Be calm.

Your pet is missing and finding it may just rely on how level you can keep your emotions. The situation may be easily remedied or it might carry on for several days. No matter what the length of time, you need to be aware that getting upset will not help the pet, and only serve to cloud your better judgment.

Look in the obvious and not-so obvious places first.

The next thing you should do is to look around your own home and property for the missing animal. Although it takes a 24 hour period for a human to get into trouble from being gone, it can take far less time for a favorite pet. Small animals can easily become caught in narrow confining spaces. Search any crawlspace or dark area after searching all the usual places that your pet has been known to hide in. Take a flashlight with you as you go. It might be that your pet is just playing hide and seek with you.

Walk through the neighborhood where you live.

If you are unsuccessful in finding your pet around your house then strike out in the direction which you believe the animal might have gone. If there are other pets in the surrounding area, check with the owners first. Talk to everyone. If you have a current picture of the pet take it along with you. Give out you phone number. Offer a reward but don’t state the amount. This is sad, but there are people who will try to take advantage of you even in a tragedy. Never travel in an area where you feel uncomfortable alone.

Call out to your pet.

As you walk around the neighborhood call out to your pet. Animals have better hearing than we do and can often recognize your voice from great distances. If you have a special way that you call out to your pet then use it as you walk. Don’t be afraid that this will call unwanted attention to yourself, after all, this is the very thing that you want to do!

Visit the shelter and veterinarian offices.

Go to the humane society in person. Often a mere description of the animal is not enough. If the veterinarian offices even come close to describing an animal that has been brought in recently – go see the animal.

Find out if your pet is in the road.

This has to be the hardest thing to do. No one wants to find the remains of their best friend on the road, but unfortunately with the volume of traffic on our streets this is a necessary evil. If you do find the remains of your pet then be careful about removing it from the highway. Your family is suffering one loss of life – try not to give them another reason the morn.

If all else fails…
Send out posters, flyers, and take out an ad in the paper. Patience is a under-appreciated virtue these days. Do everything that you can and then do it again.

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