The distance a dog can travel varies. Many times, dogs are found within a half a mile to a mile from their homes. If your dog is not neutered, that distance can greatly increase.
Lost dogs can travel quickly, so it is important for you to post flyers and notify shelters, rescue groups, and veterinarians in your area immediately. We highly recommend a FREE service called LostMyDoggie.Com. They will create a flyer for you and they will also send Email/Fax alerts to local shelters, vets, groomers and rescues in your area within 30 minutes.
Make sure to contact your local police department too. Patrolling police officers often see wandering animals on major streets and in neighborhoods. Neighbors many times call the police as well when they have found a lost dog. Also contact your local Fire Departments. They are patrolling the neighborhoods and many will rescue animals with collars. Click on the video link to find out more. Police Department Saves Lost and Abandoned Pets.
If your dog goes missing from your home, notify the dog walkers in your neighborhood. They typically walk the same areas every day and can help to get the word out. They might even recognize your lost pet.
Knock on neighbors' doors. We have had many reunions where dogs have been staying with a concerned neighbor just houses or blocks away. They are most likely looking for you too!
Try NEXT DOOR, which is a Neighborhood site. This is like a Facebook for your neighborhood.
If you live in a gated community or have a homeowners association, ask if the association email an alert to all the residents in your community. If you have a guard, leave them with flyers of your lost pet.
In addition to posting flyers, make sure to post on our Facebook page right away.
Many local papers will offer a free Lost/Found ad for a period of time.
Contact local rescue groups. Sometimes they can be overzealous and take in a lost or injured pet thinking they are stray or abandoned.
CHECK ALL SHELTERS, EVEN OUTSIDE OF YOUR AREA! We have had many cases where someone will find a pet in one city or county and bring them to a shelter in another county 30 or miles away from where they were found. This person may mean well but it puts a pet a risk of never returning home. They can either be put up for adoption or euthanized within days of being in the shelter.