The number of stray dogs that come through local animal shelters in the Carolina mountains is amazing. Where do these dogs come from? Are they all lost?
Don't let your dog be one of them. You can avoid losing your dog in the first place by using proper identification. It is best to have your dog microchipped. A tiny chip is painlessly inserted behind the dog's neck. This can be done at a shelter, at a microchip clinic, or at your vet's office. You then file contact information with the microchip provider. If your dog is found and turned in, authorities will scan the dog for a unique ID number and call the provider to match the dog up with your information. In addition to a microchip, your dog should always be wearing some form of ID. This will make it easy for anyone who finds your dog to contact you. You can choose anything from inexpensive tags to designer tags to tags connected to pet-finding services. (Carolina Mountain Dog offers original high quality ID tags from Dog Tag Art via the button on the right under "Good Buys.")
If you do lose your dog, take action right away. Often, a dog is closer to home or the point of loss than you may think, so make the rounds, call your dog, and shake a bag of treats. This might do the trick. Put the word out about your lost dog and offer a reward. Obviously, you should inform family, friends, and neighbors first.
File a lost dog report with your local shelter immediately, and keep checking back with the shelter periodically to see if your dog shows up. Make up and post signs where the dog was lost. Use email, Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media you're familiar with to publicize your dog. Check "Found" ads and place a "Lost" ad on your local Craigslist (www.craigslist.org) and on local newspaper websites.
There are other websites that could help you out as well. In Western North Carolina, there's www.LostPetsWNC.org, a free service where you can post a listing and search to see if your pet has been reported.
National sites with lost and found sections include:
www.petfinder.com
www.pets911.com
www.thefoundbin.com
www.petharbor.com
www.lostmydoggie.com
www.lostpetsos.org
www.flealess.org/lostpets
www.petchaser.com
www.fidofinder.com
www.amberpetalert.com
www.lostandfoundpetsca.com (California)
www.lostandfoundpetsnewyork.com (New York)
www.lostandfoundpetstexas.com (Texas)
(Note: There may be fees associated with some of these sites.)
For additional helpful tips, go to: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/finding-a-lost-pet.html
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