When a stray is found there is often a rush to judgement that they are an “unwanted” dog or cat. In fact, many are actually lost pets who have not been reunited with their families, but who are being searched for frantically.
While dog owners generally rush to start their search early, sometimes cat owners whose cats are indoor/outdoor may not even realize they are lost for a longer period of time, delaying the start to their search!
This precious loss of time coupled with the fact that cats are less likely to be chipped and tagged make reunions more difficult. Shelters are overrun with homeless dogs and cats, making reunions of owned pets important for the owners and the shelter/rescue system as well.
Searches are not as easy as you may think. Which is why we’ve team up with HeLPing Lost Pets! Join their community and let those with missing or found pets know about posting there for free.
Homeless pet or stray?
Could you tell the difference?
Some strays sincerely have no home. Perhaps the offspring of a stray pet or one that has been abandoned. Many others are beloved lost pets whose owners are frantically looking to find them!
A lost pet can travel great distances in a short amount of time. And, given the elements, can quickly look quite different than the lost pet pic you may see.
Consider the story of Annabelle.
Thanks to Lost Dogs of Wisconsin for this story to provide important perspective and for their tireless work every day to help reunite lost pets with their owners.
What a Difference a Day Makes!
Beautiful Annabelle, lost for just a short time, is proof positive appearances can be deceiving. A missing pet’s shiny groomed coat can quickly become matted and dirty. The dog may not look anything like his/her posted photo. Remember this when looking for a lost dog. Make note of any distinguishing marks or color patterns when comparing lost and found photos. (like a pretty pink nose).
Visit http://lostdogsofwisconsin.org for more info.
Lost Dogs of America launched National Lost Dog Awareness Day in 2014 to bring attention to the fact that “not all stray dogs are homeless”.
Now every April 23 has become National Lost Dog Awareness Day ! Help raise awareness for lost pets and remember that “not all stray dogs are homeless” #LostDogAwarenessDay.
The Lost Dogs of America website was created and is maintained by the two original founding members of the Lost Dogs network: Lost Dogs of Wisconsin and Lost Dogs Illinois. They developed this website to share the articles, ideas and resources gathered from their experience in the successful recovery of over 6000 dogs. Lost Dogs of America is now comprised by Lost Dogs pages in these States: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Wisconsin. These all volunteer pages work round the clock to provide their free networking, posting and advice to help reunite more pet owners with their pets.
Read this article from Lost Dogs of America about Jump Starting Your Search for Your Long Lost Dog!