Remember if you find a bedraggled dog or cat they may only have been missing for a short time and have a heart broken owner searching for them.
Bramble’s owner shared these before and after pictures to show the difference in her appearance after five months and is proof positive appearances can be deceiving. Bramble is microchipped.
A missing pet’s shiny groomed coat can quickly become matted and dirty. The dog may not look anything like his/her posted photo. Remember this when looking for a lost dog or cat. Make note of any distinguishing marks or colour patterns when comparing lost and found photos. (like a pretty pink nose). Don’t assume it has been neglected. So happy this girl made it home.
By law in England and Wales you must report a stray dog to the local dog warden. If you keep it, sell it or give it away you could face a prison sentence or be fined, if found guilty of ‘theft of an animal by finding’.
What you can do to help reunite a lost dog or cat find it’s owner:-
The animal may be microchipped, you can take it to the vets, who will scan for free and contact the relevant database if a microchip is found.
Call the Animal wardens to report, which is the law. Contact details across the UK:- http://www.animalwardens.co.uk/…/all-dog-warden-phone-numbe…
Check on missing pet web pages such as Doglost.co.uk where you can check the lost pets and also register a found pet for free.
Social media is playing a big part in reuniting lost pets, take a picture and share with friends, local Facebook pages and on Twitter.
MAKE SURE YOU SEE PROOF OF OWNERSHIP BEFORE HANDING OVER A MISSING PET. Photographs, vet bills, registration documents….If you are unsure let the animal warden deal with the situation.
Note to all dog owner’s:- Your dog must wear a collar with an ID tag, even if it is microchipped.
In the UK, the Control of Dogs Order 1992 states that any dog in a public place must wear a collar with the name and address (including postcode) of the owner engraved or written on it, or engraved on a tag. Your telephone number was optional but we would recommend this.
You could be fined up to £5,000 if your dog does not wear an identification tag
Government information:- https://www.gov.uk/report-stray-dog
Bramble on Doglost:- http://www.doglost.co.uk/dog-blog.php?dogId=80874
