By Janet McAfee
Please help find Violet. This small female Terrier went missing on May 3 in the industrial area of Thousand Palms, near Dunham and Varner streets. She was spotted later that day in the driveway of a nearby business. This little white dog weighs about 8 pounds, and may answer to the name “Baby” which she was called by her foster mom.
Several of our foster pups at Loving All Animals have briefly escaped from their foster homes, but we found each of them within a short time. Our dogs are immediately collared with an id tag upon entry into our rescue program. Sadly, Violet escaped during a brief moment when her collar was being adjusted. It is possible that one of the employees who works in that industrial area picked up Violet, thinking she was a stray absent an id tag. Most of the people in that area are workers.
A pet lover’s worst nightmare is having a dog go missing, not knowing if she is safe, if she’s hungry, and even if she is still alive. We at Loving All Animals are distraught that a little dog who was just getting a second chance after being abandoned in a shelter has now been lost. Her foster mom is particularly sad after lovingly caring for Violet, and seeing her sweet personality emerge.
What are some of things you need to do if your dog or cat goes missing? There are several key things you must do in advance of that possibility. Have your pet microchipped, and REGISTER that microchip. Make sure he always wears a collar and id tag with your current cell phone number. Take some good photographs of your pet and keep them on your IPhone. You may save your dog’s life by ensuring he knows the command “Come” if you see him running away.
THINGS TO DO IF YOU PET GOES MISSING:
Go door to door in the neighborhood where he was last seen. If you are on a walking search and have another dog, take him with you. Bring along some super-smelly food that your dog loves. Hot dogs are a good choice. Call his name. Check areas such as bushes, underneath cars, and other places where he might take cover when sleeping or frightened.
Conduct a drive search over a radius of a few miles from where he escaped. Drive slowly, calling your dog’s name.
Make flyers with your pet’s picture and your contact information. Boilerplates are available on www.bestfriends.org and www.petbond.com.
Post flyers on community bulletin boards, vet clinics, pet stores, dog parks, on telephone poles, animal shelters, groomers, and wherever permitted. Distribute flyers to postal workers, utility workers, gardeners, and others who travel your neighborhood. Hand out flyers to local school children and others who frequent the area.
Place “lost dog” ads in the Desert Sun Newspaper and on Craigslist. Email your dog’s photo, description, and location to pets@kmir.com.
Utilize social media. Post photo and information on Facebook, Twitter, and other sites. Several local Facebook pages help lost animals including “Coachella Valley Lost Found and Pets in Need”. The website www.NextDoor.com allows people to share information, including lost pets, with their neighbors.
Check and recheck local animal shelters. Go in person to look, and go back periodically as your pet could show up there weeks later. Check the shelter’s medical area.
Leave an article of clothing with your scent in the area where the dog disappeared. This may encourage him to return.
Advise others not to chase your pup if he is on the run. Approach a frightened dog slowly, or sit on the ground and coax him towards you.
PLEASE CALL LOVING ALL ANIMALS AT (760) 834-7000 IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT VIOLET. You can help by going to my Facebook page and Sharing her post. Thank you to the many volunteers who have helped in the search to bring Violet home.
Jmcafee7@verizon.net
