Losing a pet is like losing a loved one. Pets cannot tell you where they have. If they belong to a pure breed, chances are that they could be kidnapped or kept by the finders.
As an online pet recovery specialist in Singapore, I help pet owners to find their missing pets by using the Internet platform to reach out to pet lovers. With hundreds more eyes on the lookout, the chance of finding their lost pets is better.
Here are some ways to find your missing pets:
1. Conduct a physical search. They could be hiding in the bushes, fields or drains. Cats normally do not go far.
2. Distribute flyers in the neighborhood. Stick the posters in public places where there are high human traffic. Pass it to security guards in the condos. Paste it on notice boards in shopping centers, sports centres and schools. Most of the lost pets were found through the flyers.
3. Contact animal shelters such as SPCA. Send them a photo. When a person finds a stray dog, he is likely to contact the SPCA.
4. Post your notice in pets forums. There are ‘lost & found’ sections in all online pet forums.
5. Post in ‘lost & found’ section in online classified ads portals and lifestyle forums. Craigslist is one of best sites as the information are quickly indexed by the search engines. For better findability, in the title or subject heading, mention the breed and the place last seem. Offer a reward as an incentive.
6. Post your notice in pets groups in Facebook.
7. Scan the daily newspaper every day to see if anyone reports a found pet. Look in the ‘Found’ section of the classified ads column. Any finder can post a found pet at no cost. In Singapore, the SPCA posts it for 3 consecutive days and there is no response, the pet will probably be put to sleep.
8. Engage the service of a pet detective or a pet recovery specialist. This will save you the time. They are the experts. So they know the best way to do it. They have their network of contacts. They know where the websites to post the notice are. They know how the animals behave and where they are likely to be found.
Do it early. Do not delay. From my personal experience, most pets were found within the first week. By following the above steps, you will increase the chance of recovering your lost pet.
