We are very happy to report that Nomar, the little white Maltese mix, who went missing on Bellevue Avenue has been found and reunited with his owner. Donna, Nomar’s owner, was visiting a friend in Newport when the dog accidentally escaped out of the yard. Almost three weeks after the dog went missing, the Potter League received an anonymous tip which allowed Middletown Animal Control to locate the dog. Here are some tips on dealing with missing pets:
- Always keep an identification tag on your dog or cat, even those who do not venture outside (the Potter League has free ID tags). If your dog or cat misses one meal, consider him to be lost. Take immediate action. Every hour and day that an animal is missing, decreases the chance of him being found.
- Get your pet micro-chipped; your veterinarian can do this. Microchips are a permanent form of identification. They work well to get a lost animal home. Micro-chipped pets still need to wear a collar and tag. If your pet does become lost, notify the micro-chip company.
- Keep current photos of your pet, some posed with you. If your animal is found, these photos will help prove that he or she is yours.
- Search your immediate neighborhood daily; look, listen and call your animal by name. Ask neighbors to check their sheds, garages, barns, crawl spaces and basements.
- Show your pet’s photo to neighbors, newspaper and mail carriers and gardeners.
- Contact your animal control officer and your local animal shelter. Give them a description of your pet and the details of the disappearance. As soon as possible, visit the shelter in person and bring a photo.
- You can register a Lost Report on this website and also search the list of stray animals in our building.
- If you have not found your pet within a day, post flyers with a picture, the date missing and a phone number. Post at local businesses, veterinary offices and hand them around your extended neighborhood. Leave out a few pertinent details, such as the sex or unusual markings (scars, declawed, bobbed tail, extra toes, missing teeth, etc.), so that you may ask callers more specific questions. This will protect you from pranksters and scammers.
- Run a lost ad in the newspaper but do not offer a reward.
- Mail flyers to non-local shelters.
- Take advantage of the internet:
www.FindToto.com and www.PetAmberAlert.com can send phone alerts to neighbors, veterinary clinics, shelters and animal protection officers within hours. A photo poster can be placed on-line. Both websites offer lots of information for recovering a lost pet.
www.MissingPetPartnership.org offers a wealth of information on the behavior of lost pets, recovery tips and a full page of links to other resources such as national lost pet registries. They also offer hope in the form of many testimonies from families who have recovered their lost pets.
Hold on to hope. An animal can be missing for weeks or even months and still make its way home. Forget the usual myths about missing pets. Don’t assume that an elderly animal has gone off to die; don’t immediately believe that your pet has been killed by a coyote and don’t buy the idea that a pet has decided to live with someone else. Begin searching for your pet immediately; continue daily and don't give up.