LOST and FOUND

• Make sure your pet wears a collar and up to date ID tag.
• Have your pet micro-chipped. HB residents can take advantage of a city sponsored program through Save Our Strays. The cost is only $5!  Call them at 714-442-1446
• Keep cats indoors. We know Fluffy stars intently out the window and loves the feel of fresh air blowing thru her fur. But those birds, squirrels and yes, rabbits, are too tempting. Not only do they carry disease and fleas but when they run, Fluffy runs. Next thing you know, Fluffy is lost. And that's when it gets really scary. Coyotes will kill Fluffy and that is just a part of life outdoors. Not to mention all the human hazards, such as traffic and sadly, abuse and torture. It happens.
• Keep a current photo of your pet handy to use on flyers, emails, etc. Put one in your wallet, too.

• It's a fact - animals sometimes get away from us. It could be a backdoor left unlocked, the kids didn't shut the screen door, a burglar came in through the window or doggy door, or the gate was left open by the gardener or meter reader. Worse yet, an earthquake, tornado or hurricane damaged your home and your animals escaped out of fear. It happens everyday and we want to give you some good, honest advice on how to get your pet back quickly and safely.
• Post lots of flyers. Include the pets name, photo, area where lost, date they went missing and favorite treat or special word that may get their attention. Post  them within a 2-3 mile radius of your home. Pets can travel quite a distance very quickly when scared and unfamiliar with their surroundings. Ask if you can post one at your grocery, convenience store, video store, favorite restaurant, etc.
• Check your local shelter. EVERY DAY. Most shelters get 50+ animals in per day. If you have more than one shelter, check them all. Post a flyer there, too. IMPORTANT - most laws consider cats and rabbits wild animals and therefore they do not receive the same mandatory 3-day hold a dog would. The staff has discretion in these instances to decide if Fluffy is held or not. To be honest, if there is a cage available and your pet is overly aggressive or injured, they could be euthanized immediately. It's one reason why we preach spay and neuter. If there were less unwanted animals, there would be more room for those who got lost. That was the original premise of why shelters were built to begin with.
• Check with local vets who may have taken in an injured stray. If they have your pet, kindly pay the bill and thank them for caring enough to help an unknown animal.
• Check your local newspapers Lost & Found ads. Check the online versions, too. Many newspapers will print found ads for free and have an online section that is updated real time. Call the paper to see if a pet fitting your description was called in before they go to press!
• See if local elementary schools or teachers will post your flyer in their classroom. Kids and pets go hand in hand and kids are more likely to notice a stray pet in their neighborhood.
• If organizing a search party, remember to always search in pairs, have a cell phone, camera, collar and leash, a carrier for small pets and a first aid kit, never search at night, wear old clothes and boots, have each party bring along a baggie of fresh chicken to lure a scared pet close enough for leashing, no loud noises or sudden movements, find out the pets "key words" and always speak softly.
• Check other rescues! There are many purebreed rescues out there, too. Often times a lost pet is found and the kindhearted soul who took them in knows a trip to the shelter means overcrowding, disease and death. So, the shelter never knows your pet is lost and a local rescue is contacted instead. If space is available, your pet could be quarantined into foster care and held for several days before being available for adoption. And these rescues, like us, spread the word about found pets through a very large network of volunteers throughout several counties. Send them a digital picture and detailed information on your pet and ask them to get the information widely circulated. Don't forget 24 hour contact information. Ask them to add your lost pet to their website.
• List your lost pet on Petfinder.
• Check to see if your local public service or local cable access TV stations will run a lost pet ad.
• Don't forget to call your microchip company and report your pet missing! Home Again, Avid and others are there to help you.
• Offer a reward. It's true, money talks. Most caring folks won't even accept it. Ask if they would prefer you donate the money to a local rescue!

• Take Fluffy to your vet for a check up after they get back home. They could have gotten fleas, be injured with scratches, cuts, abrasions, or burrs from thorny brush or been bitten in a fight with a stray or wild animal and need antibiotics, contracted a disease (such as rabies) or heaven forbid, gotten pregnant! (if they weren't spayed or neutered)
• Get your pet microchipped. MAKE SURE YOU REGISTER THEM! Often times there is an extra fee to register the chip after implantation. If unregistered and your pet is found, the scanner will only show the pet was chipped but you will never be contacted. It happened to us when we found a stray purebred dog. The pet store microchipped it, but the buyer never registered it.
• If Fluffy isn't fixed, don't waste another day! There are many low cost spay/neuter programs out there. Most vets offer a low cost clinic day, too. See our S/N page for local information.
• Buy a collar and have an ID tag made. We'll even send you an instant ID tag you can make for yourself, if you promise to use it! We'll throw in 2 emergency wallet cards for you to carry, too. If your pet is reluctant to wear a collar because of the dangling tag, consider buying an embroidered collar that spells out the name and phone number.
• Fix that broken door, torn screen, or sticky gate. Put warning signs on the fence.
• Don't forget to take down all those flyers and contact the shelter, rescues and vets to let them know Fluffy is back home where they belong.
• Pamper Fluffy to no end and have a stern talk with them to never to run away from home again!