1. Your microchip is only effective if your details are up- to- date
During 2015-16, the RSPCA reunited 76% of dogs and just 4.6% of cats that were lost. They credit the animals microchip with the successful reunion of pets to their owner.
Microchipping is mandatory at the time a pet is purchased or adopted. Life is busy, we move, we get new phones and change email addresses. The easiest way to ensure that your microchip details are update is via the Central Animal Records database.
2. Get a pet ID tag and collar
Most pets are lost close to home and many people in the community are pet lovers themselves and would help any pet find its way home. To make this as easy as possible, your pet should have an identification tag with at least its name and your telephone number.
3. Get in touch with your local shelter
Contact your local animal shelter and inform them that your pet of missing. Providing them with a description of the pet, its microchip number and even the day and date that it went missing will you give you the best chance of being reunited with your pet quickly. It may also be worth contacting surrounding shelters as sometimes pets are picked up and dropped off to shelters other than the one situated in your shire.
If you are not reunited quickly, visit the animal shelter regularly as your description or microchip may could be incorrect or the description misinterpreted but your pet could be there waiting for you.
4. Contact vet clinics in the area
If pets are found outside of shelter hours, or people are unable to take a pet to the local animal shelter, they may take your pet to a vet. Vet’s will often hold animals overnight so getting in touch may help prevent your pet going to the animal shelter.
5. Look at lost and found pets on social media.
Most communities have lost and found pet pages on social media. Many people not only find pets and look for owners on these pages but these pages also contain sightings of pets. There are hundreds of stories of pets and owners being reunited through the power of social media!
6. Community notice boards, neighbours and street signs
Many shopping precincts have community notice boards. Make up a missing sign and place on the board. The best signs are A4 in size and feature a large clear picture of your pet with your contact details. You could also place some of these signs on street light posts around your area but remember to take them down once your pet is found. Don’t forget to check with your immediate neighbours, they may be able tell you if they noticed any movements or sightings of your pet.
7. Identify, secure and keep up-to-date
Once you have been reunited with your pet, run through this checklist!
• Identify how your pet escaped
• Repair or secure fences and gates if this was how your pet escaped
• Check your pets ID tag is still legible. Pet tags are the cheapest way to identify your pet, we engrave them in store, on the spot for you!
• Check that your contact details are current and up-to-date on the Central Animal Records database.
For further information, call in & see us in the store, or email us: admin@weknowpets.com.au