Joyful Rescues
How to Find a Lost Pet
It is heart-breaking if your pet either runs away or becomes lost. It can be particularly difficult for an older, deaf or visually impaired pet to find its way home, and this is made more difficult in the winter when banks of snow and snow-covered ground cover familiar sights and smells.
The majority of dogs found wandering or lost do not carry any form
of identification, which is a requirement of section 112, Article 7,
New York State Agriculture and Markets Law. Therefore, be certain
your dog carries identification at all times. Cats too.
Also, as per New York State Agriculture and Markets Law, Article 7,
section 118, any unidentified dog, lost or roaming shall be held for a
period of 5 days, or an identified dog for a period of 7 days, by an
impoundment agency, e.g. Humane Society, DCO, whilst efforts are
made to locate the dog’s owner. After the time specified, an owner
who fails to redeem his dog, forfeits ownership and the dog may be
made available for adoption or euthanized!
The following is a list of actions to take, without delay, if your pet is lost, or runs away:
(Please print and save)
1. Inform your town/village Dog Control Officer, and all area Dog Control Officers. (Dogs can roam a great distance) You can obtain the Dog Control Officer’s telephone number from the town/village clerk.
2. Inform your local police, and the police in area town/villages.
3. Inform or visit your local SPCA or Humane Society, and the SPCA and rescue organizations in surrounding counties.
4. Contact your local and area radio stations and request a description of your pet and pertinent details to be broadcast.
5. Listen to your local radio station for messages from DCO’s and shelters pertaining to pets that have been found.
6. Ask your local newspapers to print a ‘lost pet’ notice.
7. Make copies of a recent photograph of your pet with your telephone number and email address and distribute them locally, in neighboring towns, veterinarians offices, animal shelters, public notice boards, shop windows, laundromats etc.
8. Contact your neighbors, friends and relations, delivery men, truck drivers, postal carriers etc. and enlist their help. Walk or drive around your neighborhood.
9. DO NOT STOP SEARCHING, do not give up. Repeat steps 1 through 8 frequently. Remember, pets have been found weeks or months after leaving home.
The majority of dogs found wandering or lost do not carry any form
of identification, which is a requirement of section 112, Article 7,
New York State Agriculture and Markets Law. Therefore, be certain
your dog carries identification at all times. Cats too.
Also, as per New York State Agriculture and Markets Law, Article 7,
section 118, any unidentified dog, lost or roaming shall be held for a
period of 5 days, or an identified dog for a period of 7 days, by an
impoundment agency, e.g. Humane Society, DCO, whilst efforts are
made to locate the dog’s owner. After the time specified, an owner
who fails to redeem his dog, forfeits ownership and the dog may be
made available for adoption or euthanized!
The following is a list of actions to take, without delay, if your pet is lost, or runs away:
(Please print and save)
1. Inform your town/village Dog Control Officer, and all area Dog Control Officers. (Dogs can roam a great distance) You can obtain the Dog Control Officer’s telephone number from the town/village clerk.
2. Inform your local police, and the police in area town/villages.
3. Inform or visit your local SPCA or Humane Society, and the SPCA and rescue organizations in surrounding counties.
4. Contact your local and area radio stations and request a description of your pet and pertinent details to be broadcast.
5. Listen to your local radio station for messages from DCO’s and shelters pertaining to pets that have been found.
6. Ask your local newspapers to print a ‘lost pet’ notice.
7. Make copies of a recent photograph of your pet with your telephone number and email address and distribute them locally, in neighboring towns, veterinarians offices, animal shelters, public notice boards, shop windows, laundromats etc.
8. Contact your neighbors, friends and relations, delivery men, truck drivers, postal carriers etc. and enlist their help. Walk or drive around your neighborhood.
9. DO NOT STOP SEARCHING, do not give up. Repeat steps 1 through 8 frequently. Remember, pets have been found weeks or months after leaving home.
