Recently we received a post on a mailing list I run for breeder exhibitors. It was a chilly October night in Colorado, when member Mendy Hansen frantically wrote to the list. It had been a while since Mendy had seen Gus, and after a thorough inspection of her apt she grew worried. The minutes ticked by ever so slowly as her heart began dropping, hitting the pit of her stomach as she realized he was not hiding.... Gus was LOST!

Into the darkness surrounding the building she lived in, Mendy called out the name of her only show Pom, a Canadian Ch. named Gus. Her calls went unanswered other than the sound of her own voice echoing back . A drive through the neighborhood turned up nothing. In desperation Mendy turned to the 200 members of the Pomeranian Post.

Being a night owl I was still awake reading my list mail. As I read her plea all thoughts of Gus went to the back of my mind, and for a few moments it was as if it were one of my own dogs that I would be searching for. My mind would race as my beating heart looked inside to grasp hold of a plan of action. The following is the plan that my mind and heart put together for my body to carry out. In other words it's what I'd do if it were me.

Put an article of clothing that you have worn, or bedding belonging to that pet, outside, in front of your door, house, in the yard, etc. The scent may bring your pet home. Check the areas periodically.

Sit down at your computer and make a flyer. DO NOT mention that your dog is a Champion or a show dog to anyone! Simply that he is the family's beloved pet and you grieve for him. Include a printed picture and a plea for his return. Put your flyer on all the doors in your neighborhood and as you go door to door, hand them out. If they haven't seen your dog yet, they may later. For safety reasons, DO NOT put your name or address on the flyer, only your phone number. Tell them if they lose your number then PLEASE turn him over to the animal shelter so you can locate him. You might say that in your flyer too.

DO NOT waste time talking to people ~ FLY~ as every single moment that passes could put him further from being found.

Take your flyer and get it out to every  GROOMER in your city. Give your NEWSPAPER CARRIER a copy and give one to the MAILMAN PRONTO. Ask if you may leave a stack of your flyers so that each mail carrier and every newspaper carrier will get a copy or that it be placed on a company bulletin board.

Get out to the area convenience stores and leave one. Ask if they will allow you to tape it to the counter at least for a period of two weeks.

Take some of your flyers and put one facing to the outside in ALL your car windows. Anybody parking next to you or passing by will surely notice and take a look at it. Perhaps you have friends or family willing to do this also.

Bulletin boards at Pet stores and vet offices aren't big enough for a flyer but you can make a smaller version (5x7) and tack it in all the stores and vet offices too.

Contact the kennel clubs in your area and of course the animal shelter as soon as they open. At the animal shelter, fill out a lost dog report and include a copy of your flyer with a photo of the dog. Contact all the Veterinary Clinics, any rescue people, all-breed clubs, etc., in your area.

Call the radio station and pay if necessary to have it broadcast X number of times during the course of the week, the month if need be.

Call the newspaper AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and place at least 2 classifieds. One in the Lost and Found and the other in the "pet" section. do the same thing in the "Penny Saver" or "Thrifty Nickel."

Contact your Emergency Animal Clinics and your Police. Check periodically for any accident report involving animals.

When contacting your Veterinary offices, be sure to inform them of your dogs identification i.e.; microchip, tattoos and any physical identifications. 

I hope that this is helpful to someone someday and that they too will locate their lost companion, just as Mendy did.

This article is copyright 2002 This article was written by Jessie Klein and appears in The Pomeranian Review.

 e-mail keepsakepoms(at)gmail.com   with 'Poms' in the subject line.

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