What to do when your foster is lost
It's happened to all of us at one point or another- the gate was left ajar, someone didn't latch the door properly or the dog just decided to hop the fence, but we've all had that panic when a foster dog gets lost.
First, don’t panic! Contact a staff member from the rescue you are fostering through to let them know the dog is missing. Many rescues have their own procedures for searching for a lost foster dog. You can also follow these six great tips from Winnipeg Lost Dog Alert on what to do if your dog goes missing as well.
1. Put a sign out in your yard that says "missing dog". Someone may have already found him and could be driving or walking around trying to find the owners.
2. Contact Winnipeg Animal Service at 311 or 204-986-2155 and press 0 for operator. Also call Winnipeg Humane Society at 204-982-2025 and Pembina Vet at 204-452-9427 or a vet in your area. Someone might have brought your dog to any one of these places. It is also very important that you go down to Winnipeg Animal Service and Winnipeg Humane Society to see first hand if your dog is there because sometimes the description they get over the phone would not connect with the dog they have on their site.
3. Put an ad on Kijiji (“lost and found” and “dogs other” category). When posting in the second category in Kijiji you will have to use different wording in order for Kijiji to accept the second ad. Also post on Winnipeg Lost Dog Alert Facebook page. You need to LIKE the page in order to post. If your dog is not found within a couple of weeks, continue reposting your lost dog until your dog is found. Place a “Lost” ad in the Free Press, it’s free for 4 days.
Be sure to post a picture, description of the dog and where it was last seen with the direction Winnipeg Lost Dog Alert’s Facebook group & Kijiji.
4. Go door to door in your area and talk to people, letting them know that your dog is missing. Create and hand out small flyers with your contact information and a picture of the dog so that if they do see him, they know where to find you. If no one has seen your dog, expand your search area. Put flyers up were there are lots of people traffic (store, parking lots, parks).
5. Put food, water, its bed/crate and/or one of your clothing out where the dog was last spotted. Do NOT wash the dogs bedding while your dog is missing. Just in case a tracking dog is needed, we will need your dogs bedding for the tracking dog to use as a scent.
6. Instruct everyone that is helping you to look for your dog to not call the dog or chase after it. This might cause the dog to run further away. Instruct them to drop to the ground and not look at the dog. Throw a piece of yummy treat towards the dog, but do not make eye contact. With them down on the ground and not looking at the dog, the dog will most likely not feel threatened. You would have a better chance of the dog coming to you this way.When you find your dog, please remove all posters that you have put up.
First, don’t panic! Contact a staff member from the rescue you are fostering through to let them know the dog is missing. Many rescues have their own procedures for searching for a lost foster dog. You can also follow these six great tips from Winnipeg Lost Dog Alert on what to do if your dog goes missing as well.
1. Put a sign out in your yard that says "missing dog". Someone may have already found him and could be driving or walking around trying to find the owners.
2. Contact Winnipeg Animal Service at 311 or 204-986-2155 and press 0 for operator. Also call Winnipeg Humane Society at 204-982-2025 and Pembina Vet at 204-452-9427 or a vet in your area. Someone might have brought your dog to any one of these places. It is also very important that you go down to Winnipeg Animal Service and Winnipeg Humane Society to see first hand if your dog is there because sometimes the description they get over the phone would not connect with the dog they have on their site.
3. Put an ad on Kijiji (“lost and found” and “dogs other” category). When posting in the second category in Kijiji you will have to use different wording in order for Kijiji to accept the second ad. Also post on Winnipeg Lost Dog Alert Facebook page. You need to LIKE the page in order to post. If your dog is not found within a couple of weeks, continue reposting your lost dog until your dog is found. Place a “Lost” ad in the Free Press, it’s free for 4 days.
Be sure to post a picture, description of the dog and where it was last seen with the direction Winnipeg Lost Dog Alert’s Facebook group & Kijiji.
4. Go door to door in your area and talk to people, letting them know that your dog is missing. Create and hand out small flyers with your contact information and a picture of the dog so that if they do see him, they know where to find you. If no one has seen your dog, expand your search area. Put flyers up were there are lots of people traffic (store, parking lots, parks).
5. Put food, water, its bed/crate and/or one of your clothing out where the dog was last spotted. Do NOT wash the dogs bedding while your dog is missing. Just in case a tracking dog is needed, we will need your dogs bedding for the tracking dog to use as a scent.
6. Instruct everyone that is helping you to look for your dog to not call the dog or chase after it. This might cause the dog to run further away. Instruct them to drop to the ground and not look at the dog. Throw a piece of yummy treat towards the dog, but do not make eye contact. With them down on the ground and not looking at the dog, the dog will most likely not feel threatened. You would have a better chance of the dog coming to you this way.When you find your dog, please remove all posters that you have put up.