Minnesota Valley Humane Society

WHAT TO DO IF YOU LOST YOUR PET

1. Be a detective!

• Search your neighborhood immediately, especially at night and early in the morning. Knock on doors and talk to neighbors, local residents, and local businesses.

• If you recently moved, check out your former residence. Talk to the new tenants, old neighbors and former veterinarians.

• Visit your local humane society shelters and animal control shelters in person daily-just a phone call describing your pet is not sufficient.

• Ask your mail carrier, newspaper deliverer and all the delivery people in your area, who are around on a regular basis, if they have seen your pet. Ask local joggers and walkers.

• Look for your pet in unusual places around your home., including outside storm drains, wood piles and ditches.

• Check to see if your pet got locked in your neighbors' garages and sheds, especially if any neighbors left for vacation around the time your pet got lost.

• Contact highway maintenance departments in case your pet was hit by a car.

2. Report your lost pet!

• Call animal control or your local police department non-emergency number.

• Stay in contact with humane societies and animal shelters within a 25 mile radius because pets roam and can get picked up.

• Call veterinary offices and groomers.

3. Create flyers!

• Ask to post them at veterinary offices, high traffic retail areas, mall bulletin boards, animal shelters, groomers and with obedience trainers. Include a written description of your pet, including gender, size, markings, weight and unusual features with a photo and your phone numbers.

• Think about putting your pet's name on the poster: Being able to call their name may help someone to catch the pet, or this information may give someone the ability to manipulate the animal more easily if it gets into the wrong hands.

• If you offer a reward, don't name the amount in any posters or ads. Pay it only after you have your pet in your possession.

4. Place ads!

• Put an ad in your city and local papers with a photo, offering a reward.

• Watch the found ads, You can even call before the paper is printed to see if anyone called in a found ad.

5. Don't give up!

• Be aggressive in your search.

HOW TO PREVENT YOUR PET FROM GETTING LOST
Please remember that dogs and cats can sometimes travel farther and faster than you might expect. Some lost dogs have traveled over 20 miles in less than two days, and can easily travel that distance (and farther) in a week. Cats sometimes get into vehicles (while seeking warmth, shelter, and food) and then leave the vehicle after it has been driven a distance.

1. Microchip your pet!

This involves your vet implanting a tiny electronic capsule under the skin that can later be scanned to match the ID number with you. Owner information is kept on a national database that can be retrieved at any time.

Learn more about this important tool here.

2. Tattoo your pet!

This is a permanent ID system that involves marking pertinent information on the skin of your pet-usually in one or both ears.

3. Put a collar with tag(s) on your pet!

• If you live in the Twin Cities area, you can recieve a free ID tag by emailing Karen@MVHSpets.org or visiting the Minnesota Valley Humane Society.

• Make sure that collars (and leashes) are secure.

• Write your phone number in permanent ink on the collar itself in case the tag(s) get lost.

• Special "Breakaway" cat collars with elastic sewn into the band are available to protect cats from being caught in trees or on fences.

• License your pet with your city. Please see our list of phone numbers for animal control (coming soon).

• Put tag(s) on your pet's collar-consider leaving your pet's name off as this information may give someone the ability to manipulate the animal more easily if t gets into the wrong hands.

• Also, consider leaving your address off to create more room for:

  1. Putting "Reward" on if you are willing to offer one.

  2. Mentioning any special medical needs.

  3. Putting day and evening phone numbers with area codes.

  4. Adding an extra number for a family member, neighbor or your cabin.

• Keep the information current-put a temporary tag on your pet when you move, with a relative or friend's number on it.

• Tag indoor cats-they make up a large number of pets who are lost and never return.

4. Spay/Neuter!

Spay or neuter your pet to reduce roaming. Check your city and county ordinances about roaming-it is usually against the law to allow your pet to roam.

5. Fence your yard!

• Make sure gates are secured-padlock them.

• Never leave your pet unattended-even in a fenced yard.

• Keep your pet indoors, especially when you are not home.

6. More tips!

• Enroll in an Obedience Training Class! Call the Minnesota Valley Humane Society at 952-894-5000 to learn more about classes offered at Canine U.

• Allow your dog to mark when you take it around the neighborhood for a walk. This allows them to leave signs that may help them return home should they wander off.

• Report suspected incidents of pet theft to police and form a neighborhood watch.

• Watch when company is arriving.

• Thoroughly instruct pet sitters on all procedures.

• Make sure doors, including storm/screen doors, have latches that catch securely.

• Hastings

• Farmington

• Inver Grove Heights

• Apple Valley

• Lakeville

• Mendota

• South Saint Paul

All stray dogs and stray cats found in other cities must go to the local Animal Control. If you choose, you may hold an animal for 10 days. After being in your custody for 10 days, you are considered the legal owner, and may surrender the animal to Minnesota Valley Humane Society. Please read more about our surrender policies here

TIPS FOR HELPING A STRAY ANIMAL

Whether a pet has been lost for one day or three weeks makes no difference-you can't assume a stray animal is yours to keep!

If you see a stray animal call your local police department non-emergency number or animal control (list coming soon) and describe the animal and its location for them to come and rescue it.

If you see a stray animal and take it in and secure it yourself, consider keeping it separate from your own pets for safety and health reasons. Then report a found pet by following these steps:

1. Check for ownership!

• If the pet is collarless, don't automatically assume it is ownerless. Look in its ears for tattoos.

• Take it to a veterinary office, animal shelter, or Minnesota Valley Humane Society to be scanned for a microchip.

2. Ask around! Talk with your neighbors, local residents, and businesses. They may recognize the animal.

3. Make the Call!

• Call animal control or your local police department non-emergency number.

• Call humane societies or shelters within a 25 mile radius because pets roam and can get picked up.

• Call Minnesota Valley Humane Society at 952-894-5000 and file a Found Pet Report.

4. Flyers are important!

• Watch for posted flyers.

• Create found flyers and ask to post them at veterinary offices, high traffic retail areas, mall bulletin boards, and animal shelters. Include a basic written description of the stray animal and your phone numbers. Do not mention specific details-this prevents people from pretending the pet is theirs.

5. Newspaper ads!

• Check lost ads in your local papers.

• Place a found ad in your local papers.

6. Be informed-Be persistent!

• Be aware of your local animal ordinances. You may be required to make a concerted effort to locate the owner of a stray animal for many days.

• Please call Minnesota Valley Humane Society before bringing in a stray animal.