A lost pet: what to do in the first 48 hours

The first hour: search close, and search quietly

Start inside. Cats in particular hide in places that seem impossible: behind the washing machine, in a wardrobe, inside a sofa, in a box that was taped shut. Check every room, every cupboard and the appliances before you go out.

Then search outward from the spot where your pet was last seen, slowly.

• A cat that is used to being indoors usually hides nearby and stays silent, even when it hears you. Look under cars, in hedges, under decks and stairs, in sheds, cellars and bike rooms. Use a torch: eyes reflect it. Call softly, rattle a treat box, then stop and listen.
• A dog may travel further and faster, especially if it was frightened. Walk or drive its usual routes. If you see it, don’t run towards it and don’t chase: a scared dog runs further. Crouch down, turn sideways, speak calmly, and let it come to you.

Leave someone at home if you can, with the door within reach, in case your pet comes back by itself. Many do.

Tell the street first

The people most likely to find your pet live within a few streets of where it disappeared. They are the ones who can check their own garage, their shed, their cellar, the space under their car, places you can’t enter. A cat shut in a neighbor’s garage is a common ending, and it only ends well if that neighbor knows to look.

Knock on the doors closest to you first, with a photo on your phone. Then send one short message to your building’s group chat and any local group: one clear photo, the animal’s name and what it looks like, where and when it was last seen, and how to reach you. Ask people to look in their own outbuildings rather than to “keep an eye out”: a precise ask gets done.

The chip, the shelters, the vets

If your pet is microchipped, the chip is only useful if the database behind it knows how to reach you.

• Call the registry the chip is recorded with (your national pet registry, or the database your vet used) and report the animal missing. Check that your phone number and address are current; old details are a common reason a chipped pet can’t be returned.
• Call the shelters near you and the local animal service, give them a description and send a photo. Ask how they record found animals and how often you should check.
• Call the vets nearby. An injured or found animal is often taken to the nearest practice, which can scan its chip.

Phone descriptions get mixed up (“grey tabby” covers a lot of cats), so if a shelter has an animal that might be yours, go and look. Keep a list of who you called, when, and what they said; you will be calling again.

The first night

Many cats move after dark, when streets are quiet. Go out again late in the evening and early in the morning, alone or with one other person, without calling loudly. Stop often and listen.

Make the way home easy. Leave a door or window your cat knows open a crack if it is safe to do so, or put its bed, a blanket or a piece of clothing you have worn by the door: a familiar smell can help an animal hiding nearby find its way. Leave water there too. Don’t leave large amounts of food out; it brings other animals.

For a dog, leave its bed or a worn piece of clothing at the place where it was lost, especially if it ran off during a walk; dogs sometimes return to the spot they last saw you.

Posters that get read

A poster is read in two seconds by someone walking past, so it should say one thing very large.

• One word at the top: LOST, readable from across the street.
• One big photo, recent, showing the whole animal and its markings.
• A few lines: species, colour, size, name, the street and the day it was last seen, whether it is shy or friendly, and “please don’t chase”.
• A way to reach you you are comfortable seeing on a lamppost for two weeks. A phone number gets the fastest calls; some people use a second number or an email address. Never your home address.
• Keep one detail back: a white patch, a scar, the colour of the collar. It is how you will know that someone who calls has really seen your pet.

Put them up at eye level at junctions, near where it was lost, at the vets, shops and laundries (ask first), and on the routes people walk with dogs. Take them down when your pet is home: an old poster wastes the time of everyone who reads it.

Day two: widen the circle, and watch for scams

If your pet isn’t back after a day, widen the search and repeat the calls. Walk further in each direction, call the shelters and vets again, and post in local lost-and-found groups online with the same photo and words. Update your posts, rather than writing new ones, so people can follow.

Sadly, a lost pet also attracts people who want something from the owner.

• Never pay before you have your animal back, and never send money, a gift card or a code to someone who says they have it.
• Ask about the detail you kept back. Someone who has your cat can describe the patch under its chin.
• Meet in a public place or bring someone along, and don’t give your home address to a stranger until you know they are genuine.

And don’t give up after two days. Pets are found after weeks, especially cats that are shut in somewhere or have been taken in by someone kind. Keep your posts and your registry details up to date.

Questions this guide answers

How far do lost cats usually go?

Not far. A cat that lives indoors usually hides very close to home and stays silent, often within a few houses. Search slowly nearby, under cars and in sheds and garages, and ask neighbors to check their own outbuildings.

Should I chase my dog if I see it?

No. A frightened dog runs further when chased. Crouch down, turn sideways, speak calmly or sit on the ground, and let it come to you. A favourite treat or the sound of its lead can help.

Who should I call when my pet goes missing?

The registry where its microchip is recorded (and check your details are current), the shelters near you, the local animal service and the vets nearby. Then visit any shelter that has an animal that could be yours: descriptions get mixed up.

How do I avoid lost-pet scams?

Never pay or send a code before your pet is back in your arms. Keep one identifying detail off your posters and ask callers to describe it. Meet in a public place or with someone, and don’t share your address until you are sure.

More field guides: you found a pet, asking neighbors for a hand, or meeting your neighbors.