What To Do When You Find An Animal Think LOST, Not Stray

Courtesy of Wildwood Pet Network & Fairfield Animal Control

Please read this before you need it and keep it handy for the day when you find an animal.

wpnpets@aol.com www.wpnpets.petfinder.com 513.870.0421

Thank you for helping an animal in distress. Here are step by step instructions which have been developed since WPN’s Safely Home © Reunion Program began in 1996. We welcome your ideas.

Please provide us with phone numbers for your neighborhood so that we can update this resource.

1. Report the found animal to:
1. Wildwood Pet Network 513.870.0421
2. Police Use all of these non emergency numbers if you live near these areas. Most departments keep a missing animal log.

i. Fairfield 513.639.7820

ii. Fairfield Twp 513.887.4406

iii. West Chester 513.777.2231

iv. Forest Park 513.595.5220

v. Springdale 513.346.5760

vi. Hamilton 513.639.7880

3. Shelters

i. Butler County 513.867.5727

ii. Hamilton County 513.541.6100

iii. Warren County 513.695.1176

iv. Clermont County 513.732.8854

4. Emergency Vets

i. East Kemper 513.530.0911

ii. Grady's 513.931.8675

iii. Redbank 513.272.1395

5. When the animal has been reunited with their family don’t forget to notify WPN, the police, shelters and ER vets.

2. Feed the animal small meals 4-6 times a day until they seem to stabilize. Too much food or water too fast upsets their stomach and can cause vomiting or diarrhea. Do not give a cat milk. Keep the animal separated from your own animals until you know they are healthy. Confine them until you know that a cat will regularly use a litter box or a dog is housebroken. Keep a light weight leash on a rescued dog at all times. Put a collar on a dog (or cat) with a temporary tag which says ‘Rescue Dog (or Cat) 513.870-0421 or your phone number’. That way if they get away from you we’re not starting over from square one. Complete Pet Mart, PetsMart and SuperPetz have tag engravers. A temporary tag can be made from poster board and covered with plastic or from a round cardboard key tag. They don’t hold up very long but are better than nothing.

3. Take photos of the condition of the animal when found. This is important in cases of neglect or cruelty. Once an animal is washed, groomed or treated by a vet the evidence is gone. It’s okay to provide care but a record needs to be made and kept. Also keep receipts for any expenses you incur on behalf of the animal you are assisting. You are entitled to be reimbursed by the family.

4. Take the animal to a vet to be scanned for a microchip (no charge). If there is no microchip you may also want to have them examined for ticks, fleas, ear mites or worms. Ask the vet for an opinion as to age and general health and whether the animal has been spayed or neutered. It’s a good idea to request a combo test for cats and a heartworm test for dogs. Explain that you are trying to locate the animal’s family and they will usually give you a rescue rate on the cost. If you contact WPN prior to taking the animal to the vet we can get rescue rates for you.

5. Put a found ad in Cincinnati Enquirer & your local paper (no charge). Give very little information in the ad. We suggest only the suburb or neighborhood where the animal was found, species (not breed), male or female and your phone number. You may also include WPN’s number as well or instead of yours if you would like for us to handle the inquiries.

6. Post fliers in your neighborhood. Be brief. Cat Found or Dog Found, Your phone number and WPN’s phone number.

7. Check the following websites to see if the animal is posted. Look beyond your neighborhood or city. The animal may have been missing for an extended period of time or may have been transported by a good Samaritan. Post a found ad, again, use your newspaper ad as a guide. Less information is best.
1. pets911.com
2. petfinder.com
3. missingpets.com. 
4. Lost and Found.com
5. Dogdetective.com

8. Reponses to your fliers, ad or internet postings

1. When people call it is their responsibility to fully describe the animal to you. Ask them if they have a photo they can email to you. If they do not have a photo, ask for a detailed description. Listen carefully to everything they say. Do not comment on anything they describe. For example: If they describe a long haired cat and the one you have found is short haired don’t say ‘no this cat has short hair’. An unscrupulous person can have a friend call back from a different phone to say that they have lost a short haired cat. Someone who would do this is trying to get an animal to sell for research, to train other animals to fight or to use as food for another animal.
2. If you are certain the animal is theirs tell them so and make arrangements for them to pick up their animal. Ask them to bring the photo with them. Do not let anyone come to your home if you are alone or if there is no adult present. If you feel uncomfortable once they arrive do NOT give the animal to them, call WPN for assistance.
3. If you are not certain the animal is theirs tell them you are sorry that you have not found their animal. Give them WPN’s number and tell them we will help them, and we will. Once a family begins working with us we reunite the animal with their family in over 90% of the cases.

9. Thank you for helping an animal in distress. Our Reunion Program is successful because people who care about animals do what they can to be helpful. What you do can make all the difference. Please call or email if you have questions or need assistance.