Thursday, February 11, 2010

Step by Step to Help a Lost Pet

Found a pet? Here help:

Be safe! Not Sorry! If the animal is aggressive or you fear for your safety, call your local animal control centre for assistance.



If the animal is manageable, check for identification and record this information on a sheet of paper.



Once you have written down all of this information, register the animal as "Found" on PetLynx. Don't worry if you can't find any form of I.D.! PetLynx's AutoMatch system can make matches based on physical description alone! 

Look for ID on collars: If there are no visible tags, take the collar off and check for a hand-written phone on the underside o the collar

Check for tattoos: Look inside both ears, on the inside hind legs and on the abdomen. Don't worry if you can't decipher the tattoo, PetLynx can search for AutoMatches even with a partial tattoo number.

Check for a Microchip: This form of "electronic identification" is smaller than a grain of rice and is inserted under the animal's skin. You can't actually see or feel a microchip, so will have to take the animal to a veterinary clinic or animal shelter to have the animal "scanned" for a microchip.

In addition to adding the pet to the lost and found network, PetLynx enables you to easily create and print posters to distribute around your neighbourhood.

You should also:
  • Contact your local SPCA and Animal Control Centre. 
  • Contact local veterinary clinics, pet groomers and pet supply stores. 
  • Check the "Lost and Found" column of your local paper. 
  • Place an ad in your local paper -- this ad space is generally offered free of charge.  
  • Ask neighbours if they recognize the animal. 
  • If you have found a purebred animal, contact a breed organization. 
When you find the guardian, don't forget to contact the various groups keeping records -- including PetLynx -- and let them know the animal is HomeSafe so they can take the animal off their records.