What
are the chances of finding
a lost dog or cat
after 24 hours have passed?
You
did everything you could the moment you found out your pet is missing, but the
sun has set you still haven’t got any solid leads. Don’t lose hope! You still
have fairly good odds of finding a lost pet, but you must not give up. You must
also understand the most common reasons as to why pets run away, and how
domesticated cats and dogs are likely to behave when out on their own. Such
information helps you narrow down where or how far your runaway pet may have
gone.
Are the odds in your favor?
Statistically,
a large percentage of dogs and cats reported lost have been successfully
reunited with their owners. According to a 2012 survey by the American Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA):
Ø Only 15% of households
surveyed have had a dog or cat missing in five years
Ø There’s almost an equal
percentage of reported missing cats (14%) as of missing dogs (15%)
Ø There’s a very high chance
of a dog being found (93%) but the odds of finding a missing cat are also high
(75%)
Ø About 49% of dog owners
and 30% of cat owners found their missing pet by searching the
neighborhood
Ø Around 59% of cat owners
were lucky enough for their missing pet to return home on their own
Ø Dogs that have ID tags or
a microchip have a 15% higher chance of being found
These lost pet statistics from ASPCA are very likely encouraging if you’re currently dealing with the problem of a missing pet. If you don’t waste time taking action and reporting your lost pet to all relevant channels, chances of finding a lost dog after 24 hours isn’t bad at all.
Where did your pet go?
There
are quite a lot of possible places where a missing cat or dog might be. Pets
may run away if they’re suffering from anxiety, or the simple reason that they
were distracted exploring around or chasing a fast-moving squirrel. Based on
animal behavior and instincts, as well as the experiences of people who were able to find their
missing pet, you have great odds of finding a lost cat or dog after 24 hours if
you take these things into consideration:
1.
Speed, time, and distance
How
long has your pet gone missing and how fast can he run? Even a small dog or a
cat can cover a distance of 24 miles in just 8 hours--that is, if he runs
non-stop for 3mph. So, take out your map, consider how fast and how long your
dog may have run away, and then narrow down the radius of the areas where you’d
be conducting your search.
2.
Picked up by a stranger or a neighbor
If
your pet gets picked up by someone, maybe a neighbor or a stranger, it’s
possible that the person is either looking for the owner or decides to keep the
pet for a while. He may transport the animal to another location, release or
give the lost animal away, or call a pound or shelter about the missing
pet.
Any
or all of these things can happen in a week or not until after several months.
With all these different possibilities in mind, there’s always a chance to find
your pet as long as you don’t stop searching.
3.
Trapped
Your
missing pet might be closer to you than you think. There’s a chance that he has
been trapped in a vacant house, a construction site, an outbuilding, or under
someone’s home and can’t get out. This is why you have to be extra thorough in
your search, by checking all possible places where a small animal may have been
trapped.
4.
Lost pet behavior
While
it’s true that most pets can make their own way home by some sort of internal
compass, cats and dogs alike can just as easily get confused when they’ve been
too far away from home for too long. But some predictive animal behavior could
help you know where to start looking.
For
instance, domesticated pets that have been separated from their owners will run
and search for shelter and food. Search places where your lost pet may have
found access to these. Cats, on the other hand, often go missing in search of a
mate. In a lot of cases, they manage to return home on their own.
5.
Lost away from home
If
your missing pet jumped off a car, was dumped, or got lost in unfamiliar
territory, it’s a safe bet that he’d be roaming around the areas for weeks and
months, waiting for his owner. You might not see your pet immediately as he
could be lurking or be in survival mode, which would make him wary of other
people, even if it’s you.
Find your pet after 24 hours
When
you’ve had a pretty good understanding on where your missing pet may have gone
to, it’s pretty clear that there’s no time limit to finding your lost pet. So
even if it’s been over 24 hours since you last saw a trace of his cute snout
and fluffy tail, continue following up on your search.
Ø Report your missing pet to
PawMaw.com.
Ø Create, print, post and
distribute flyers to neighbors and strategic locations. You can go to
PawMaw.com to create a lost dog flyer in just a few steps.
Ø Call pet clinics, animal
rescue, and shelters in your area, and in nearby towns. Make a personal visit
to these places if you can. Have them contact you if a dog or cat matching your
pe’s description comes in.
Ø Plan a search radius and
seek help from as many people as possible. Should any member of your search
party finds your
missing pet, you may caution them not to approach the animal directly as it
might get scared off. You, as well, have to be careful when making your approach.
Ø Send out advertisements on
local classifieds and online listings.
The odds of
finding a lost dog after 24 hours is never as bad as
you may fear. Wherever your pet might be, you know in your heart that he is out
there searching and waiting for you as well. Don’t be so easy to give up!
Continue searching and hopefully, the fateful day comes when you are finally
together again.
