As a dog owner you should do all you can to ensure that you and your dog are not parted through loss or theft and it is vitally important that you know what to do if the worst happens. Never leave your dog unattended in the garden if going out of the house and never leave it in your vehicle or tied up in a public place whilst shopping. Until properly trained in recall, do not let it off the lead until you are absolutely sure that it will return to you when called and not run off. If your dog is microchipped, retain the relevant identification number close at hand, or even on your mobile phone, accompanied by contact details for Petlog and your local vet and dog warden.

Here are some useful tips for all dog owners to consider:

If you lose your dog:

• Search your neighbourhood immediately, leaving the description of your dog and your name and phone number with as many people as possible. Remember to ask mailmen and paper delivery service personnel if they have seen your dog.
• Call your vet, police station and dog warden.
• If your dog is microchipped and registered with Petlog, call 0844 463 3999 immediately.
• Make posters/flyers and lots of them! Place them on telegraph poles, street light poles, in pet shops, vets, supermarkets, restaurants, local stores and post offices. For outdoor flyers you may want to place them in plastic sheet protectors.
• Visit your local welfare centre. Ensure you look into each enclosure, as records are not always accurate.
• Advertise in the ‘Lost’ section of your local newspaper and be sure to read the ‘Found’ ads.
• Call radio stations that announce lost and found pets.
• Visit lost and found pet websites.
• Take a photograph of your dog every few months to ensure it will be recognisable on posters if it does stray.
• Dogs are not always predictable and can stray for long distances. Look everywhere and tell everyone.
• Some useful numbers to call if you lose a dog are: your local welfare centre, vet, neighbour, police, dog warden and of course Petlog - 0844 463 3999.

If you find a dog:

• Local authorities have responsibility for dealing with stray dogs and they are required to employ dog wardens to collect any dog believed to be a stray. If a stray dog is located outside office hours, it can be taken to the local police station where they will usually hold the animal until the dog warden can be contacted.
• If the dog is microchipped the police or the dog warden service will have access to the Petlog database and will search for the details so that they can return the dog to its rightful owner as soon as possible.
• The Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires the finder of a stray dog to return the dog to its owner, or contact the local authority (dog warden service) to report it and have it collected, or to take the dog to the police station nearest to where the dog was found

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