What to do if you have lost your dog

Losing a dog is one of the most distressing things an owner can go through.  We have seen lots of reports of lost and stolen dogs recently, which is devastating.  We have  been out helping a couple of our adopters find their missing dogs in the last month or so.  Most of the time we have a very happy ending but recently, one of our rescues was killed on a railway line.  We will never forget gorgeous Kyra and she has inspired us to put together this advice.

How to avoid losing your dog

Some dogs are flighty, jumpy or nervous and can easily slip pout of a collar or harness if spooked.
We recommend;

• Buy a GPS Tracker.  We have a deal with Tractive where you can get a free tracker with a one or two year subscription.  Contacts us on [email protected] for more information
• Double lead your dog.  Using a harness and a slip lead is something we always advise our adopters to do for the first few weeks, or more, when they take their dog home.
• Always supervise your dog in the garden if the garden is not secure.  Please know that rommies can be very clever at escaping if they feel the need.
• Make sure your dog is microchipped (all of our dogs are chipped before they are rehomed) and also make sure the dog has a collar and name tag
  
  

My dog is missing - what do I do?

• If your dogs is a DWTWR rescue dog, please contact us immediately.  We have an army of volunteers who have experience and we will do everything we can to help reunite you with your dog.
• If you think your dog has been stolen, call the police.
• Contact your microchip company and report them as lost or stolen.
• Contact your local dog warden, via your local council and neighbouring authorities.
• Contact local vet surgeries.
• Register on Dog Lost
• Put posters up in your local area
• Ask dog walkers to keep an eye out
• Share your dogs photo on all local Facebook groups and lost pet Facebook groups.
  • We recommend Dog Lost Recovery South
    

Should I organise a search?

Many dogs will be spooked by lots of people out calling their name so searches need to be handled very carefully and sensitively.  However, having lots of people on the look-out can be good.  We always advise anyone searching for a dog to avoid calling the dogs name and just to wander around the local area on the look-out, whilst putting up posters.  If they spot your dog and it doesn’t come to them, they should call the owner and report the sighting.  Being very careful not to frighten the dog is key here – dogs can travel a long distance in a short time so the main aim is to get the owner on site at that specific location asap.

All dogs are different and some will come to a stranger for a treat or food so you will need to make a judgement on how active you want the search volunteers to be.