Prevent a Lost Pet

Five Things That Will Help You Protect Your Pets  

  1. Identify your pets

This is probably the most important thing you can do to prevent your pet from being permanently lost. Your pet should be microchipped, tattooed and be wearing a collar and ID tag. It is not enough just to have one of the above list, two or more are vital. With a collar and tag, someone could pick up your pet on the street and bring it right back to your house. With a tattoo, a vet clinic without microchip readers can check the registry based on the tattoo. With a microchip, places like the OHS can immediately identify your pet and call you, even if the collar has been lost.

  1. Have pictures available

A recent photo can make all the difference when an animal is lost. Keep some up-to-date colour photos available just in case.

  1. Watch the front door

When expecting people, lock up animals who are likely to bolt. They may be cranky, but they will thank you for it when they are safe at home.

  1. Don’t let cats wander

If you let your cats outside, chances are they will get lost. Even if they have been coming and going for ten years, it doesn’t mean that they will always find their way home, or that someone might assume they are lost and pick them up. Do not let cats outside the house unless you have an enclosed back yard, or you are walking them on a leash.

  1. Know your pets

OK, so you’ve lost a black Lab cross. What else? Does he know any tricks that make him stand out? Does he have any scars or birth marks? What makes him different from all the other black Labs we might receive? These details might make it easier for us to identity your pet.

Source: Winnipeg Humane Society

Visit the Lost and Found page.

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