Missing Dog TIPS (Rural)
IF YOUR DOG IS MISSING IN RURAL AREAS IN MANITOBA
- Immediately put a large MISSING DOG sign in front of your yard so that if someone is walking or driving around with your dog, they know where to find you.
- Place food, water, and familiar items outside, in the area where your dog went missing from, or was last seen….(e.g. Kennel, dog bed, blanket, your coat, or anything that has your scent on it)
- Talk to your neighbours, nearby residents. Ask them to check their yards, under their decks, garages, or any place an animal may be able to get into.
- Use popular social media sites to get the word out fast.
- Contact the following agencies as soon as possible to report it. Check in often and leave a picture, description of your dog, and your contact information with them.
i. your local Animal Control Officer, if you don’t know the number, do a Google search for your R.M.
ii. in case your dog made it to Winnipeg go to Winnipeg Humane Society Lost/found site to submit a form and email a picture of your dog to reception@winnipeghumanesociety.ca
iii. in case your dog made it to Winnipeg contact the City of Winnipeg toll free @ 1- 877- 311-4974. Alternatively, you can file a report at: http://winnipeg.ca/shared/htmlsnippets/MailForm.asp?Recipient=311
This is a necessary and important step as people who are driving down a highway and pick up a dog may bring it into the city and take it to one of those agencies.
iv. local veterinary clinics in the surrounding areas
v. Dept of Hwys 204-945-8955
- Put large neon posters up in and around the area where your dog is missing from (see below)
7. Create your FREE flyer and social media links at www.helpinglostpets.com
- Put flyers up in high traffic businesses (where permitted) such as:
- post office/community mail boxes,
- veterinary offices,
- conv. stores,
- gas stations,
- pet/animal supply stores,
- groomers,
- hardware stores,
- community billboards
- Contact radio stations as they will sometimes broadcast missing pets.
- Put an ad on Kijiji under – “Pets, Lost & Found”.
Important Notice
If your dog has been missing more than 1 day, make sure you contact your Animal Control Officer daily.
It is critical that you contact them daily or go in person as they will only hold a dog for 3 days if they have no I.D. Dogs are generally placed into the adoption program after the 3rd day if no contact is made with an owner.
Please, once your dog is found, take down all posters, notify all agencies & delete all ads.
Ways you can keep your dog safe and prevent them from being lost
√ Buy your dog a martingale collar and make sure it is fitted properly. These type of collars are especially great for sight hounds (because their necks are often bigger than their heads), but they can be used on any dog.
√ If you have a particularly shy or nervous dog, double-leash them so you have a fail-safe if one of them fails. (Double-leashing usually means you have one leash attached to the dog’s collar and one to their harness.)
√ Walk your dog using a well-fitted harness, and when you do walk them, make sure to loop the leash over your wrist so as to prevent the dog from bolting and pulling the leash out of your hands.
√ Make sure your dog is secure before opening the door to your house to let someone inside. This can be anything from putting them on a leash before opening the door to putting them behind a baby gate or in another room. A sit-stay is always good, but it is not foolproof.
√ Place locks on the gates to your yard. This may seem silly, but there are several reasons to do so. Many dogs get lost because a storm blew open someone’s gate, a child running in or out of the gate forgot to latch it or a contractor was working on the home and the gate was left open. Placing a lock on the gate ensures no one gets in or out without you knowing.
√ Several times throughout the year, check your fence line to make sure there are no gaps or holes. Block all holes and gaps to prevent your dog from escaping the yard. Also, make sure that there are no chairs or tables near your fence so your dog cannot use it as a perch from which to jump it.
√ Don’t take your dog to the fireworks displays. Keep them at home where you know they are safe.
√ If someone is caring for your dog, make sure they know how to enter and leave your home without letting the dog out or consider blocking off the doorway so your dog cannot escape unexpectedly.
√ Don’t take a newly adopted dog to a new location like a dog park or pet store. Many newly adopted dogs get lost within the first few days of being adopted because they are scared and unsure of where they are. Wait two weeks and allow the dog to get used to you, your family and your routine before taking them anywhere with you.
√ When traveling by car, make sure your dog is contained in a kennel or is secured with a seat belt. Many dogs go missing after a car accident or when someone opens the door to the car to get out.
√ If you bring your dog to a groomer on a regular basis, have a conversation with him/her about how they will keep your pet safe so they don’t escape. Ask that your dog be contained until it is time for her to be groomed and after she is done. Also make sure that your dog is wearing a martingale collar when you drop them off and pick them up.
AFTER HOUR VETERINARY CLINICS IN WINNIPEG
Sometimes, a found dog may be brought into the city, here are the clinics which are open after hours:
Southglen Vet | 204-452-0077 (730 St. Anne’s Rd)
Plessis Vet | 204-691-8838 (17 – 1783 Plessis Ave.)
Pembina Vet | 204-452-9427 400 Pembina Hwy (Pembina Veterinary is open 24/7 for emergencies)
The above clinics will accept lost dogs after hours if they have available space for them. During business hours many clinics will also accept lost dogs to their facilities to ensure their safety.
If you have lost a dog and it is after regular business hours contact these Vets as well in case someone has called them or dropped your dog off with them.