Lost And Found: Using Social Media To Find A Missing Pet

As a pet parent, the last thing you want is to discover that your dog or cat has gotten loose and is missing. You may wonder what you would do first? Who would you call? Where would you even begin to locate your missing pet?

First Things First

• As soon as you discover that your pet is missing, contact the Bloomfield Township Animal Welfare department and the Oakland County Animal Control And Adoption Center to file a missing pet report.
• Create a “lost pet” flyer complete with a photo of your pet and your contact info. Enlist family and friends to help post copies of the flyer in as many places as you can, such as lampposts, trees, veterinary offices, pet supply stores, dog parks, grocery stores, and gas stations. Always ask permission before posting a flyer.
• Get on the computer and utilize as many social media sites as possible to aid you in your search.

Social Media Magic

The Internet and social media can be powerful tools when it comes to locating a lost pet. There are countless stories out there of missing animals being reunited with their families thanks to Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and the like. Do some detective work with your computer by…

• Posting your pet’s picture and info on all of your social media accounts and asking your friends to share it as well. Include the location of the last place your pet was seen and as many physical details about your pet as possible.
• Looking for local, pet-related Facebook pages where you could post your link, such as the ‘For the Love of Louie’ Michigan Lost Pet Lookers Facebook page.
• Setting up a Twitter search and a Google Alert for “found dog (or cat)” + “your location” or type/breed of pet.
• Posting to and checking Craigslist’s pets and lost and found sections regularly to see if anyone has posted about finding your pet.
• Visiting the websites and Facebook pages of the local animal shelters. You’ll be able to see if they’ve posted a picture of your pet and you may be able to post one as well.

An Important Reminder

As we discussed, the Internet provides us with a vast assortment of wonderful tools for locating lost pets. While it’s reassuring to know that there are so many avenues that could lead our beloved fur-babies back to our arms, let’s not forget the single most important thing you can do for your pet to help him or her return home safely: proper identification.

A collar with current ID tags will go a long way toward reuniting you with your furry friend in the event that he or she goes missing. Couple that with a registered microchip and your chances of finding your missing pet skyrocket.

Have you found a lost pet? Click here for information on what to do to help reunite a missing pet with his or her family.