Your dog getting lost or running away is something no caregiver wants to think about. However, it happens more often than we would like. Maybe you take him for a walk on a leash, but at one point he gets loose, starts running and you lose sight of him. Perhaps you usually release him in nature areas or in the park and, in an oversight, he strays too far from you. Or maybe he ran away from home by accident.
As much as your dog loves you and even if it is educated not to be separated from you and diligently attend your call, sometimes they get distracted by an external stimulus, get confused, disoriented or scared and run away. Whatever the reason, it is important to remain calm and implement a series of procedures to try to locate it.
The microchip is a device that is injected into dogs to identify them, mandatory throughout the European Union. In addition to this, it is a plus to put an identification plate on the necklace with your contact information. Finally, a GPS tracking system on your collar or harness will allow you to track your location from your mobile.
You must go to the Police or the Civil Guard to report the disappearance of your dog. There they will ask you for the microchip number, name, description and photo of the animal, as well as your contact information. In addition, you must notify the Spanish Companion Animal Identification Network of his disappearance, as this increases the chances of locating your dog.
Do not stop calling him insistently by the area where he has been lost and, if possible, ask friends, family and neighbors for help to look for him with you. Do not search only the place where you last saw him, although it is recommended that someone stay there waiting for the dog to return. If you drove to the location in question, the dog may return to the parking lot as a reference area. Others know to even come home, so have another person there waiting just in case.
Print posters with a photo of your dog, his name and your contact information and stick them in various areas of your town, neighborhood or city, to maximize the reach of the search. A resource that is usually highly effective is to alert them to their disappearance on social networks and ask your contacts to spread them so that if someone finds them, they can contact you.
Finally, get in touch with veterinary clinics, shelters, animal collection centers and shelters. Someone may find your dog and take it there, so if they have your information they can call you and you can reunite with your four-legged best friend.
