Pets Lost and Found in Real Life
“Have you ever lost and found your pet? Where was the little guy hiding out?”
We asked our PetRescuers Facebook community, and you answered. Stories of families reunited with their beloved pets poured in from coast to coast of families reunited with their beloved pets. Some reunions came after years apart and hundreds of miles of separation. Here are just a few of the uplifting stories we’ve received:
Six Years Later
“On Memorial Day weekend in 2005, some fireworks scared our little dog Stinky away from where we were staying. We did everything we could think of to find her—called local shelters, hung posters—but nothing worked. Over the next six years, I never gave up hope. Then in May, 2011, I got a call from animal control. Unbelievably, they’d found Stinky and contacted us through HomeAgain. Never give up!” -- Amy
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A Real Scare on Halloween
“Right before Halloween 2010, we lost our beloved cat Squeaky. Our children made lost posters and searched the neighborhood with no luck. After seven months lost, the local shelter found her and tracked her to us through her microchip. I’m a true believer in the microchip now.” -- Lori
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Stolen—and Recovered
“Over two years ago, the unthinkable happened—my Chihuahua, Pinto, was stolen. I cried day and night, and eventually gave up hope of finding her. Then one day I got a call from HomeAgain and she had been found over 100 miles away! Getting Pinto back was the best day of my life.” -- Marrissa
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One Mile Away and Completely Lost
“One night during a horrible snow storm, our 10-year-old German Shepherd got lost. He was gone for over a week. My husband put HomeAgain flyers in all the neighbors’ mailboxes. It ends up, our dog was only a mile away, but he couldn’t find his way home in all the snow. If it wasn’t for my husband and HomeAgain, I don’t know how I would have found him.” –Robbii M. (Facebook PetRescuer)
Looking for Mom
“While I was stationed in Iraq, I called home and found out my dog had run away over a week before. Some kids found her seven miles from home and took her to the Emergency Room. The ER scanned her microchip and got her home safe. I think she was looking for her Mama, poor girl.” –Toni D. (Facebook PetRescuer)
Almost Half of You Have Lost Pets
Every year, as many as 10 million pets are reported lost. It can happen to anyone. In our recent Facebook poll, 49% of our PetRescuer community told us they’d lost a pet once, and 15% said they’d lost a pet more than once.
Why do pets run away? Animals are highly curious by nature, so exploring and chasing objects is instinctual. They are hard-wired with a desire to find out what lies beyond their territory. Often, their sense of smell can get them into all kinds of trouble—whether they smell food or other animals. Just the scent of another dog or cat can lure your pet away. The good news is spaying and neutering can reduce this likelihood by as much as 90%.
If your pet gets lost, stay calm and start looking immediately in your area. In many cases, your pet won't have gotten far by the time you realize they're missing. The majority of our Facebook responders said they'd found their pets inside their own homes—in a drawer, the pantry, the garage or under furniture.
Most dogs are recovered within a two-mile radius of their home. They normally wouldn't run in a straight line for an extended distance, no matter how strong or fast they are. Small dogs may be able to go half a mile at most. Friendly pets typically find people or other pets to play with—so look for them in public parks or neighbors’ yards. If your pet is shy, you may find them hiding under bushes and parked cars.
Most importantly, if Fido or Fluffy get lost, don’t give up hope. When pets have been microchippped and your contact info is kept up-to-date, there’s always a way to track him or her back to you; As these lost pet stories prove—even over several years and from hundreds of miles away.