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Tips for Dogs Lost in a Rural Area

Guest Post by Lost Dogs Illinois.

Dogs lost in rural areas can pose extra challenges because of the sparse population. It is not unusual for sightings to be few and far between or for there to be a long physical distance between sightings. It can also be difficult to get sightings when crops are tall or on roads where the majority of people are just passing through and driving fast.

Why do lost dogs like rural areas?

Scared lost dogs will often gravitate to a farm where it is quiet and there is a reliable food source like outdoor cat food or spilled grain. Farms provide a multitude of hiding places. Lost dogs will hide in sheds, old barns or under old farm machinery and creep out at dusk and dawn to eat. If the dog is not bothering livestock, farmers may let the dogs hang around indefinitely. But they may not proactively look for an owner because they assume that the dog was “dumped” at their farm.

Therefore, it is VERY important to flyer every farm in at least a 20-mile radius of where your dog went missing. Talk to the landowners and put a flyer in their hands. Ask them if they have seen your dog hanging around or passing through. Expand the radius to 30 miles or more if you do not get a sighting. Use Google Maps and Satellite Photos to look for roads that you may have missed. Make it EASY for people to contact you by making sure that they have a copy of your flyer in their truck or on their fridge.

Also:

  1. Deliver several copies of your flyer to any equine or farm animal veterinarians in the area. Ask them to pass them out to their employees and post one in the lobby for clients coming through the front door.
  2. Deliver several copies of your flyer to every equine facility in the area. Ask that they be passed out to boarders, trainers, farriers (blacksmiths), etc. who may routinely travel the route to and from the facility.
  3. Give copies of your flyer to all local delivery people including UPS, Fed Ex, United States Postal Service, garbage pick-up services, feed delivery, propane and diesel fuel delivery, septic services, etc. These people travel the back roads and need to know who to call if they see your dog. Do not expect them to proactively report a sighting without a flyer in their hand. They may not have time to look through listings or post to social media.
  4. Deliver flyers to all farm equipment dealers, farm supply stores and feed stores in the area. Ask to post one at the counter and on any bulletin boards.
  5. Post a flyer at any local gathering places such as coffee shops, diners, and taverns.
  6. Deliver flyers to the school bus drivers in the area.
  7. Ask farmers and hunters to check their game cameras for photos of your dog. Leave them a flyer so that they know who to call if they get a photo a week or a month from now!
  8. Use intersection signs at crossroads. Remember to get permission first!
  9. Ask landowners for permission to search old barns, sheds, and silos.
  10. Pay close attention to places where you see outdoor cats. There is probably a food source that your lost dog may also be visiting. Check for tracks or ask permission to set up a trail camera to monitor.
  11. Run an ad in the local newspaper or shopper.

Never Give Up! Lost dogs are safely recovered weeks, months and even years after they have gone missing. Your dog may be hanging around a farm and is relying on YOU to bring him safely home.

The Big Give is Back!

Support Pet FBI through The Big Give!

WHAT IS THE BIG GIVE?

The Big Give is a 25-hour online giving event developed to provide critical support for our area nonprofits during this unprecedented time. The Columbus Foundation, its family of donors, and corporate and community partners have provided $1 million+ in Bonus Pool funds to help everyone’s dollars go further.

Every donation received during the 25-hour event will be boosted by Bonus Pool funds on a pro rata basis. In addition, the Foundation will cover all credit card fees, so 100 percent of donations go to participating nonprofits.

HOW DO I PARTICIPATE?

Make a donation to support Pet FBI beginning on Wednesday, June 10, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. ET, through Thursday, June 11, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. ET. To begin, go to our listing in The Giving Store at columbusfoundation.org.

Anyone can participate using a major credit card (VISA, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express), or via PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay, starting with a minimum gift of $20.

Everyone who makes a donation will receive an email receipt.

Thank you for supporting Pet FBI!

Catch Me If You Can!

Contributed by guest blogger Katie Wedgeworth of Katie’s Canine Connection

For many dog owners one of the biggest fears is losing their dog. A dog can slip out of the door, pull the leash out of your hand, jump or dig under a fence and many other things that can result in a dog running away.

If you have ever experienced a dog running away from you, you know how gut wrenching and heart stopping the feeling is. Will I get my dog back? Are they gone forever? Are they going to get hit by a car?

Whether a dog has run away in fear or fun, you just want your dog back and what you do in the first few seconds of a dog running away is crucial. Here are some do’s and don’ts when a dog runs away:

 

That said, the goal is to have a dog that won’t run away! To obtain that goal, you must train your dog and maintain that training. Dogs are not computers that you can program once and be done. Even the most highly trained dogs need regular maintenance training to keep their skills and knowledge sharp.

In an upcoming post, I’ll give you tips on how to teach your dog a reliable “come” command.

 

Katie’s Canine Connection offers private, in-home training in Marengo, OH and surrounding areas within 30 miles. We also offer online consultations via email! If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me at katiescanineconnection@gmail.com or visit katiescanineconnection.com!

Pet FBI and Helping Lost Pets working together to bring more pets home!

Pet FBI is excited to announce our collaboration with Helping Lost Pets. Pet guardians who have lost a pet will now enter a report only once at either site and the information will automatically populate both databases. The larger and more comprehensive web-based information source will greatly increase the chances of reuniting lost animals with their families.

Lost Dogs of America and Lost Cats of America, additional project collaborators, will lend their considerable Facebook reach outside of Ohio to share posts on their respective social media pages.

We are thrilled about the potential of this collaboration, and we look forward to working with the dedicated team members of Helping Lost Pets, Lost Dogs of America, and Lost Cats of America!

Pet FBI was founded in 1998 in Ohio as the one of the first web-based lost and found pet services. In 2014, the service was expanded to serve the entire United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Helping Lost Pets created their map-based lost and found database in 2010. They serve the United States and Canada. All services provided by Pet FBI and Helping Lost Pets are always free of charge.

Read the full press release here.

Moving Day Advice For Pet Owners

Cat on mantel

R.I.P. Josie

We are writing this at the request of the Josie’s family. It is a sad story but may help prevent another tragedy.

When Josie’s family moved from Ohio to Texas they had the movers pack for them. They did not want to stress Josie and their other cat by confining them all day so they were not shut up and Josie’s Mom monitored the open doors in case they should run out, although both cats were “inside” cats.

When the truck was packed and ready to leave Josie could not be found. The family was anguished and paid the movers extra to unload all the boxes they had just packed – open, inspect and reseal them. They were terrified that Josie had jumped in and been shut up. But Josie was not found in any of the boxes.

The family delayed their own departure as long as they could. A very kind and helpful neighbor borrowed a trap from Pet FBI and faithfully set it out every night in hopes that Josie had somehow slipped out of the house on moving day and could be caught. Meanwhile, days later, the moving truck arrived at the warehouse in the other state but the contents could not be delivered due to a delay in being able to occupy the new house. Josie’s parents who were anguished with worry even had a friend go to the warehouse and again inspect the boxes.

Hopes ran high when a cat resembling Josie was spotted in the old neighborhood. Finally after a week the cat was trapped and all were elated …. until it was confirmed that the cat that was finally trapped was not Josie.

Eventually, the family was able to take delivery of their household possessions and the father carefully inspected each item personally to spare his wife any unpleasant surprises.

This story does not have a happy ending. Josie was found dead on the shelf of a sewing cabinet where she had evidently hidden. The cabinet had been shrink-wrapped and thus sealed, Josie probably died of asphyxiation. The only consolation in all this is that it was a at least a gentle death. The family had feared that she would die of heat and thirst in the moving van.

Josie’s family has asked that we share her story in order to spare others a similar tragic experience. Confine your pets on moving day.

We would also add, in regard to moving, that when you arrive at your new home – do not let your pets out without supervision. It may take several weeks before a cat gets the lay of the land and the risk of getting lost is reduced. Pet FBI gets a great many reports of cats gone missing right after a move. In any case it is always safest to keep cats inside –  there are just too many hazards for a free-roaming cat.

Our heartfelt condolences to Josie’s family and the faithful neighbor who helped. Josie’s little feline companion is reportedly also grieving. The temptation to be overwhelmed by guilt is great, but Josie’s family should take comfort in knowing that they did everything possible to help Josie and that while she was with them she enjoyed the best life a cat can possibly have. That is so much more than 9 out of 10 cats born in our great country ever have.

10 Month Old Sally Enticed To Return With Familiar Scents

cat and little girl

Sally and her little girl

This beautiful kitty was the darling of a little girl. When Sally went missing the little girl resisted going to school. She wanted to stay home to await Sally’s return. Mom was desperate, suffering for both Sally and her grieving little daughter. Then she posted on the Pet FBI Ohio Facebook page. The picture and the situation tugged at the heartstrings of our ace admin, Char, who contacted the Mom. Char explained that most cats don’t go far, especially during the first few days, and the best strategy is to try to attract the cat back. She encouraged her to appeal to Sally’s sense of smell by using familiar and fragrant scents to entice her to return. There are some good tips on our web site page “Tips-to-lure-a-cat-back-home”.  It worked! Ten minutes later the Mom texted Char  that Sally had come out of hiding. When the little girl got off the school bus there was her Mom with Sally. You can see the love in her sweet face!

K.C. Reunited through Pet FBI Database After Two Months!

Cat and note

K.C. With His Hopeful Note!

This kitty had been a frequent visitor in our Facebook friend Nikki’s neighborhood for two weeks. She put this sign on his collar in hopes of solving the mystery: was this cat just a “moocher” or was he really a  stray?  When no one called,  Nikki posted the kitty to the Pet FBI Ohio Facebook page.

Our “special agent” (unofficial volunteer) Teresa immediately commented and suggested that Nikki check our lost and found pet database.Thankfully, fourteen year old K.C. was posted. He had been missing for two months! Whether you have lost or found a pet, posting on Facebook is not enough. After awhile the info gets buried and is not easy to find. MAXIMIZE your chances of a reunion by using our free, searchable lost and found pet database at petfbi.org: The Information Center For Lost and Found Pets.

Lucky Coincidence – Another Pet FBI Ohio Success!

Lost chihuahua reunited

Tiny Pooch Recovered through Facebook

 

Our Pet FBI Ohio Facebook pal, Charlene, overheard a co-worker discussing a small dog she had found. The co-worker was did not have a Facebook account but Charlene whipped out her mobile phone and scrolled down and there was a post for an identical dog!  It was indeed Tiny, now happily reunited.

“Chaos” Reclaimed at Shelter Thanks to Tip From Facebook Follower

lost dog recovered held by child

“Chaos” reunited with his “big brother”

This sweet pooch shown here with his happy “big brother” had escaped the yard and been picked up and taken to Franklin County Dog Shelter in Columbus, OH. His family had posted his picture on the Pet FBI Ohio Facebook page. Fortunately, Nicole, one of our Facebook followers, spotted him at the shelter, remembered his post and alerted the family. A happy reunion ensued.

CONVENTIONAL WISDOM: Most lost pets are reunited through a shelter.
REALITY CHECK: Relatively few strays are reclaimed before being euthanized or adopted out to others.

According to a study done by the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) only 17-30% of dogs in shelters are ever reclaimed by their owners and only 2-5 % of cats. Why so few? Basically it’s a question of timing. At most shelters, dogs and especially cats can be held for only a limited time. If the pet’s family isn’t there at the critical time…. that pet will either be put down or adopted out. Most shelters do not post their intakes to a public database. Most owners cannot check the shelters as often as necessary and it is generally useless to just call or even send a flyer. You must go to a shelter in person and see for yourself. In a large urban shelter there may be hundreds of cats and / or dogs impounded at any time. Please encourage your local shelter to take advantage of the free, searchable database at petfbi.org.

Pet FBI “Special Agent” Teresa Scores Another Recovery!

Nike and Niko Renuited

Nike and Niko: Lost Dogs Recovered By Pet FBI “Special Agent” Teresa

These two fellas had a quick reunion shortly after being posted on Pet FBI Ohio thanks to our very own “special agent”, pal and frequent hero, Teresa!

Teresa lives in the area where they were missing so she hopped in the car to look for them. Teresa often follows a hunch when deciding where to drive and it paid off again today! The boys were trotting along dangerously close to a busy road when Teresa pulled over. She called for them, they ran to her and then hopped in her car!

You, Too Can Become a Pet FBI “Special Agent”!
Here are some things anyone can do to get lost pets back home without officially volunteering:

  • Keep an eye out for lost pets in your neighborhood. Follow the database for reports close to your zip to see what pets have gone missing in your area. If you are in Ohio, follow our Pet FBI Ohio Facebook page.
  • Be a cross-checker! Some people post a lost or found report in one place, like Craigslist or Facebook and stop there. They have heard of these big sites, but they don’t know about Pet FBI or any other web database. If you are have a good memory or a good system, you may be able to match up lost and found reports from various sites!
  • If you live near a pound or a shelter, you could volunteer to be the “go-to” lost and found person. Follow postings for lost and found pets on Pet FBI and various other resources and look for a match at the shelter. (This kind of thing is not high priority at most shelters where volunteers have all to do to care for the many animals.)
  • When you see a lost/found flyer around town, contact the people to tell them about Pet FBI.
  • Print out some Pet FBI flyers and post them in pet supply stores, convenience stores, community bulletin boards, etc. Just carry some around with you in your purse or in your car and post them when you come across a public bulletin board. Be sure to ask for permission if required.
  • Mention Pet FBI to your vet, your groomer, or your pet sitter. Ask them to post a Pet FBI flyer so people learn about it.