Lost your Dog? Heres what to do!

If after all your care your dog still goes missing there are things that you can do. Remember, speed is very important - starting the search sooner rather than later gives a much better chance of success. 

Phone

• Phone the Dog Pound every day. Click here for a list of all Dog Pounds. Stray dogs may be seized by the Council’s Dog Wardens. They will be brought to the Dog Pound where they will be kept for five days. A “stray dog” is a dog which is in a public place and not accompanied by the owner or some other responsible person. They are kept for five days, and then destroyed if not reclaimed or adopted. Therefore it is essential that you contact the pound as soon as you realise your dog is missing. If you have a photo, offer to post it to them or drop it off.
• If there isn't a Dog Warden Service listed for your county, please contact your Local Authority.
• Phone vets in the locality and leave your pets details and your contact details with them. 
• Leave your name, phone number and a description of your dog with the Garda Stations nearest to you (in the surrounding region as well). 
• Contact the county council in your area, they all have a service which collects dead animals hit by cars, etc. (sad to think, but better to know)

Get Out and About

• Visit all neighbouring houses in the locality.
• If you have other dogs, bring them out with you when you are looking for the lost one - they will smell their housemate much sooner than you will see him/her, and they will leave a scent that may help the lost animal to find their way back.
• Visit building sites & schools. Always ask children, as they will often notice a straying dog quicker than an adult does.
• Place posters (with a picture if possible) in local shops, supermarkets, garages, ATM machines, DART/Train stations, bus stops, libraries, Churches, pedestrian lights, local dry cleaners, take aways, vets & doctors surgeries...anywhere that people gather. If your dog is a Heinz57, do not attempt to describe them by breed - everyone has a different idea of what a 'collie/pointer/setter' looks like! - keep it simple.
• Don't give out a landline number on any poster or flyer that will be seen by the general public. Always use a mobile number (two if possible, one could be off), and/or specify a Garda station or vet surgery that people can contact with details (be sure that the vet/Guards know that you are doing this!).
• Expect hoax calls - sadly, there are some nasty people out there - but follow everything up nonetheless. You could try leaving out one particular piece of information about your animal from the poster/flyer, just to check if the person calling has actually seen him/her. If someone asks you to collect the animal from an address, don't go alone...just in case.
• Show a picture of the dog to lollipop ladies.
• If you're religiously inclined, St. Anthony and St. Francis of Asissi could help!

Media

• Post the details on this site (free)!
• Check all online Lost & Found resources.
• Place an ad in Evening Herald (Found ads are free) Tel: 048 37 516 516
• Advertise in the Buy&Sell with a 'reward', don't say how much. Several people have reported this worked for them.
• Place ad in local papers (eg Northside News, Citywide, Meath Chronicle)

Please remember, if you are lucky and find your dog please remember to take the notices down, inform and thank those who helped in the search.

Thank you to irishanimals.ie for this Advice Sheet