[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Finding A Lost Pet” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:40px|text_align:center|color:%23333333|line_height:40px” google_fonts=”font_family:Fjalla%20One%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]
Getting Lost Pets Back To Their Families
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Steps To Take When Finding Someone’s Lost Pet” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:25px|text_align:center|color:%23333333|line_height:25px” google_fonts=”font_family:Fjalla%20One%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]More than often, we always assume that a stray pet has been abandoned or is unwanted. In reality, most have a loving owner who is missing them. When you find a pet who seems to be lost, do the right thing and go the extra mile to find the owner and make their happy reunion happen.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Too many people believe they can keep a pet they have found without making any effort to locate the owner. This belief is not in the best interest of the owner or of the pet, and it is against the law. Although we treat pets as family members, legally they are property and treated as such in a dispute.[/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”Finders Keepers?” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:20px|text_align:center|color:%23426421|line_height:40px” google_fonts=”font_family:Fjalla%20One%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]Taking a few simple steps will give the owner a chance to find their pet, and will give you peace of mind should you decide to adopt the animal if unclaimed. You never know an owner’s situation and must give them a fair chance. They could be out of town, in the hospital, or just not know how to look for their missing pet.[/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”Dogs vs Cats” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:20px|text_align:center|color:%23426421|line_height:40px” google_fonts=”font_family:Fjalla%20One%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]Found dogs and cats should be handled differently. A dog at large should be leashed and brought to safety right away. Many cats live outside, so should be left alone unless they appear ill or injured. If you are unable to hold a dog until the owner comes forward, bring him or her to the shelter for your jurisdiction. Because cat reclaims are so uncommon in shelters, we do not recommend bringing them in unless they are in need of medical attention.[/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”Found Report” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:20px|text_align:center|color:%23426421|line_height:40px” google_fonts=”font_family:Fjalla%20One%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]When you find a pet, you should make a found report in every possible venue: at your local shelters, at local veterinary hospitals, on PetBridge, Social Media and on any other local pet web pages. Also check for lost reports in the same places, keeping in mind that the pet may have been missing for a long time. We recommend posting signs where possible, as these are highly visible and generate leads.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Also, Many pets are microchipped, but you won’t know if you don’t get them scanned. Microchips are painlessly implanted into your pet, so if they go missing veterinarians and animal welfare shelters can use their microchip scanners, to call up your pets’ unique identification number. This number is then referenced to a database, which provides your contact details. Most vets and shelters will scan a found pet for free, giving the owner a chance to contact you and arrange a reunion. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]If You Find a Lost Pet
Have you ever seen a dog or cat running loose on a busy street and feared for its safety? You may have tried to get it out of harm’s way — or you may have wanted to, but weren’t sure how. Here are some tips that can help next time you see a lost pet:
Capture and contain it with care. If you see a stray cat or dog, try to capture and contain the animal if circumstances permit. Always approach stray animals slowly and cautiously while speaking in a calm, gentle voice. You can also use food to coax a frightened animal into approaching you.
Ideally, dogs should be secured using a leash or contained in a fenced yard. A belt or piece of rope can be used as a slip lead in an emergency, but keep in mind that these items are not appropriate as a routine means of controlling a dog. Most cats do not like to be held for any length of time, so stray kitties are best confined inside a cat carrier, secure box (with air holes), small room of your house or temporarily in your car (as long as the car is well ventilated and not too hot).
Call the authorities. Never put yourself in harm’s way by attempting to capture an animal that is behaving aggressively. If you cannot safely approach the animal or if it runs away, call your local animal control or police department immediately. Be sure to give the dispatcher the exact street address where the animal was last seen.
Check for ID. Once you have contained the lost pet, check to see if the animal is wearing anID tag. If so, you may be able to immediately contact the owner and return the pet to her or him.If the pet is wearing ID, but you are unable to immediately make contact with the owner, you may choose to hold onto the pet for a few hours and wait for a call back from the owner. If you choose this course of action, it is still advisable to immediately file a “found” report with your local animal shelter in case the owner calls or goes there to search for the pet. If you are unable to hold the pet, you can either take it to your local animal shelter or call your local animal control or police department to pick it up.
Get the pet scanned for a microchip. If the pet is not wearing an ID tag, the best course of action is to either take it to your local animal shelter or call the animal control/police department to pick it up and transport it to the shelter. The shelter staff will scan the animal for a microchip. If the animal is chipped, the shelter staff will be able to immediately look up the owner’s contact information by calling the microchip company or accessing the microchip database online. Although it may be tempting to keep a lost pet and try to find the owner yourself, it is absolutely essential that the animal be scanned for a microchip.
Take pets with no ID to an animal shelter. If the animal has no ID tag or microchip, its best chance of being reunited with its owner is generally at an animal shelter. The shelter is the one obvious place where owners are likely to look for lost pets. While most shelters maintain a database of “found” reports, these reports are often inaccurate due to the subjectivity of the person describing the animal. Many people are not familiar with breeds and coat colors and may not be able to give an accurate description of the animal they have found. One acceptable alternative would be to post a picture of the found animal in the shelter’s computer database if the shelter has software with that capability. This would allow you to hold the lost pet, while still allowing the owner to find it at the shelter via a photo.
Post fliers. Whether you hold the lost animal yourself or place it in the custody of your local shelter, there are several ways you can help find the owner. If possible, take a photo of the pet and post fliers around the area where the pet was found. Be sure to also distribute the fliers to local veterinary clinics. You should also post a found report and photo on the “Pets” section of www.craigslist.com. If you found the pet in your own neighborhood, go door to door with a photo of the animal and see if anyone knows who owns it. You can also place a found ad in the classified section of your local newspaper (these are usually free).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
If You Find a Lost Pet
If an animal is acting in a threatening or dangerous manner, protect yourself and call 911 immediately. Do not try to handle or physically restrain an aggressive or fearful dog or cat. If an animal appears sick or injured, call 311. Do not try to make physical contact.
If you find a dog that has a New York City dog license tag, use the NYC Dog eLocator to help reunite them with the owner. Enter the 7-digit number on the dog license tag, your name, email or telephone number.
An email will be sent to the dog’s registered owner asking them to contact you. An email is also sent to the NYC Department of Health, which will try to contact the owner by telephone or mail.
If the animal has identification, you can also contact the owner directly. Identification comes in many forms, so please check the animal thoroughly for a tag or-tattoo. You can bring an animal to most shelters and veterinary hospitals to scan the animal for a microchip.
If you find a pet (with or without identification), you also can file a report online or bring the animal to a shelter.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]