What to do if your pet disappears

I lost my cat Katy -- once. She slipped out of the house, and I didn't realize she was missing until a few hours later. I was frantic. Katy is 12 years old. She's an indoor cat and hadn't spent any significant time outside. Even worse: she wasn't wearing a collar or any identification tags.


Lisa's cat Katy
Fortunately, Katy turned up a few days later. I heard her meowing underneath the stairs of a neighbor's home. She was dirty and scared, but she was safe. I learned a very valuable lesson from that experience. Having ID tags on your animal at all times is critical. The same day Katy came home, I went out and purchased a kitty collar and engraved tag. She's worn them ever since.

I recently had a viewer write to me to share the same experience. Her cat was missing and she asked for suggestions on what to do.

If your pet disappears:

• Do a thorough search of your property: You wouldn't believe the tiny places cats can squeeze into. Look behind appliances, under beds, in cabinets, in the boxed springs, even ventilation pipes.

  • Search the neighborhood: Be sure to talk with neighbors to ask them to keep an eye out for your lost pet; Walk around the neighborhood and call out for your pet; If it has a favorite squeaky toy, bring it along; Try a dog whistle; Or, bring a box of your favorite dog or cat treats and shake it around to make noise that might entice your pet to come running for a snack; Don't forget to stop regularly to be quiet and listen for familiar barks or meows.

    • Bailey, Lisa and Indy

  • Leave something around your home with familiar smells to help bring it out of hiding if it's nearby: You could leave some dirty clothes by the doorstep. I left some tuna by the front door hoping Katy would get hungry enough and be drawn in by the smell of the food. Be sure to protect the food if you can so other hungry critters can't get to it first.

  • Spread the word! Print up signs with photos (preferably color) of your animal. Post these around your neighborhood, nearby stores, vet offices, pet stores and any other businesses that will help. List your animal's name, age, date it was lost, breed, weight and color as well as your telephone number. Don't include your name and address. If you offer a reward, don't post an amount. Unfortunately, unscrupulous scam artists sometimes take advantage of heartbroken pet owners by pretending they have the lost pets but demanding the reward money before "giving up" the animal. You may want to withhold some identifying marks or characteristics of your pet to be sure a person has actually found your pet and is not trying to take advantage of you. Be especially wary of people who demand you give or wire them money for the return of your pet.

  • Get help from the pros: Call local veterinarians' offices and pet shelters; Don't forget about the "dog catcher" -- That's BARC - Houston's Bureau of Animal Regulation and Control at 713-238-9600. I called and was told I could come down to check the kennels at 2700 Evella. Sherry Nassar, who volunteers for Friends of BARC, says most people don't think to check there if their dog or cat is missing. She also says animals are killed 72 hours after they are picked up if they are not retrieved by their owners. Only a few make it into the adoption program.


  • Place a newspaper ad: Be sure to check the newspaper's "found animals" section every day.

  • Seek high-tech help: Post your lost pet on Houston Lost Pets.com or Missing pets.com, a free nationwide database for lost pets.

    Things to do now:
    • Make sure your pet wears a collar with identification tags.
    • Consider a microchip implant from your vet that allows shelters and animal groups to scan your pet and get its information from a tiny chip implanted just under its skin.
    • Take a couple of photos of your pet now in case you need them for posters later.
    • Use a leash when you're outside with your dog and transport cats in secured cat carriers to prevent them from making an escape.
    • Keep outdoor gates securely locked and make sure fences are "pet proof."
    • Spay or neuter your pet. "Fixed" animals are less likely to wander.
    We hope you and your loved ones have a safe and purr-fectly happy howl-iday season!


     

     

     

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