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I'm okay. I just had too much fun.
IF YOU LOSE YOUR DOG
I was stolen when I was a puppy. I was out playing with my littermates in my back yard. It's fenced in with chain linking, so mom thought it was safe. Some high school kids, on their way to school, thought that I was pretty (They were right.) and friendly (right again) and needed a new home (WRONG). My people were miserable but went into action. I was returned to them that same day. My people were forearmed. Many dogs get lost, run away or stolen. It is up to you to be prepared in case it happens.
Before Your Pet is Lost
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Introduce your dog to your neighbors and other humans in your life. The mailman is a buddy of mine and gives me treats all the time. My mom also contributes to his stash from time to time. |
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Be a good neighbor. Obey the leash laws, pick up after and take the time to train your dog. My neighbors like me and don't mind an occasional bark because they know that a stranger is around. The police know that I don't run loose and so does the dog warden! |
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Spay/neuter your pet. They are less likely to roam. |
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Take pictures of your dog and keep them current. |
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Buy your dog a collar and get him tags. Vaccination tags, License tags and a personalized tag with name and phone number all help. I even have travel tags when I am visiting with a local phone number on it. Dogs can get lost when traveling, also. Then we are in a strange place and scared. |
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Have your dog microchipped. When I was found, Debbiemom to me to the animal hospital for a thorough examination just to make sure I had no hidden injuries. The vet thought I was too young, at 5 weeks of age but Debbiemom told him that I wasn't too young to be stolen and I was chipped immediately. Don't forget to register the chip number. |
If Your Dog is Missing
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Get into action right away. The faster you act the better the chances of finding your buddy is. The faster your dog is found, the less like your dog is to be injured, become ill, starve or die. |
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Talk to the neighbors. Make flyers, hand them out and post them. |
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Report your dog and distribute photos to the mailman, police department, dog warden, animal shelter, local vet offices and grooming salons. |
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Call the radio and newspaper. They frequently do lost pet ads for free or for a minimal charge. |
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If you live near a school, call the school and ask them to make an announcement. That's how I got found. Schoolmates warned the people who took me and I was dumped. A young girl, who heard the announcement took me home and called the police department. The sergeant on duty had my picture and called my mom. |
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List your pet on the web. There are several sites for lost and found dogs: |
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Post your dog to any e-mail list you may belong to and grant permission to cross post your message. The word spreads rapidly in the cyber community. |
When your pet is found, be sure to take him to the veterinarian for a checkup. Remember to take the time to notify all involved and thank them for their assistance.
I'm a lucky dog. My people were prepared, knew what to do and went into action right away.
Copyright © 2002 - 2005 by AfterHours Australian Shepherds. No reproduction of any kind, of any of the material on this site, is permitted without the written permission of AfterHours Australian Shepherds, or in the case of previously published articles, the indicated author.
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