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.
+ 24hrs on the run =
Beautiful Annabelle, (in the picture) lost for just a short time, is proof positive appearances can be deceiving. 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. Make a 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 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. Contact details across the UK:-http://
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/
