Category Archives: Found a Dog

Found a Deceased Dog? Here are Some Tips to Help Find the Owner

Finding a deceased dog is an unsettling experience. We appreciate everyone who recognizes that deceased dogs are probably beloved family members. Handled correctly it can give an owner closure and a sense of peace to at least know what the outcome was for their missing pet.

First and foremost make sure it is safe for you to do the following steps. If the dog’s body is on a roadway or in the ditch of a busy road, it is better to just make note of the location and contact the police or the local animal control agency. Don’t risk getting hurt or causing an accident.

If you can approach the deceased dog safely, here are some tips to help find the owner. It is always helpful to have a pair of disposable gloves in the car to use. If you are at all squeamish you may want to ask for help.

Immediately take several photos of the dog from different angles. Note whether the dog has a collar and tags on. If so, get as much information from the tags as possible. Even a rabies tag can provide useful information. If possible, take photos of the tags as well. Note the size of the dog, gender and length of hair. Note any possible trauma to the body.
Note the exact location of the body. This will help an owner or local authorities to retrieve it. You must be very precise because it can be difficult to spot a dog’s body on a roadway or in a ditch when driving. Also consider that scavengers may start to eat the carcass and it may become less recognizable as time goes on. If the dog is on a busy roadway you may want to move it off into the ditch to prevent further damage to the body. Again, be very careful doing this. Make sure it is safe for you to do this without potentially injuring yourself or others.
Ask local authorities to take the body to be scanned for a microchip if they don’t already routinely do that. Bodies should never be buried or cremated until they have been scanned. If the microchip appears to be a dead end or unregistered use our free service to help find the owner by filing a report with Microchip Help
Write up a description of what you have found and file a report with our partner, Pet FBI at www.petfbi.org. Include any photos that you took. We will post a description on the appropriate state page. The pictures will be masked so someone wanting to view them will have to click through to see them. The listing will also be put into a centralized database which will help any potential owners who are searching for their dog.
Check our listings at www.petfbi.org as well as any other lost and found listings in the area for possible matches. Consider that the dog may have been lost a long time or may have travelled and crossed county and state lines.

Click on this article to learn more about the stages of decomposition of a deceased animal.

Tips for Found Dogs Taken in by Rescues

One of our goals is to work with the animal control facilities and shelters to untangle the mess that is currently the lost pet recovery system in our nation. The main function of tax-payer funded animal control is to hold lost pets until owners reclaim them, thereby protecting the public from traffic accidents, dog bites, scratches, etc. caused by loose pets.

Our organizations advise people that have found a dog to contact their official local stray holding facility (whether it be the shelter, a vet clinic or kennel, the town office or police department). Some stray-holding facilities will allow the finder to “foster” the dog until an owner is found; but many want the dog brought to their facility. And that is okay, as long as they are doing everything possible to proactively reunite the dog with their family. Unfortunately, there are still stray holding facilities that do not proactively search for an owner and the dog may be at risk of being put down at the end of the stray hold period. In these municipalities it is common for a Good Samaritan (the person who has found a loose dog) to want to ensure the best possible outcome for the dog. The higher the “kill rate” of a shelter, the less likely it is that the dog will be taken there. Instead of taking the dog to the correct animal control facility for the location, the Good Samaritan may surrender the dog to a rescue. We understand this and appreciate the Good Samaritan’s compassion for the dog. Unfortunately, many of these dogs are never reunited with their owners, and instead are rehomed to new adopters who may not realize that they have adopted someone else’s dog.

Rescues have the responsibility to make sure that the dogs they are rehoming are truly homeless. If they aren’t, they are simply selling someone else’s property, a criminal offense in all fifty states.

We have compiled this checklist to help rescues find the owner of a missing dog. This does not exempt the rescue from liability if an owner comes forward after the dog is rehomed. Civil cases brought forth by an owner against ar rescue or a new adopter are being won in court.

Scan the dog for a microchip several times with different scanners using Best Microchip Scanning Procedures. If a microchip is found but appears to be a “dead end” fill out a form for our free service by clicking here. This can be used even if the microchip is unregistered. The owners of many dogs with unregistered microchips have been found through this service.
Fill out a found dog report with our partner, Pet FBI with several clear photos of the dog from different angles. Keep the listing up to date.
Print out the free flyers provided by Pet FBI and distribute them door to door in the area where the dog was found.
File a found dog report with the correct stray holding facility for where the dog was found, as well as those in surrounding communities and counties. It is not uncommon for a dog to travel a long distance when they are lost or to be taken to a neighboring county shelter by a Good Samaritan.
File a found dog report with all police departments, sheriff’s offices, town and county offices and other local authorities in the immediate area and neighboring communities. This is often the first place that owners will contact.
Contact all local vet clinics, pet boarding facilities, groomers and pet supply stores to ask if they have had any reports of lost dogs. Supply them with a found dog flyer to post.
Scour the lost dog listings in the area including Craigslist, Nextdoor, Everyblock or other neighborhood sites, Facebook groups, local newspapers and radio stations and all lost and found pet internet sites including of course, our partner, Pet FBI – the nation’s largest non-profit database for lost and found pets.
Consider that the dog could have been lost a long time and do not let appearance factors like weight, overgrown toenails, matted coat, etc. deter your search for an owner. Also consider that the last person who had the dog may not be the rightful owner. You owe it to the dog to find the rightful owner and find out the truth.
Consider that the owner may not speak English or may not have a cell phone or the internet. Do not assume that because no one has responded to your social media posts, that the dog has been abandoned. Many people are not on social media or do not have access to the internet. Expand your search for an owner to include other languages. Use more traditional methods of getting the word out, such as door to door flyering and signs.

These steps will ensure you have done your due diligence to find the legal owner of the pet and would minimize any possible future legal action if an owner comes forward later. However, the only way you can truly indemnify yourself as a rescue, is to only pull dogs from shelters after they have completed their legal stray hold time.

We understand that this places an additional burden on rescues but the positive implications are huge. Rescues who reunite a dog with their rightful owners free up an adoptive home for a dog who truly needs it. Valuable money and resources can be saved to help truly homeless dogs. Happy reunion stories are widely shared and can elevate the rescue’s reputation in the community. This increased goodwill (and potential donations) enables the rescue to save more lives. Let’s all work together to help more lost dogs get home!

1/21/2021

Tips for Returning a Found Dog to the Rightful Owner

You found a loose dog, posted him with with our software partner, Pet FBI and now you’ve received a phone call from a potential owner. Great job! What next? How do you make sure you are returning the dog to the right person?

When someone calls in response to an ad and/or flyer you have posted for the dog you found, ask the caller’s name and telephone number and tell him/her that you will call back right away. This will give you their information in case you need it later.

Call back and then let the person inquiring describe the dog including unique identifying characteristics. (i.e. scars, tattoo, behaviors, color patterns, etc.) If the dog was found with a collar, ask them to describe the collar color and pattern.

Ask the owner to provide Proof of Ownership via email or text which should include some of the following documents:

Vet records (call their vet to confirm)
Rabies certificate or license
Adoption papers, registration papers, transfer of ownership or bill of sale
Photos (dated and w/family members)

Make arrangements to meet the owner at your local police parking lot, vet office, or a safe public place in the daylight. Be sure to let a friend or family member know where you are meeting or ask one of them to go along. If you meet at a police station, go into the police station first to inform them of what is happening so they can keep an eye out.

Observe the meeting of the dog and person. Does the dog show familiarity with the person? Be aware that a dog who has been missing a long time or who were in survival mode may not immediately show familiarity or affection so do not be alarmed if this happens. It may take time for a long-lost dog to recognize their owners or feel comfortable with them.

Thank you for helping reunite a dog with their family. Together we can help more lost dogs get home!

1/23/2021

Finder Keepers – Not!

Finders is NOT keepers.

We have a problem in our region (Illinois). One would hope that most people have a good moral compass. You drop your wallet .. someone returns it to you. You leave your cell behind at a store…someone turns it in. What happens if you find out someone found your lost items and kept them as their own and wouldn’t return them?

Easy. File a police report. Your property is STOLEN.

(720 ILCS 5/16-2) (from Ch. 38, par. 16-2) Theft of lost or mislaid property.

Now let’s apply this scenario to your furry family member.. Fido/Felix.. what are you to do????

This has been a controversial and confusing topic for quite some time. It wasn’t until i met Tial that it all became very clear.

You see… traditionally Animal Service agencies and police departments won’t take reports or assist. The standard answer is “it’s a civil matter”. But wait….. aren’t pets considered property by state statute?

Yes… you are correct. Pets ARE considered property. Additionally, as we learned above, by state statute, one is not allowed to knowingly keep possession of another’s property. So then what’s the recourse for pet owners?

This is where Tial and her Border Collie, Mika come in. Mika got loose through the family’s fencing. Someone picked her up and after becoming aware of Tial, decided to mislead her in an effort to keep Mika.

Enter the village police in the area Mika was being kept. The Chief of Police confirmed that keeping property one knows belongs to someone else can be punishable with a misdemeanor charge. In his opinion, there was enough evidence to warrant opening a criminal investigation. That’s right. CRIMINAL. The first step.. filing a police report.

I also verified with our local State’s Attorney’s Office that this situation was truly a prosecutable offense that given the strength of the evidence, could be brought to trial. He validated that this was indeed the case! Pet owners REJOICE!!!

In the end, public pressure and the fear of prosecution got Mika back to Tial. But i know of 3 other cases occurring at this moment where families are heartbroken knowing the household their pet is in, not able to get them back and feeling like they have no options.

You do. Gather your evidence. Call your police department. Insist on filing a police report. Follow up with the State’s Attorney’s Office with your case number. These are criminal situations. BE PERSISTENT.

And for those of you who choose to knowingly keep pets from their owners… you should reconsider. Consider the public informed.

Happy Reunion!

Thank you Stephanie for going the extra mile to help Mika’s family!

What To Do If You Find A “Stray” Dog

If you find a lost dog, please follow these steps to find his/her family:

– Check for a license or ID tag. – No tags? Ask around your neighborhood in case the dog lives nearby.
– Take the dog to the nearest veterinarian or shelter to have the dog scanned for a microchip & look for a tattoo. – Call your local police (non-emergency line) to report the dog found.
– Call your local animal control agency (ACO), complete a found dog report or bring the dog to them if you are unable to keep the dog while searching for the dog’s owner.
– Post found dog flyers around the neighborhood and animal service businesses even if you take the dog to the animal control or stray hold facility with the facility’s phone number. Create a sign like a yard sale sign and post in your yard or the nearest intersection.
– Post on your local Craig’s List (under both the Lost and Found and Pet sections), place a newspaper ad, other lost and found internet sites.

Please check Pet FBI or Lost Dogs Illinois to see if this dog matches with any of the missing dogs listed.

Tips for Returning a Found Dog to the Lawful Owner:

When someone calls in response to an ad and/or flyer, ask the caller’s name and telephone number and tell him/her, you’ll call back right away.

Do not offer a description of the dog, let the person inquiring describe the dog including unique identifying characteristics. (i.e. scars, tattoo, behaviors, color patterns, etc.)

Ask for Proof of Ownership ( one of the following):

· Vet records (call their vet to confirm)
· Rabies certificate or license
· Adoption papers, registration papers, transfer of ownership or bill of sale
· Photos (dated and w/family members)

Observe the meeting of the dog and person; does the dog show familiarity with person. Does the dog show familiarity with the person? Be aware that a dog who has been missing a long time or who were in survival mode may not immediately show familiarity or affection so do not be alarmed if this happens. It may take time for a long-lost dog to recognize their owners or feel comfortable with them.

Meeting to return the dog; be sure to let a friend or family know where you are meeting or ask one of them to go along. Meet at your local police parking lot, your vet office or any public place in the daylight.

PLEASE NOTE: It is illegal to put a flyer in a US mailbox or attach or hang a flyer on a US mailbox. You could be charged First Class postage for every flyer, postage due. Please go door to door with your flyer.

Follow-up on to LDI’s Blog “To Hold or Not To Hold”

Posted on LDI’s Post by Page section

Our follow-up to our blog To Hold or Not To Hold – Is it the law? – That is our question

The topic generated a great discussion on our Facebook page. It inspired one of our fans to write an email to the Department of Agriculture. Copy of her email:

“Hi, I was wondering if you could tell me what the legal responsibility is if one finds a lost dog. I have heard you have to do our due diligence in finding the owners before keeping it as a pet or finding it a good home. Specifically, if the dog has a microchip, does the vet or animal control who reads the microchip legally bound to keep the dog while the owners are contacted. Can the finder of the dog, keep it until the owners are contacted. I searched through legislation and your website and could not find information on this. If you can cite any laws or regulations, that would be great. Any info you can provide would be greatly appreciated.”

The response to her email:

“Lost” or stray dogs should be turned over to Animal Control. The Illinois Animal Control Act requires them to scan for a microchip and search for any other identification and then notify the owner. Once the dog is identified, the animal control is then required to allow the owner 7 days to pick up the dog. Keep in mind that people who lose their pet will check with animal control to see if it has been picked up or turned in. If you keep the dog, the owner may never be reunited with their pet.

Mark J. Ernst, D.V.M.

State Veterinarian / Bureau Chief

Bureau of Animal Health and Welfare

Illinois Department of Agriculture

The response to our fan’s email really didn’t answer the question. We would still like to see the law in writing.

Assumptions usually lead us down the wrong path

This is Annabelle, 24 hours after being lost

This is Annabelle

Imagine this…

You’re driving down the road on a rainy day when you see a dog just off the shoulder. Drivers always go well above the speed limit on this road, just like you were doing before you stopped to try to corral the dog for its own safety. As you load the dog into your back seat, you notice how dirty and thin the animal is. You also take note of the scratches that are like pock marks along the Labrador’s muzzle. You begin to wonder what the dog’s owners could have done to their pet. How could anyone treat a living thing like this? Well, no more, you decide. You’re going to take the dog home with you so the animal can enjoy an abuse-free life. First, the dog will get a bath. Then, off to the vet to have those scratches looked at…

Now, imagine this…

Little Susie’s father pulls into the family’s driveway on a stormy night. Excited to see her father after his week-long business trip, the five-year-old runs out of the house to greet her father…and leaves the front door wide open, a habit her parents have worked long and hard to break. Seconds later, a loud clap of thunder terrifies the dog Susie’s parents had gotten her on her third birthday, a chocolate Labrador named, Hershey. In his angst, Hershey bolts out of the open door and, without even turning to look at Susie or her father, disappears into the night. Susie’s parents take the next two weeks off from work to look for their beloved pet. Susie’s father reminds his daughter that Hershey had an extra 20 pounds on him so he won’t be hungry again until he returns home. The staff members from the daycare where Hershey played every weekday join the search for him, but…

Finally, realize this…

Nine times out of ten, a dog that is found along the side of a road, in a schoolyard, by a gas station, or somewhere else is not just a lost dog, the animal is a lost pet. Just because a dog appears underfed, filthy, and unkempt doesn’t mean he was or is not loved by his owners. When a dog is lost, his appearance in no way, shape, or form is indicative of the lifestyle he enjoyed when he was in his home environment. His appearance only indicates that the dog is struggling on its own without the care of his family.

Consider what would happen if you suddenly got separated from your tour group in a foreign country. Today was your group’s first day abroad and you can barely remember what country you’re in. You don’t speak the language and you can’t even imagine where a safe place for you to go would be. Similar to a lost dog, you would get anxious and maybe make some irrational, panicked decisions. If you didn’t reunite with your group within 24 hours, you might start to get hungry and, well, a bit stinky, too.

The point is, you have no idea how a dog lived before he became lost. You might assume his owners neglected him at best, abused him at worst, based on the condition he was in when you found him. But, 90 percent of the time, your assumptions would be 100 percent wrong.

The best, the responsible thing to do when you find a lost dog is to contact your local animal control or stray holding facility. Let the folks there know you have the dog and provide them with a picture so they can begin circulating the photo. Let them know you’re willing to foster the dog until his owners are found or that you can drop him off at the ACO/stray holding facility. In short, tell them you’re willing to do whatever you can to help the dog be returned to his family.

Remember, nine out of ten people do the right things for their pets. The right thing to do when you find a lost dog is contact the animal control or stray holding facility and try to get the dog back to its home. Isn’t that what you would hope someone would do if your dog was lost, after all? How would you feel if, on the other hand, a stranger refused to take the steps necessary to get your dog back to you because the person ASSUMED you were an irresponsible owner?