Resources | VHS News | Kennel Chronicles | Pet Tips | Pet Links | Media Kit

< Return to the News List

Advice Regarding Lost and Found Pets

05/29/2012 by: Cyndi Hoon Donley

The staff at the VHS receive many calls each day regarding people finding an animal or losing their beloved pet. We want to help as many owners and pets as possible get reunited. The following is some advice that we regularly issue to our callers to assist them in doing all they can do to help a lost or found pet get returned to their family safely. Lost or Found Pet Advice Helpful advice if you have lost a pet or to help locate the owner of a found animal. • Take a found pet to an animal control, a humane society, or vet to be scanned for a microchip. This is a FREE service. • Physically go check Animal Care and Control for a lost pet every day • Call and place a detailed lost or found report with Vanderburgh Humane Society. We will need the following information: 1. Name if you have lost a pet 2. Breed/s or a good guess of mixes 3. Color and any details to help identify (i.e.: scars, fur length or hairloss, etc.) 4. Sex (check if surgically spayed/neutered or still intact) 5. Color or type of collar, tags, or tattoos 6. Location (list major streets or landmarks, etc)where pet was lost or found 7. Your contact information • Call or check surrounding county’s animal controls and humane societies • Post lost or found flyers around your neighborhood, major intersections, stores, gas stations • Ask your mailman and meter reader to watch for your lost pet • Notify and post lost flyers at local veterinarians, grooming salons, and pet shops • “Tag” your car with your lost pet’s information. "Tagging" is using washable neon paint on the back or side windows of your car to post your message. Your vehicle is a moving billboard to help notify people to watch for your pet. Use basic information. For example: LOST GOLDEN – CALL 555-5555 – REWARD for RETURN. You can also tape a flyer in your window with more detailed information about your lost pet • Post a Lost/Found Ad in the newspaper and online. (For Found ads – BE SAFE and protect animals from predators and people who want a pet for free - GIVE MINIMAL DETAILS. Ask the potential owners that call you for more details regarding their pet when they call) • Do post your lost pet on Facebook (Evansvillelostpets). *PREDATOR ALERT- Caution - DON'T POST PETS ON CRAIG'S LIST • Post on Lost and Found sites. (NOTE: some may charge a fee) o www.lostpetsevansville.com o www.lostandpound.com o www.missingpets.com o www.fidofinder.com o www.returnmypet.com o www.findtoto.com You can also post your lost pet for free on the courier and press website www.courierpress.com. Here are the instructions: 1. Select "Merchandise" and then "Merchandise" again, and then "Lost or Found" 2. Select the category of "Pets" and then either "Lost" or "Found" 3. Also put your same ad in "Pets for Sale" and in "Free Pets" so more people will see it (Both are also under the "Merchandise" main category) Here is a great website for advice regarding finding a missing pet, particularly cats. www.missingpetpartnership.org Accidents happen but PLEASE REMEMBER that prevention is the best way to avoid the heartache of losing a fuzzy family member. *Keep up to date tags on your pet's collar AT ALL TIMES. A cell phone number is better than a home number. *If you have a pet that loses it's tags, write the information on the pet's collar in permanent ink where a finder can see it and read it right away. *Have your pet's microchipped (only $25 at the VHS vaccine clinic on Saturday mornings from 8am - noon). This can be a lifesaver if you have a pet that is prone to losing it's collar. *Don't leave your pets in your fenced in yard unsupervised while you go to work or sleep. They could become the victim of theft or cruel intentions. *Don't let your pets wander. They could be hit by a car, stolen, poisoned, shot, etc. This is also against the law in the Evansville city limits. *Don't tether/chain your pet in your yard unsupervised. This is very dangerous and could lead to strangulation or theft. Using tething/chaining as your primary means of containment for your pet is also against the law in the city of Evansville. Keeping pets indoors while you are away is best. Please contact the staff at the VHS if you need information on how to crate train a dog. Please follow the above advice and help keep lost pets out of our shelters so we have more room for our owner surrendered animals. Let's keep pets safe at home where they belong. I hope everyone has a happy and worry-free summer with their fuzzy companions.

Click to enlarge

2013 Shelter Statistics: