Lost Pet Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Pet Owners

Pets are an important member of our family for most of us. We can’t even imagine parting with our furry friends but it's a possibility not far away from reality.

There can be various reasons for losing a pet, like running away or getting lost in a crowd. It’s very easy to lose a pet in a place that’s loud and new to them. Sick or dehydrated pets tend to wander and noises of fireworks and lightning also make the pets fidgety. One of the ways that we can reduce the probability of losing a pet is by using some background music to nullify the effect of fireworks or lightning. 

What are the chances?  

Losing a pet can be a catastrophic experience for a pet parent but it can be a traumatizing experience for a pet to get separated from its guardians. Research shows that the chances of recovering a lost dog are much higher than recovering a lost cat. At the same time, two out of three cats returned home on their own while the numbers for dogs are pretty low at 8 percent. Therefore, when you lose a dog, the next steps taken by the guardians are highly critical in finding the dog.

Every moment counts

In the case of a lost pet, the first 24 hours are crucial because most guardians give up the search assuming that they have lost the pet forever to “avoid the grief” or that they might return on their own. They forget that the pet might be injured, which limits the dog's ability to come back home. Moreover, during a dog’s  “flight or fight” process, olfactory senses get hampered and they might not be able to find their way back home or even recognize their owners in one go.

Search the home base first

It is essential that you start the search as early as possible. It’s vital to search your property and familiar places and call out their name. It’s possible that the dog might not even bark when you call out their name because they are scared. Accessing the CCTV footage of your colony or apartments might give you a clue as to where the dog might’ve wandered. You can even get volunteers to search with you as every moment counts because your dog is just as scared as you!

Do not underestimate the power of social media! 

Social media is a very powerful tool that has helped many parents reunite with their pets. Distributing flyers with a reward is also an effective way. All you need to do is be careful if someone tries to return you a similar dog just for the cash. Also, it has been noticed that flyers are more effective than posters because they might not be visible to commuters.

Some other ways are:

You can always look at different pet shelters and offline and online lost and found forums that might have your pet listed there. One unusual way is to hire a professional dog communicator or rescuer that might improve your chances of seeing your dog again.

It doesn’t end with the search

After all the efforts, when a guardian sees their dog again, there is a high probability that the dog might not even recognize them as he might be injured or scared. If you feel that the dog is not able to recognize the parent, do not call its name out loud and do not run after him, he might get even more frightened and get hurt in the process. 

Calming signals for skittish temperament

Whether you are the rescuer or the pet parent, it might not be easy to not look at the pet but try to resist looking at them directly and continuously. Watch the dog from the corner of the eye while looking at the ground or kneel down as if you have dropped food. It would help if you were calm and patient and do not approach the dog till it shows recognition or starts to come towards you with a calm demeanor.

Coping with the loss 

Now coming to the most difficult part, when you realize you might never see your furry friend. For most of us, our furry friends have the same special place as any family member and psychologists say that the grieving process is the same as that of losing a loved one. It is essential to take your time through the grieving process, with proper support. Express your sadness in the ways you find suitable like crying, talking it out, writing it on paper, or any other way. Hold a ceremony where your friends and family can share their memories with the pet, which might help you get the much-needed closure. Eventually, you will heal and it’s not wrong to move forward and cherish the playful times you had with your pet!

In the end, if we come across a lost pet it’s our duty to take it to the vet, report the lost pet and also contact animal shelters just in case they had any inquiries about the said animal. It is crucial to do it so that the pet doesn’t feel threatened!