by Karon Brandt

Created on: August 23, 2007   Last Updated: March 16, 2008

Don't waste time with classifieds! Get a couple people to work in an organized way simultaneously.

1) First 2 hours: get family and friends to search around town and up to a 2 mile radius while someone else is making phone contacts. Immediately call your local animal shelters and rescues, humane societies, vets, and police. Call similar agencies in the next county if you're close to a border. Alert neighbors to be on the lookout.

2) After 2 hours without a sighting: Create an ad with a recent picture of your dog. If you don't have a picture and it's a purebred, use a picture from a book. People must know what they are looking for. Describe the dog so that the average person would recognize him if he saw him. Be specific: "Lost: (Dog's name) a brown dog with white markings on face and paws; spayed female; 60#; got loose from yard on August 1, 2007 (location lost in) near the post office in Our Town, PA around 4 p.m. Was wearing pink collar with rabies tag and license. Is on anti-seizure medication. Family pet. Reward. Call (610) 555-0000." If friendly, add "Please try to coax her into your garage or fenced yard and call us." If the dog is not friendly or could be a fear biter, say, "Don't attempt to catch her; simply call us with her location ASAP."

3) Day 2: Intensify the search. Make at least 200 copies of your ad on a photocopy machine. (Printer ink runs in rain; photocopier toner won't.) Start posting fliers on bulletin boards at high traffic and high visibility areas like gas stations and grocery stores. Tape fliers to phone poles. (In many places, it is illegal and unsafe to use staples because of danger to pole men.) Speed is important. People must be notified. Get help to take fliers from door to door. If your local radio and TV stations make community announcements, ask them for help.

4) After 2 days: Extend your search. Go a little farther by vehicle and start passing the word - and your fliers with your contact number - to your local mailmen, UPS and Fed Ex delivery people, older children, joggers, runners, bikers, and anyone else walking around the search areas. Get them on the lookout. (Young children may have been warned that kidnappers use lost animal ploys to lure them into cars and may become frightened if approached.) If you have a purebred, try calling the rescue organization for your breed. Many of them have "Lost Dog" links on their websites. Some rescuers will travel a distance to help their breed in need.

5) Start visiting animal shelters to

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