medical history and use that to alert you to possible concerns so you can proactively address medical issues and potential prevent them entirely.
GPS Tracking Devices for Pets: Pros and Cons
A GPS tracker is a popular option for pet owners to ensure their pet is always accounted for, but they come with pros and cons.
Pros:
- Real-time tracking: GPS devices provide accurate and real-time location updates, giving pet owners peace of mind.
- Boundary alerts: Most trackers allow pet owners to set a predefined area, notifying them if their pet leaves the designated zone.
Cons:
- Cost: GPS trackers can be expensive, with upfront costs and recurring subscription fees.
- Battery life: The effectiveness of a tracker depends on its battery life; if the battery dies, tracking becomes difficult.
Have a List of Resources
As mentioned before, it’s critical to keep a list of vital resources available to speed up your search:
- Local animal shelters and rescue organizations
- Animal control agencies
- Local veterinarian offices and emergency clinics
- Lost and found pet databases
- Pet tracking and recovery services
- Apps designed to help find lost pets
- Dog parks
By keeping this list and turning to it quickly if your pet is lost, you are greatly increasing your chances of finding your pet.
Initial Steps for Finding a Lost Pet
When you realize your pet is missing, follow these initial steps:
- Remain Calm: This can be very difficult to do, but if you are overwhelmed by your emotions, it will decrease your chances of following your plan for recovering your lost pet.
- Check the Immediate Surroundings: This should be done immediately. Thoroughly search your home, yard, and nearby homes. Pets, cats in particularly, may freeze in fear and be right under your house or nearby. Pets can also be trapped in neighbors’ garages or sheds.
- Turn to your list of neighbors, friends and family: Notify them all to watch for your pet and ask if anyone can come help
- Contact Local Resources: Call your local shelters, vet clinics, and animal control agencies, providing them with your pet’s description and photo. Repeat those calls daily until you are reunited with your precious pet.
A Thorough Search
As mentioned, your lost pet may be right under your nose or he could have strayed a little further. Here are some strategies to improve your search:
- Flyers: They can be very helpful. Make lots of them and literally paper the town with them. Take one to every vet hospital, pet store, dog park and public message board you know of.
- Harness Social Media: Post about your lost pet on all social media sites, local community groups, Next Door, and pet-related Facebook groups, as well as pet alert websites like Paw Boost, Pet Harbor, and LostMyDoggie. When posting, make sure to include important information such as your pet’s name, breed, color, and any distinct markings, as well as your contact details.
Dealing with Emotions
Don’t overlook or be embarrassed about the emotional stress of losing a pet. Find support from your friends and family, and don’t hesitate to consult with a professional counselor, if needed. Try to stay positive and proactive.
Supporting Your Pet When They Return Home
When your beloved pet returns, they may not seem like themselves. They can be stressed or anxious. They also can have wounds your vet may not see. Give them love and lots of reassurance and take them for a vet visit right away.
Preventing Losing Your Pet in the Future
Even just thinking about losing your pet can strike terror in your heart. This guide has given you many tips to prevent you from losing your beloved pet and what to do if it accidentally happens. There are a few more tips on how to take proactive measures to make sure your furry family member stays with you, safe and sound. From the importance of micro chipping to ID tags, we have given you practical advice on decreasing the risk of your pet getting lost. There’s just a few more things we would like to mention.
Importance of ID Tags and Microchipping
This guide has discussed ID Tags, microchips, and GPS, but it’s worth reviewing the importance of these assurances.
ID Tags: One simple yet highly effective preventative measure to avoid having a lost pet is to attach a proper physical tag to your pet’s collar that includes their name and your phone number. This can help speed up the return of your pet.
Fido Folder Health Record Tag. Fido Folder is an addition to your pet’s collar, but separate from an ID tag. It is the only one that stores medical information. Imagine a lost cat, found and not looking so healthy. Without Fido Folder, no one will know that she is diabetic and needs her blood glucose checked and perhaps insulin administered. This can mean life and death.
Microchipping: In recent years, microchipping has become a popular practice among pet owners. These small chips, injected beneath the pet’s skin, can store your contact information and be scanned by shelters and veterinary clinics. Since microchips cannot fall off or be removed like collars, they offer additional peace of mind. However, they do not contain medical records.
Tip: Make sure to keep your contact information up to date on both your pet’s ID tags and microchip registry. If you move or change phone numbers, update these details promptly to maximize the chances of being reunited with your lost pet.
Additional Steps to Protect Your Pet
Taking some other practical steps can help decrease the possibility of losing your pet:
Secure your home and property: Do a thorough inspection of your home and property. Check for any way your pet could escape. Don’t forget to examine your windows. Cats and small dogs have been known to push out screen windows and escape. Consider totally fencing in your property.
Invest in training: Knowing basic commands such as “sit” “stay” and “come” can be invaluable to help keep your pet from getting lost or wandering off. Practice these commands regularly.
Don’t leave your pet unsupervised: When outdoors, always keep an eye on your pet. It is best to keep them on a secure leach or confined to a safe area.
Pet-proof your car: When your pet goes with you in the car, keep cats in carriers and dogs attached to a proper restraint system, either in a crate or a pet seatbelt. Don’t ever leave your pet in the car alone, not just for escape reasons but for temperature concerns also.
Train everyone in the family to be extra cautious when going in and out of doors. Cats can be very quick and slip past your feet and dogs can escape, too.
RESOURCES
Lost Pets Facebook – check your area listings
Craigslist Lost Pets – check your area listings