If your cat or dog is lost or was possibly stolen, you need to act fast to ensure you have the best chances of locating the animal. Here are some helpful suggestions that should get you started:

Make sure to call and go to every animal control organization in your area.  Check the phone book or click here to see the list of agencies that might cover your area. Go back again and again for the first week or two that your animal is missing.

Go to more than one agency. Your dog may travel a long way if he/she is lost. Dogs don't tend to stay within city boundaries the way animal control officers do, so check animal control agencies in adjacent cities or counties.

Put up signs in the neighborhood where the animal was lost. Put up as many signs as you can so that the largest number of people will see them. Often, if someone takes in a stray animal, the person is reluctant to take the animal to "the pound" for fear he/she will be euthanized. They may decide to keep the animal or place it with friends if they don't see any "Lost Pet" signs and don't know how to find the rightful owner.

Include a picture on your sign. Make sure you photocopy a current picture of your cat or dog and place it on your sign so the picture is visible at a distance.

Talk to your neighbors or anyone else who may have seen your pet. Sometimes people can give you clues to where your pet may be roaming.

Drive the area where your pet was lost, especially if the pet is a dog. Driving won't help so much if you're looking for a cat. Call your pet's name, and make sure to have some yummy food with you - if the animal is hungry, he/she is likely to come out for a treat.

Place an ad in your local newspaper, and check with area veterenary clinics to see if someone who found your animal may have turned him or her in to a local vet clinic.