Lost a Pet?

What to do if your RABBIT has gone missing ?

Sadly, if a rabbit goes missing there are fewer avenues to pursue than with a cat or a dog. It's unlikely that your rabbit will come running if you stand calling in the street and whilst some rabbit rescues offer the facility to log your pet as missing there is no national body out there actively seeking to reuinte rabbits with their family's.

However - that doesn't mean you should do nothing, there are plenty of the things you would do for a cat or a dog that apply equally to a rabbit, or indeed any other small animal (ferrets and guinea pigs for instance)

Start knocking on doors and asking all the neighbours to check their gardens, garages, sheds.

Prepare a small flyer, preferably with a photo, brief description and contact details.

Distribute to all neighbours, at least 2 / 3 streets away in each direction, put up on lamp posts, bus stops, ask local vets, post office and shops to display.

The more people you ask the more eyes are looking. Local children are an invaluable source, get them on your side.

Contact local rescue centres, both independant and the RSPCA, it's amazing how many people will contact a rescue centre, if they find themselves custodian to a small animal they really don't want to have to hang on to for too long. Don't just make contact once, do so regularly until your pet is found.

And lastly ... If your pet is not microchipped it should be! Rabbits and indeed ferrets can be micro chipped just as easily as either a dog or a cat. Your small animal is just as important as a dog or a cat, just as dependant upon you to be responsible for it so don't give up, and certainly don't 'not bother'!

What to do if your DOG has gone missing !

One of the worst things that can happen to a devoted dog lover, is for their precious friend to go missing !

If you are unlucky enough to lose your dog there is a very good chance of being reunited with him/her if you do all of the things below.

Please remember that the best, cheapest and most convenient way of ensuring your pet is traceable is to have it micro chipped. When a stray dog is taken to any vet, rescue centre, council pound and many police stations it is immediately scanned to see if it is micro chipped. If your pet is lucky enough to be chipped then you will be contacted immediately and reunited with your canine friend.

Phone all the dog wardens in your area. If a dog is found straying they will often be called to pick up the dog and they keep records of any that they find. Don't just do this once, do it daily until your pet is found.

If living in the Liverpool area contact Halewood RSPCA. If not then contact your nearest RSPCA (some RSPCA centres are still admitting strays) as many dogs picked up from the dog warden are taken here. This is a very busy center and it is important that you phone them as often as possible. You could also visit them with a photo of your missing dog. Again do not just telephone once, animals do slip through the system so you must telephone regularly until your pet is found.

Contact rescue centres in your surrounding areas. Don't just call the nearest ones, you should also try ones further a field. Local rescue centres often have contact numbers for centres further afields or if you have web access, try a google search.

Tell the police and log your details with them.

Phone local vets. Sometimes members of the public will take stray dogs to their local vets themselves rather than wait for a dog warden.

Contact Dog Lost at http://www.doglost.co.uk/ They will make a poster for you and the area coordinator will be able to help. They are a nation wide organization and are very experienced.

It is important to put posters up everywhere - parks, streets, shops, vets, police stations, at rescues. The more posters the better.

Most importantly, don't give up! It is not unheard of for a dog to be missing many weeks before being found.

What to do if your CAT has gone missing !

First things first don't panic, easier said than done but you need a clear head.  Time is important, the sooner you start looking the sooner you will be reunited. 

Check the house thoroughly; cats have an amazing ability to hide in the smallest of spaces, check the loft, washing machine, under beds etc. etc. 

Go outside and look for the cat, walk the local area, not calling on your way out - as the cat may hear you and follow you and get further away from home.  Only call on your way back to the house. Check all roads, just in case there has been an accident. 

Still no sign? - call the local animal shelters, vets, local authority cleaning dept (worst case scenario).  Don't just do this once, keep in regular contact until your pet is found.

Start knocking on doors and asking all the neighbours to check their gardens, garages, sheds. 

Prepare a small flyer, preferably with a photo, brief description and contact details. 

Distribute to all neighbours, at least 2 / 3 streets away in each direction, put up on lamp posts, bus stops, ask local vets, post office and shops to display.

The more people you ask the more eyes are looking.  Local children are an invaluable source, get them on your side.

If a cat is out of its' comfort zone, as far as area is concerned, it will hide and probably won't come to you even if it hears you.  But hopefully it will start to follow you home.

Go the bottom of your garden late at night and LISTEN, it is surprising how many cats are found this way, locked in sheds etc.  Call and wait, if the cat is within hearing distance you will hopefully hear it calling for help. 

Go out when it is quiet late at night, not alone, take a box of cat biscuits, remember... don't call on your way out.

Take a pillow case with you just in case you find her, it can act as a emergency carrier to get home quickly.

Put add in local press, or see if you can get them to do a story, same with local radio. 

An invaluable site that offers a lot more tips and suggestions http://www.soyouhavelostyourcat.co.uk/ 

Most important - NEVER give up, as the above site shows! (Their determination is amazing)

Cats sometimes have second homes that you don't know about and will suddenly appear and wonder what all the fuss is about.  But never assume a cat will just reappear.  Cats get lost every day, once out of their area; they are lost, possibly vulnerable and hungry.  So get looking quickly.

Have your cat micro chipped and and ensure it wears a safety collar with an ID tag, cats appear in peoples' gardens and often people assume they are a stray and will keep them.  If your cat is identifiable you will be reunited quickly.   Of course make sure your cat is neutered, toms will travel for miles and queens will go out "calling" to mate (as young as 6 months old).  There are enough unwanted cats in this world as we at Freshfields and all other charities can confirm all too easily.