Good Morning. It has been awhile since I have mentioned the proper protocol in reporting a lost or found pet to our Facebook Page. We have had so many new “Likes” in the last few months and many new people joining in with helping others find their missing pets. I have many people asking me what to do if they find a pet and how to help get the information out there.
If you find a pet, check around the neighborhood to see if anyone may be missing them. If unsuccessful, come to our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LostPetsOfTheHudsonValley and post a picture, info, contact info, etc. Contact your local Animal Control Officer to alert them of the found pet. The list of ACO’s is in the “About” section of our Facebook Page, found here: https://www.facebook.com/LostPetsOfTheHudsonValley/info?tab=page_info. If you can’t, the ACO will be able to bring the pet to the Vet to check for a chip. This is a free service. If you are able to locate the family of the found pet, please make sure that they are in fact the family of the pet. This is VERY important and also very easy. Vet records, Rabies tag info, Pictures, etc., are all easy ways to prove this. Be careful with picking up Cats. There are many outdoor Cats that wander into other people’s yards that aren’t lost and will hang out and then go back home. It is often hard to discern between an outdoor Cat that knows when and where to go back home and one that is actually lost. Use your judgement in these cases. If the Cat is injured or sick, then you should definitely come to our Facebook Page to report the found Cat and bring him/her to a local Vet office for immediate care.
If you lose a pet, check around your neighborhood and nearby garages, sheds, abandoned structures, etc. If unsuccessful, come to our Facebook Page, post as much information as possible (Picture, Contact info, Where they went missing from) and then be sure to check with your local Vet offices and ACO to alert them in case they were picked up already. Hang up fliers around your neighborhood and continue to check our Facebook Page. We will continue to share the post of your missing pet until he/she is found safe. We reach several hundred thousand people each week with our posts. Every time someone shares one of our posts, the more likely you and your pet(s) are reunited safe and sound.
In closing, I wanted to thank each and every one of you (over 28,000 people) for clicking the “Like” button, following along, and for sharing so many posts. It’s amazing to see how well our Page has worked and how successful a simple click of “Share” can help bring a missing pet back home safe. It’s also pretty amazing to see so many complete strangers come together to offer support for those who are missing their four-legged family members. I love our community of pet lovers and the Hudson Valley. THANK YOU for your support and for continuing to believe in my mission. It is because of you all that we are helping so many.
-Bentley
