Prevention

Prevention - General Tips 1

Here are general tips to make sure your pet stays as safe as possible:

• Give your pet a collar with an ID tag and that the collar is secure. Attach the rabies tags, as well.
• Invest in "Fearful not Feral" or "Afraid not Abused" Temperament Tags to communicate to the temperament of your pet.
• Prepare a Lost Pet Kit. Have posters assembled and ready in case they are ever needed. This saves time when you are actually starting a search.

Prevention - General Tips 2

• Preserve your pet's DNA and scent in case you ever need to hire a pet detective and tracking dog. Visit Missing Pet Partnership for details.
• Pet-proof your fence. Or consider pet-specific fencing like Cat Fence-In. Repair loose boards and holes immediately.
• Spaying or neutering of animals helps reduce their instincts to run off.
• Know where your cat is when you open doors and windows. Don't leave doors and windows open while you are away.

Prevention - General Tips 3

• If you are having a party or work done on the house with many people coming and going, lock your pet in a room or crate them until things calm down.
• If you allow your pet to go outside on its own, installing a door that it can use (so he can run into the house) if frightened is a good idea.
• Keep your dog on a leash when taking it anywhere. If a dog gets loose in unfamiliar territory, its chances of finding its way home are tragically low.

Prevention - General Tips 4

• During trips or car rides, always keep your dog or cat in a secure carrier. When involved in car accidents, both dogs and cats typically bolt in fear. A cat that is just being carried in your arms can bolt if frightened. When surrounded by strange surroundings and noise, your cat will hide and not come to you.
• Make sure that your pet is in the house each night before you go to bed.

Prevention - General Tips 5

• Keep clear, updated photos of your pet on hand, and note its unique characteristics. Take close-up shots that show details well. Keep taking pictures until the photo is unique to your pet and they are unmistakable.
• Train your pet to associate an "Acme Dog Whistle" with pleasant things. Blow the whistle just before feeding time. Then, should your pet go lost, it will be more likely to come to you when you use the whistle to find it.

Prevention - General Tips 6

Finally, this isn't really prevention, but I'd like to remind you - if you find a lost dog or cat, think "Who's pet is this?" not "Who would abandon this pet?" Missing Pet Partnership calls this, "Think Lost, Not Stray." Each person who changes the rescuer behavior pattern means better chances for pets to get home.