SCSBTS - Lost Dogs - What To Do And What Not To Do

We all like to believe we have most things under control but all too often dogs go missing. Dog owners cannot afford to be complacent or careless or one day you risk losing your beloved canine friend. Stafford owners in particular need to be especially vigilant as Staffords are a favourite breed among thieves. They could end up being led away to a life of misery to be sold to dog fighters and in such cases the chances of recovery are slim. Please take the time to read this article. It might just help you avoid losing your Stafford and contains some useful ideas about what you should do if the worst happens. This article includes information reproduced with kind permission of Lost Dogs UK and The Kennel Club PetLog. You will also find some links to other useful websites at the bottom of this page.

Make sure your garden is escape proof, check fences and hedges regularly, and if your dog could possibly push its way though - fix it !

If it could be jumped - and most dogs can get over six feet given an incentive - extend it upwards !

If your dog tries to get out of the front door when you open it - either put it in another room before you go to the door or teach it a reliable sit command !

Make sure your dog always wears a collar and tag when out - not only is this a link with you, it is also a legal requirement !

Having your dog tattooed, either on the inner ear or better still on the inner thigh, means anyone can see it is registered with somebody or microchipped, and the chances are that someone may check for it when it is taken to a rescue kennel

If your dog is inclined to run off either keep it on a lead or teach it to come when called - there are many trainers around that can help you do this

All these are common sense things you already know - take note of them and they may help you keep your dog

It is a sad fact that thousands of pets go missing every year and are not returned to their owner because they have no form of identification. As animals cannot speak for themselves, it is extremely important to know that they are properly identified so that if lost, when found, they can be returned to their relieved owner as quickly as possible.

‘Except for a few specific exceptions every dog while in a highway or in a place of public resort, shall wear a collar with the name and address of the owner inscribed on the collar or on a plate or badge attached thereto’. Ideally the information on ID tags should consist of YOUR name, your house number followed by your postcode and finally a telephone number you can be easily reached on. It is unwise to include the name of your dog as that could prove beneficial to a thief.

What is PetLog? PetLog is the National Pet Identification Scheme, an initiative of The Kennel Club, RSPCA and Scottish SPCA. It is a single nationwide database, administered by The Kennel Club, containing over 600,000 registered animals, including dogs, cats, horses, and exotics.

Once microchipped with a chip that is part of the PetLog Scheme, your pet’s details will be added to the National Pet Identification Scheme. You can then sleep happy with the reassurance that, if your pet is lost and identified by its microchip, there is a 24 hour telephone helpline and website that will enable you to be traced by an authorised body such as a dog warden, police or welfare organisation.

Why should I microchip my pet? Every day unidentified pets are humanely destroyed in animal homes around the country. Many of these animals could have been reunited with their owner if identification had been possible. Animals disappear for many reasons, stray, get lost, frightened, are injured and run away, or are even stolen. As the owner, you are responsible for ensuring that your pet is under your control and that includes proper identification.

What is a microchip? The implantable microchip is just 12mm long and 2mm in diameter (about the size of a grain of rice) and carries a unique identification number, either 10 or 15 digits long. It is made out of inert materials to avoid rejection by the body, has no power source and has an anti-migration cap to avoid movement once professionally implanted. Microchips are now manufactured to an International Standard (ISO 11784 and ISO 11785).

How is the Microchip implanted? The chip is implanted by a veterinary surgeon, or other qualified person, using a special pre-packed sterile needle in a simple painless injection in the scruff of the neck. The procedure is very similar to, and no more painful than, an annual vaccination.

Where Can I Have My Pet Microchipped? Contact your local veterinary surgery, welfare centre or dog warden for advice and prices.

As an alternative to microchipping your dog the National Dog Tattoo Register also have a nationwide registration database. The most obvious advantage is that tattoo’s are a permanent visible record which can be seen by anyone which could also deter a thief. Many owners are concerned about the possibility of microchips migrating. However tattoos can sometimes fade which can make them virtually impossible to read.

Would you be able to give a thorough description of your dog if it went missing? There must be something that makes each dog individual and it is up to the owner to tell people so anyone reading posters, advertisements, websites, or passing the word around Vets, Pet Shops, Boarding Kennels and via shop windows can recognise it.

Why not - right NOW go over your dog thoroughly and make notes so that, in case he or she goes missing, you don't have to think. You already have a detailed description.

And get busy with a camera too - take photos from front, rear and side and update them from time to time.

Think along normal lines of description (gender; entire/neutered; age; size; weight; colour; scars; height; etc.) and then include anything else which may be pertinent :

General Appearance - Tail - If docked - how long is the dock - has it healed cleanly or is there scarring on the end ?

If the dog has a two-tone tail, is there distinctive white on the tip or are there a few black hairs on the end ?

Injuries - Has he/she ever had an operation ? where ? is there a scar ? how long is the scar ?

Has the dog ever been in a fight resulting in a few white hairs anywhere ? (often on wounds the hair grows back white)

Does your dog have any different coloured toe nails ? Natural or the result of bruising ?

Colours - Is the dog a solid colour with small contrasting markings ? where? what colours ?

If the dog is two-tone, for example black and white, where do the colours change ?

ANYthing else to help find your dog - Is your dog overweight or underweight for its age or size ? overweight for its breed ?

Tips - on things to do and people to contact
as soon as you discover you have LOST YOUR DOG

Walk the neighbourhood, talk to everybody you come across, and leave your phone number.

Visit your local RSPCA and other rehoming Centres and keep going back or checking with them regularly.

Your local Dog Warden - Describe your dog as fully as possible, giving its size, sex, colour, height, distinguishing marks, scars, tattoos and BREED.

Tell the Dog Warden what the Breed looks like - not all dog wardens are doggy people.

The Police - who may well refer you to Dog Warden but you should insist they take the details in case your dog is found out of office hours and a report reaches them.

Please ensure you get a reference number when reporting your lost dog to the police because your insurance company may require one. Keep this safe for future reference.

Keep a note of the TIME you reported the loss to the Police and the number, if not the name, of the officer you spoke to (see epaulets on shoulder). This is because of calls on Police time and manpower.

All Local Vets - Try to prepare a simple poster and ask the Vet to put it on the Board in the Waiting Room.

Breed and other Dog Clubs - If you own a pedigree dog no-one can distinguish between individual dogs of a particular breed better than breed enthusiasts and breed club members. Clubs can help by spreading the word amongst their members to be on the look out in their local area.

Boarding Kennels, Rehoming Centres and Breed Rescues - Try to go and take a look around in case your dog has been handed in and check back with them every week in case they get a dog in that matches your dogs description.

Insurers - If you have an insurance policy for your dog this will often cover a certain amount of the cost towards advertisements or to offer a reward.

If your dog goes missing from your home or is stolen and sold locally posters are one of the most successful methods for locating them and dogs are frequently returned home after someone has seen them on a poster.

Put them in any local shop that will let you, at entrances to parks and anywhere that people walk their dogs. If they went missing while being walked or on holiday place posters within a 3-mile radius of where your pet was lost. If you can include colour photos or photocopies so much the better.

Nothing focuses the mind like the lure of cash. Most people who see a poster just walk right by. Seeing the word REWARD will significantly increase the likelihood of your poster getting noticed and people will be more likely to get in contact when they think they may have seen your dog. It should, however, be borne in mind that dogs are sometimes stolen specifically to extract a reward. If you are at all suspicious contact the police.

There are some very helpful web sites aimed at finding lost pets including Lost Dogs UK, Petsearch UK and Petdetective. They are run entirely by volunteers to help reunite people with their lost pets. They have listings of hundreds of missing pets so please don’t just wait until your own pet goes missing before visiting their sites. Try and find a little time to look through their listings. Maybe you’ll recognise someone’s lost pet. They all offer the facility to post details of lost dogs free of charge and include a wealth of information to help you in finding your dog. In addition the PetLog section of Kennel Club web site also has plenty of helpful information. When sending details of a lost dog be descriptive. A simple description of - say - "a 26" high Lurcher bitch (Saluki x Beardie), colour fawn with black" makes a positive identification pretty difficult if not impossible. If you can email them a clear photo as well.

Don't overlook anything which will help the Police or passers-by identify your lost pet. It is entirely possible that you will be describing your dog to a Policemen who has no experience in canine creatures

During the time your dog is missing you will probably have been in contact with several organisations in search of them. In the happy event your dog is returned to you please don’t forget to contact everyone you reported you lost dog to. Not only is this simply good courtesy but also they will have plenty more lost dogs or other things to be dealing with and knowing that your dog has been found will help them in eliminating unnecessary work.

Useful Websites

Kennel Club PetLog section

DOGLOST.CO.UK

Lost Dogs UK

Petsearch (UK)

PetDetective

National Dog Tattoo Register

Dog Rescue Pages

Missing Dogs Message Board

The Missing List

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