My Billings Gazette

With Live streaming video/webcams!

www.foundanimals.org/index.php/kitten-cam.html

Tips for finding lost pets:

-  First, time is of the essence.  At the first sign you are aware your pet is missing, check the immediate area around your home, under decks, in and around sheds, under vehicles, etc.  Ask neighbors to keep an eye out for your pet and give a detailed description of your pet:  breed, color and identifying or unusual markings, any unusual personality quirks, whether the pet is wearing a collar or tags etc, and leave your phone number.

-  The most critical hours of finding your pet are the first 48 hours.  The more active you are in attempts to find your pet, the more likely you will find them.  Enlist family members and even friends and neighbors if possible.  If you know and are comfortable with neighborhood kids, ask them too to keep an eye out for your pet, kids are very good little investigators, and may "work" harder if you offer a small reward.

-  For cats, consider checking INSIDE your home first.  Check for openings in the basement ceilings or walls kitty may have crawled into, behind large appliances, under furniture etc.  Remember to check crawl spaces outside.

-  Print a clear, colored copy of a photo of your pet from your computer.  If you know how to work with image and text on your computer, include brief but pertinent information of your pet (age, breed, coloring/markings, collar color/tag or bell information, vacinity where last seen, your phone number  If you don't have a computer, you can try Kinko's or a local UPS store or other printing store to do this for you for a small fee.  Make several copies so you can distribute them.  Common areas to distribute:  veterinary clinics in your vacinity, supermarket bulletin boards (ask permission first), pet stores, the lobby of the Billings Animal Shelter (now the Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter), and other local rescue groups (contact info below) and even neighbors in your immediate vacinity.

-  Make immediate contact with the shelter and local rescue groups so they can post your photo and keep your information on hand should someone find and bring your pet to them.  Follow up with them on a consistent basis.  Physically check the animal shelter/YVAS daily or every other day for your pet.  DO NOT depend on the online web versions, since they may not list every pet available.  DO NOT rely on phone calls or phone inquiries, as this is not only time-consuming for staff, but your description of your pet and a staff member's description will vary greatly.  You'd be surprised how many owners don't bother checking the shelter at all, meanwhile perhaps their pet has been there all the while, and end up either adopted by someone else, or sadly, euthanized due to unavailable space or some other unfortunate circumstance.

-  Post a lost and found ad in the Billings Gazette, either by phone (657-1212) or via online .  Near the bottom of the ads is a link to "Place a classified ad".  Follow the prompts to place the ad, being careful of ad words and space restrictions.  An ad can be placed for free as long as it remains within those restrictions, otherwise, there is a small fee for a lengthier ad.  You may need to abbreviate common words, such as DSH, DMH, DLH, vac., St/Ln/Blvd, M or F, etc. but try to be as descriptive of possible.  "lost cat" or "lost tabby" is not appropriate since there are hundreds of colors of tabbies -- likewise, "lost black dog" is not appropriate, since there are hundreds of breeds and sizes of dogs.   People tend to pay attention to specific colors and details if they've spotted a lost pet.  You may post a lengthier ad and even include a photo, but there is a fee for those type of options, the prompts will direct you on how to proceed.  For free lost and found ads, you can renew your ad every three days for as long as necessary.

-  Leave a contact phone number in your ad.  I can't count the number of times I have tried contacting someone in an ad only to find the number disconnected, out of service, voice mail "full", cannot leave message, etc.

-  Post and ad at the online Yellowstone Valley Lost Pet Registry .  This is a valuable service to pet owners, as they can be very descriptive in their ad, and can upload a photo of their pet, all for free.  ALWAYS upload a photo if you can, this gets much more exposure for your pet from people checking the site on a daily basis.  The form for placing an ad and uploading a photo are very clear and simple for you to do.  Be sure to leave a valid phone number!

-  Leave out a small dish of food near your back door or deck etc, an article of clothing you've worn with your scent on it (like a sock or t-shirt).  Pets have extraordinary sense of smell and if nearby, will catch the scent and will be more likely to venture home.  Additionally, for cats, rent or borrow a safe and humane trap to "lure" your kitty back should he/she be hiding nearby.  (tips for this process can be provided if you want to post a question in this article).

-  Many pets do not venture far in the first few days after escaping your home, especially cats.  Cats can be as close as under your deck, in or near your garden shed or your neighbor's yard and outbuildings.  Ask neighbors to check their sheds and garages.  Check under bushes/shrubs and woodpiles.

-  If it has recently rained or snowed, follow tracks!  Just recently, I spoke with a lady who's cat had been missing for several days.  After advising her of all of the above and suggesting following tracks, it turns out kitty was trapped in a neighbor's garage, kitty came home, it had just snowed and the owner back-tracked kitty's tracks to a neighbor's garage.

-  For cats, the best time to search for them is very early morning (before or at dawn) and very late at night (at or after dusk and even much later in the night).  Cats are generally skittish and scared outside of their known environment, and will most likely only choose early morning or late night to reveal themselves while looking for food, since it is more likely to be quiet on the streets, dark.  Cats prefer dark hiding places, so every bush and shrub, woodpile, shed, under vehicle, under decks etc, that you can check will be ideal.  You should always call out to your pet and call his/her name frequently, in a voice you use when you normally talk to your cat.  Call out their name, stop and listen quietly for any response, and repeat calling to them as you continue to search.  You can also take along a can of cat food, opened, and a fork, tapping the fork against the can as you search.  Your search should cover a fairly large area, such as several blocks, and you should be consistent with the same area as often as possible.  Think like a cat, where would you hide if you were scared? Hidden, dark, and quiet areas, sheltered from rain, snow, cold wind (or in summer months, in dark, shady areas).

-  Most dogs tend to roam much further than cats, and generally consider roaming an adventure, sometimes getting into mischief along the way.  Small breed dogs on the otherhand tend to be closer to home, so as with cats, check the immediate area around your home first and expand further each day.  Remember to call nearby vet clinics to inquire about "stray" pets brought in on emergency.

-  DO NOT GIVE UP!  It is not uncommon or unheard of for many pets to remain missing for days, weeks and months, only to return unexpectedly when the owner has already exhausted their searching resources, or to be found by someone much later who cared enough to place a found ad.  Too many pet owners give up much too soon, and the pet is ultimately left to his/her own devices to survive on the streets or suffer worse fates such as hit-by-car, picked up by animal control, stolen, trapped.  Your lost pet may not know how to get home safely, which streets are safer, which people or areas to avoid, what types of dangers lurk around every corner, so it's crucial that YOU as the owner avail every opportunity to search, locate and bring your pet safely home.  The more you attempt and remain consistent, the higher the percentage of likelihood you and your pet will be reunited.

-  If you recieve phone calls and the caller claims to have your pet, reveal NO information other than what information you placed on your photo, flyers or lost and found ads.  Ask the caller to describe the pet in detail.  Ask the question "do you see an unusual identifying mark?" and ask the caller to describe it.  While it is rare, there are unscrupulous people out there who have hidden agendas.  A caller may request money before returning your pet.  Unless you've stated in your ads a "reward", there is no reason any caller should request money, beware a potential scam, and no actual pet in the caller's possession.  DO NOT meet with the person unless you have clear evidence the pet is in possession and can agree to meet in a public location, take a friend with you.  NEVER meet someone you don't know, alone.  Another scam operation that has occured frequently, including in Billings, is callers claiming to be pet detectives, requiring fees for their service.  They claim they maintain a large national database of lost and found pets, and for a fee, will "investigate" your local area and your neighborhood for potential sightings of your pet.  The callers usually originate from other states, have ficitious phone numbers, and if you try calling their number, you will be met with nothing but frustration and disappointment.  NEVER send money or give out your credit card information for any service you are not familiar with.  If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is a scam.

-  If and when your pet does return home, if having been gone for a week or longer, make an appointment immediately with your veterinarian for a complete examination.  Cats in particular, are highly susceptible to a medical condition called Hepatic Lipidosis.  This condition occurs because the cat did not have sufficient nutrition and water sources to prevent dehydration and nutritional protein in the diet, which in turn leads to rapid liver degeneration.  The classic symptoms include sudden or drastic weight loss, dehydration, vomiting, lethargy, jaundice (yellow color of the skin and mucous membranes), anorexia.  Hepatic Lipidosis is a rapidly progressive condition that can lead to death if not detected immediately and treated agressively.  If detected early and treated properly, the condition can be reversible.  Don't wait for days after your cat returns home, get him/her to your vet immediately.


Lastly, you should always be prepared in advance before any opportunities arise for a pet to escape from your home (next article).

There's a post on another blog that sort of prompted me to write the first article here. 

I look forward to open discussions and your input.  Don't be shy, just jump in, you might have fun!