Lost and Found Dogs

Written By Collin

Panic sets in the moment you realize your dog is missing! Your thoughts start to fumble over what to do next as your heart races. Where do you start? What do you do first? Quick thinking and remaining calm, along with taking the steps below, can give you a better chance of bringing your beloved dog home. 

1. Contact local animal shelters and animal control agencies. File a lost pet report with every shelter within a 60-mile radius of your home and visit the nearest shelters daily, as the hold time for some is only 5 days. Provide these agencies with an accurate description and a recent photograph of your pet.


2. Search the neighborhood. Walk or drive through your neighborhood several times each day. Ask neighbors, letter carriers, and delivery people if they have seen your pet. It is difficult to predict how far lost dogs will travel because there are many variables, such as their individual temperament, the environment (terrain and weather), and the circumstances surrounding the disappearance. 

As a general rule, most dogs are not found outside of a 1-2 mile radius. However aggressive dogs, panicked dogs (fireworks, involved in a car accident), and dogs with skittish, shy temperaments will be more difficult to capture and are at risk of traveling further. These dogs will often run blindly and can travel for miles before intervention. When they eventually slow down, they may seek out areas (wooded forest, cemeteries, creeks, etc.) where they can avoid all human contact. 

3. Post on social media and hang fliers. It's important when making a flier that you make the font and photo large enough to be seen from a distance.    


Post fliers at grocery stores, community centers, veterinary offices, traffic intersections, at pet supply stores, and other locations. Include your pet's sex, age, weight, breed, color, and any special markings. Also when/where the pet was lost. When describing your pet, leave out one identifying characteristic and ask the person who finds your pet to describe it. Make your contact info large and easy to read. A photo of the pet is always helpful as well. Keep a digital copy of the flier or use your computer to put your contact info on a photo of your pet. 

Share that via social media and lost/found websites, including Facebook. Include as much information as possible, and to get the most shares, include a recent, clear photo of your dog, provide the location where your dog went missing, and your contact information.

5. Be wary of pet-recovery scams. When talking to a stranger who claims to have found your pet, ask him to describe the pet thoroughly before you offer any information. If he does not include the identifying characteristic you left out of the advertisements, he may not really have your pet.

Unfortunately, there are scammers that prey on pet owners searching for their pets, including one that says they found your dog but need you to send them a code via text - this is a phishing scam. Some ask for money and to send it to them before meeting you to get your dog. One way to combat this is when posting your telephone number, spell out one of the numbers. Be particularly wary of people who insist that you give or wire them money for the return of your pet.

6. Don't give up your search. Animals who have been lost for months have been reunited with their owners. A pet—even an indoor pet—has a better chance of being returned if they always wear a collar and an ID tag with your name, address, and telephone number.  Microchipping is one of the best things you can do to help your lost pet get back home as well as to prove ownership.

Focus your search by putting up posters at the escape point and eventually in areas of sightings. The radius for your posters should, however, encompass a large area – a 5 to 10-mile radius in some cases.  Many panicked dogs will not come to their owner and instead will bolt in fear. In this situation, you must not call your dog, make eye contact, or chase, as this will drive them farther and possibly into harm's way.  

Periodically a dog will be out on its own for a while, not trusting anyone, and you need to humanely trap them. First thing is that signs need to be placed in the area where your dog is hiding out and establish a safe feeding location. This is hopefully where your dog will remain to feed for a few days, feeling safe, and a trap (big crate with a door that shuts when they enter) can be placed with a camera. Trapping is a very precise skill and really needs a professional. Southwest Missouri is lucky to have Richard Morrison, and Rescue One’s trapping team, who love to do this. 


Internet Sites to List Lost/Found Pets

When posting to Leigh’s Lost and Found on Facebook: Click the tab “Community” and you will see a spot to write a post. Include in that post the location your pet went missing (city and closest cross streets), a recent photo, and your contact information. Once an admin responds, go to the tab “posts” and scroll down to your post, comment on it so you can be notified of comments and can follow along. All other pages have a box that says “create a post” where you will add all of the information listed above.


Finding a dog(s):

If you have a stray dog come up to you willingly, check the collar for any identifying information. Next, contain the dog safely, get some photos, and make a found post on all of the above mentioned sites. Checking for a microchip is important. It is a free service that can be done at any veterinary office.  

In Missouri, there is a legal stray hold law that states any found pet must be kept safe for 7 days, while actively searching for the owners, before keeping or re-homing. However, for those dogs who are not chipped, what do you do if you cannot contain them at your house safely?

Dog No Kill Rescues:
Most rescues are so overwhelmed with animals that it may take some time to get the found dog into one. We have compiled a list of local no kill rescues:


4 the Love of K9’s: facebook.com/4theloveofk9s, 4theloveofk9s.com

“Since 2003, our mission has remained the same... We partner with local animal control agencies to provide vet care for discarded, unwanted dogs and place them in safe, loving forever-homes regardless of medical needs, age or breed. We are a foster based rescue saving Missouri dogs... one dog at a time!”


C.A.R.E Animal Rescue: facebook.com/careanimalrescue, carerescue.org 
“Castaway Animals Rescue Effort, otherwise known as C.A.R.E., is a charitable 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, dedicated to the prevention of cruelty to animals. Established in 1992, C.A.R.E. has saved over 25,000 lives and we are still counting. From our humble grassroots beginnings, we have grown into southwest Missouri's largest no-kill shelter. Operations are still overseen by founder and director, Melissa Sartin. Her compassion for all living creatures drives the organization forward.
C.A.R.E. does not accept animals from the public. We rescue animals from kill shelters that would otherwise be destroyed.  The Adoption Center in Springfield is open to the public Thursday-Saturday while scheduling adoptions by appointment Sunday-Wednesday. The Adoption Center gives guests the opportunity to meet some of our animals offering a one-on-one experience prior to adoption.”

For the Love of Paws: facebook.com/groups/129470877085372, adoptapet.com/adoption_rescue/88009-for-the-love-of-paws-k-9-rescue-springfield-missouri
“A 501c3 non-breed specific, home & foster-based dog rescue organization. We take dogs in need & give them a soft, warm place to land while we get them healthy & happy & find their perfect forever homes! We love all dogs but we rescue primarily large-breed doggers!”

Rescue One: facebook.com/rescueonespringfield, rescueonespringfield.com
“Rescue One is a licensed NO KILL, 501c3, foster based rescue located in Springfield, MO. All of the animals in our care live in foster homes until a forever home can be found. We rescue without regard to breed, age, or ease of placement. Our goal is to not only rescue animals in need but to also educate people on responsible pet ownership.”

Southwest Missouri Humane Society: 417-833-2526 swh.org

The mission of the Humane Society of Southwest Missouri is to aid in the alleviation of distress and suffering of animals by operating a shelter for animals in need of care, placing animals in suitable homes, and offering educational programs that promote animal welfare.

Springfield Animal Control Office: 417-883-3592 health.springfieldmo.gov/2889/Animal-Control

Located on the North side of town, they update their website daily with new intakes, and are a safe place for a loose dog, providing them shelter, food, and water.

Note: that they have specific hours for the public
Monday: 1:00-4:30 pm

Tuesday: 1:00-4:30 pm

Wednesday: 9:00 am-12:30 pm

Thursday: 1:00-4:30 pm

Friday: 1:00-4:30 pm

Valley Hills Animal Rescue:  ​417-844-2937
facebook.com/valleyhillsanimalrescue, valleyhillsanimalrescue.com
“We are a 501c3 rescue, run solely on donations who specialize in death row & special needs cats and dogs. Started in 1999 solely by a nurse who had so many dogs dumped on her property she started a rescue to give these dogs a second chance at life.”

Collin https://www.collinfunkhouser.com
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