1) INFORMATION IS KEY. Always include details such as contact info (phone number or email address), city and state, location info such as neighborhood or community. A brief description of the pet such as "Black and white Jack Russell Terrier named Hops, 5 years old, approximately 36lbs" is sufficient.
2) IMMEDIATE, SPECIFIC, ACTION PLAN = ISAP. Read our 13 Steps "What to do When Your pet is Missing" pinned to the top of the Facebook page or on the blog here
3) TIME IS TICKING. Do not delay as the highest rate of pet recoveries take place within the first 24 hours. We've heard over and over again "He always wanders home in a day or two", "I'm sure I can go make flyers tomorrow" and "How far can he get? We'll go out looking later if he's not back soon". A loose, panicked or running pet can dash blindly into traffic, be attacked by other animals, picked up by someone who decides to keep them, etc. Don't delay.
4) GET OFF FACEBOOK AND GET MOVING. Do what is needed: notify animal control, put an post on Craigslist, add your pet's info to Facebook pages like ours - and then get OFF Facebook and get out there with flyers. People can call the number if they find your dog; your best options are to not waste time. (and yes, we see this over and over again - someone will keep posting on every Facebook page in the area, repeatedly, constantly commenting about how heartbroken and worried they are - and yet they don't make a flyer and never get out to do the real work).
5) "WALK AND TALK" IS A VALUABLE TOOL. Call your friends, neighbors, family members and get out there with flyers. You will always gather more information when speaking with someone because you are standing there to jog their memory; "Oh, you know I did actually see a little dog wandering down the sidewalk earlier this morning". See the blog post here - http://lostpetpr.blogspot.com/2016/01/lost-pet-tips-launching-your-search-and.html
Read more info at these informative sites:
- http://www.thecenterforlostpets.com/advice.aspx
- http://www.pinterest.com/PetTips
- http://www.lostdogsillinois.org/lost-a-dog/recovery-procedures
- http://www.missingpetpartnership.org/
Lost Pet PR | Delmarva's Largest Missing Pet Network
DE and the Eastern Shore areas of MD and VA
