Help lost pets get home quickly to their loving family with these top tips…
- Place a listing on national and local lost pet sites, including Neighbourly
- Check the Lost Pets online to see if this pet has already been reported as lost
- Take the pet to the vet for a free microchip scan. If the pet is microchipped and registered it can be reunited very quickly. Remember not just dogs can be microchipped - cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, reptiles and even birds can be microchipped.
- At the vet ask the vet or vet nurse to tell you the sex, age and breed/s so you have more information to add to your listings.
- Put up a makeshift sign/flier outside your property so people searching for their pet on foot, or in a car, see your sign.
- If you have found a dog, take the dog for a walk around the neighbourhood. The owner may see you while they are out looking for the dog
- Contact your local council Animal Control if you have found a healthy stray dog.
- Talk with neighbours and do a flier drop in your street and surrounding streets.
- Put a Found Pet flier up at local diary/supermarket/noticeboard/library etc.
- If a cat is "hanging around”, try putting a paper collar on it with a note to see if anyone responds
Photo: Young cat found in a distressed state at Cat Care Rangiora