This is Bo…a dog missing from Fayette County since November 8, 2013.
If I never see a LOST DOG notice on Facebook or anywhere else I will be extremely happy. There are often few details provided as to how the dog became lost, but I’d bet it had something to do with the Pet Parent’s inattention and carelessness. I admit to being overprotective with my dog Sadie, and have been criticized for it more than once. However, she has never had her face on a MISSIING DOG poster. If you only make one resolution this year, make the one you can keep…that is to do everything popssible to keep your dog from ever going missing.
As we go into the New Year, if you’re a Pet Parent, take a moment to realize that your dog can get lost in as little as a few seconds and you many never see her again. Weigh the risk of what you are doing against the loss of your beloved dog forever and take inventory of what actions might result in the loss of your dog. Here are the situations I imagine dogs go missing from.
- Travelling is stressful and tiring on everyone. Even though your dog may be sleeping in the back seat the entire trip, stop at a Roadside Rest and it’s a different story. Combine your tired hands from gripping the steering wheel with a rambunctious dog whose been sleeping most of the trip and you have a dangerous situation. Before getting your dog out of the car…flex your hands. Put your hand through the loop of the leash and grasp the leash. Attach the leash to your dog’s collar before opening the door and make sure the collar is attached firmly to the leash and around your dog’s neck. Proceed to the dog walk area keeping your eyes on your dog at all times. When returning to the car make sure your dog is securely inside the vehicle before detaching the leash and closing the door.
- Don’t rush to open your front door just because the doorbell rings. It’s not that your dog can’t wait to escape, but dogs are attracted to many things by their strong sense of smell and more dogs dash out front doors and subsequently become lost or hit by a car than you’d believe. Secure your dog in another room with a closed door before opening the door, or put her leash and collar on her and hold firm before opening the door.
- Never leave your dog unattended anywhere. Is that latte or grocery item worth the risk your dog could be stolen from your car? Tethering your dog to a parking meter while running in a store is never a good idea. Dogs are like Houdini when it comes to slipping from a collar.
- Don’t leave your dog in the care of anyone you don’t know very well or that you aren’t 100% sure will guard her safety almost as good as you do. Pet sitters lose dogs, boarding kennels lose dog, and even people you might ask to hold your dog’s leash for “a minute” could accidently let them go.
- Don’t leave your dog home alone in the yard no matter how great your fence is. Someone could steal your dog, and for every plank in that fence is an opportunity for your dog to get out.
If you buy your dog one gift this holiday season buy tags for every collar with your name and phone number on them. Get a collar with the phone number woven into it to be even more secure as tags get torn off or broken. Get your dog microchipped for more security should the unthinkable happen and she gets lost…or even worse. A simple lapse in judgment, a lack of attention, a second of negligence can bring a lifetime of regret.
Make being more responsible for your dog never going missing one of your premier New Year’s Resolutions. Adopt the ideas above and make them habits you do all the time. You can never be too careful with your canine aompanion. Here’s to a great new year of NO LOST DOGS!
Bo’s GONE MISSING poster. If you have any info, contact the numbers on the poster, or me.
