Astonishing Secrets - I have just lost my pet!

Welcome to another Astonishing Secrets - this is for one of the most gut wrenching moments for a pet owner - for when they realise that their pet is missing.

"I am lost"  " And now you're found!"

So, you have lost a Pet? 

Our hearts go out to you, as we know the feeling.  It's awful. Words don't describe the feeling.   So let us help you.

1. Get your pet's photo
2. Get your pet's microchip number - if you can't get your hands on it in their paperwork, then just call your regular vet.  Most vets are keeping a record of your pet's microchip number on their computerised database.
3. Put a sign on your front lawn that you have lost your pet - many people walk the block around where the pet was lost hoping to find the owner.  You never know, you could be lucky and reunite very easily.

A Tip:  Put a Sign on your front lawn!

Ok, now take deep breaths, a cup of tea, and call your friends.  Someone needs to make the phone calls, and someone needs to walk around the area.

Now you will need to call all vets within a 30 minute drive of where your pet has gone missing - please remember that people will often take it to the closest vet they know, which is not necessarily the closest vet to where the pet has gone missing.

And, we strongly advise ringing your local council and ensuring your pet's contact details are up to date.
 
There are several local Lost and Found facebook pages dedicated to reuniting pets with their owners.
The ones in our area include - 

Teddy = the face of our Lost and Found Facebook page.

Lost and Found Pets (our own FB page dedicated to pets reunited with their family )

Lost Pets NSW

Illawarra Lost and Found

Lost and Found Pets Illawarra

Each area have their own "lost and found" guru!

4. Download our PocketVet app.  It has a lost and found feature.  Don't forget to select Russell Vale Animal Clinic if you are a client of ours, or if you are not, why not check if your local vet is on there. Add your pet's details.  Then you can send it to all other PocketVet app users in our area (or even in your area (PocketVet is an Australia wide app). 

5. Call the RSPCA at Unanderra, (or in your local area)  and make sure you visit them daily.  Visiting them and checking out the runs daily is essential.  Often descriptions are wrong or different, so what you may be calling a labrador cross staffy, they may see as a staffy cross lab.

6. You can email the Illawarra Mercury (or your local newspaper), and even try the radio stations.  Whether they help or not depends... sometimes they help, sometimes they don't.

When your pet does come home, take advantage of our Free ChipChecker service.

We call it a "Scan and Check", which we have been doing for over 10 years. It is the same as the Lost Dog's Home ChipChecker service, which is now national in 2014.

Your pet's microchip number is scanned, and the information on all of the databases is checked.  You will need to update any out of date information, but at least you know that the information is current.

We recommend ALL pets have their microchip scanned and checked ONCE a year!
This is a FREE service at Russell Vale Animal.

Any reason why your pet went missing?

It is sad, but no surprise that the number of lost pets increases on nights of fireworks or thunderstorms.  It is equally sad that many lost pets are habitual escape artists, with owners frustrated by why and how their pet's escape.

If you want us to help you find a solution, then let us know.  There are no quick fixes, and takes effort, but I have never had a failure when the owner was willing to work with us to find a solution.

 I have alot of failures when owners have expected a single, quick fix.

I am Dr Liz, the mad vet from Russell Vale Animal Clinic.  Every pet deserves their own personal vet, so please make sure your pet has theirs.

Any questions about our Scan and Check service, please call us on 0242845988.  This is a free service for all pet owners.