Photo: Huffington Post
By Dave Vieser. Nothing can be more upsetting or disruptive to a family than when a beloved pet is missing. These friendly companions really do become a part of the family and when they are suddenly gone, a sense of despair sets in. However, there are some common sense steps that pet owners can take.
We gathered these tips from the American Humane Society and Trey Nodine, Animal Control Officer with the Cornelius Police Department:
1. Contact the Cornelius Animal Shelter immediately with an accurate description. “Cornelius has the luxury of having a shelter in town so if someone’s pet gets loose or turned in to us it will stay here at the shelter for at least 72 hours,” Nodine said. It’s also a good idea to check with Charlotte Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control to see if it was possibly turned in there. The Cornelius Animal Shelter’s phone number is 704-237-3602; Mecklenburg is 704-336-7600.
2. Check your neighborhood on foot or by auto. Ask neighbors and letter carriers. Post and/or hand out a recent photograph of your pet and information on how you can be reached.
3. Make sure your pet always wears a collar and an ID. Consider having a micro-chip embedded into your dog or cat. “If your lost pet is micro-chipped make sure that your information is current on the chip and also contact the micro-chip company to let them know the animal is missing,” Nodine said. Some micro-chip companies will send email blasts to shelters in the area.
4. Access the Internet. Some sites that might help include Center for Lost Pets; Craigslist has a lost and found under Community; FidoFinder.com; and, on Facebook, Lost & Found Dogs – North Carolina.
5. Beware pet-recovery scams. When talking to a stranger who claims to have found your pet, ask them to describe the pet thoroughly. Be especially suspicious of people who insist that you provide money for the return of your pet.
6. Check in with local vets. Main Street Veterinary has matched missing dogs with their owners via posts on their Facebook page and people sharing them.
If you have found a pet and want to keep it until you can find the owner, let Animal Control know within 24 hours of finding it.
