R.I.P.P. Pit Bulls

What to do if you have lost or found a dog

     If you have lost a dog:

*Make sure that you contact your local Animal Control to report your dog missing and check to see if they have picked up your dog or if they have had any calls on the dog that will help point in which direction to look.

*Make sure to visit your local dog shelter ASAP do not wait a few days and then go looking for your dog. Waiting a few days may mean that it is to late, and your dog could have been euthanized by this time or adopted out. Ohio shelters must hold your dog for a minimum of 3 days if your dog is not wearing a current county dog license. Dogs that are displaying a current license are held for 14 days.

-Make sure to check back with the shelter at least every other day if you can't go in everyday. Remember dogs are only held for so long, until they become property of the shelter, the shelter then can euthanize, send to rescue, or adopt out.

*Make sure to post LOST flyers in your neighborhood, stores, gas stations, carry-outs, light posts etc.....

*There are online resources as well that you can post pictures, description and contact information about your lost dog. Make sure that you also look at other peoples' posts as well as someone may have found your dog and posted online.

www.petfbi.com

www.craigslist.com

www.franklincountyauditor.com

*Don't give up and continue checking the shelters at least everyother day I personally suggest every day.

*Call local and surrounding vet clinics to see if someone has reported a found dog in your area.

*Contact your local Police department to report your lost dog as well as check to see if anyone has called in a found report.

FOUND DOGS

     If you have found a dog that is not wearing any tags:

* you can either hold the dog at your home while you try to locate the dogs' owners 

*you can relenquish the dog to your local dog shelter.

     Make sure that if you have found a dog and want to keep him / her at your home, that you contact your local dog shelter and animal control facilities to report the found dog with them. This will be posted and available at the shelter for people who have lost their dogs to see.

      There are online resources as well to post found pets. Make sure that when posting a found report online that you leave some information BLANK and just say "Please describe....." i.e. collar, sex of dog, markings etc... This will help ensure that the dog will be going back to their original owners, not just anyone trying to claim that it is their's.  (see web address above for lost and found databases online)

     You also want to make sure that you get the dog checked for a microchip at either an animal shelter or vet clinic

*If the dog is wearing a dog license, you can call your local animal control office or auditor's office and get the owners information from the registration of the tag.

If you are in franklin county you can look up the owner information online yourself with the year of the tag and the license number by going to www.franklincountyauditor.com under the section "Your dog" and "Dog-e-Search"