Tag Archives: lost pet

The Cat Who Crossed Six Lanes of Traffic

I got an interesting — incredible — call at the cats-only boarding facility the other day. The voice on the other end asked me if we had lost a cat. For a moment, I just sputtered. “I don’t think so,” I said. “Actually, I’m pretty sure we didn’t. There would have been a big note if somebody got out.” The woman explained that she had found a cat on the (rather large) major road nearest the veterinarian and boarding facility, and had wondered if one of our guests had made a break for it. Then she told me an amazing … Continue reading →

Protecting Pets against Kidnapping

Any pet can be at risk for kidnapping, but there are things you can do to help reduce that risk. Don’t leave pets alone outside. Supervise them at all times! If your yard is visible from the street, anybody walking by can see that you are there with your pet — and your pet isn’t a good target. If strangers approach you to ask questions about your pet, don’t share details like how much he cost or where you live. Be polite, but don’t be specific. If your pet does go missing, report it to police and/or animal control as … Continue reading →

Pet Kidnapping on the Rise

According to statistics from the American Kennel Club, pet kidnapping is on the rise. It’s a statistic that’s difficult to track, to be sure. Pet theft is categorized with other property theft in official police reports, so the AKC and other groups have to rely on anecdotal evidence. But law enforcement agencies agree that pet theft — especially dog theft — is higher in 2008 than in the past. In the first half of the year, the AKC caught wind of three times as many dog thefts as there were in the first half of 2007. Why steal a pet? … Continue reading →

Lost Parrot Talks His Way Home

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When I was a little kid, my parents made a game out of teaching me my home address and phone number. We turned it into a little song — to this day, I could still sing you my address and phone number! I didn’t know it at the time, but this is important info for a little kid to know. For most pets, ID tags do the talking when it comes to name and home address. In fact, wearing tags is the number one way to make sure a lost pet is reunited with its family! Unless you’re Yosuke the … Continue reading →

Foofy’s Big Adventure

A few nights ago, my aunt and uncle found a miniature poodle wandering through their backyard. The little black dog came running right up to them when they called, and was wearing a collar and ID tags. My uncle tried the phone number on the tags, but there was no answer. It was late at night, so they set up a nest in the garage for Foofy the poodle. The next day, they called again. No answer. My uncle is a pretty web-savvy guy, so he looked up the owner’s name and address on the internet. It seemed unbelievable, but … Continue reading →

A Pet’s Personality Can Help When They’re Lost

Is your dog friendly and outgoing? Friendly dogs will often go up to the first person who calls them. These dogs are often found relatively close to home, or are quickly picked up close to the escape point. (This can vary, depending on the population and area where the dog was lost.) The people who find extremely friendly, social dogs are often tempted to adopt them. Moose — my escape artist dog — is an outgoing, friendly sort of dog. I remember one morning jaunt he took when we still lived in Vermont. He bolted out the door as I … Continue reading →

All About Microchipping

Microchipping is a great tool to help reunite you with a lost pet. However, the technology isn’t foolproof and it’s far from perfect. Here’s how it works: if a pet is picked up by animal control or taken to an animal shelter, the staff there will scan the animal for a microchip. The chip reflects the signal from the scanner with a special alphanumeric (using both letters and numbers) code. That code is matched up with your name and contact information, and you can be reunited with your missing pet! Here’s the problem: microchips implanted in 2003 or earlier can … Continue reading →

Hamster On The Loose!

Even the most diligent, careful hamster owner may find that their little friend has turned into an escape artist! Hamsters can fit through tiny spaces and move quickly, so finding a lost hamster can be tricky. Keep in mind that your hamster is probably scared, and will look for a secure, enclosed hidey hole. Leave the cage open. Your hamster just might come back on his own while you are going crazy searching! Start near the cage and work out from there. Check behind and under furniture, between the sofa cushions, and on shelves and bookcases. Look inside cabinets and … Continue reading →

Recovering A Lost Pet

If your pets make a break for it, the first and best thing you can do is stay calm. (I’m not always good at that one myself, but you should try.) If you don’t know where your pet is, check your own property first. It sounds crazy, but your dog or cat may be hiding or stuck somewhere. My brother’s dog Lily Biscuits was missing one afternoon, and after searching the neighborhood for hours, my parents came home and heard whining coming from the crawl space. It seems Miss Lily Biscuits had gotten into the crawl space when my parents … Continue reading →