If a guest dog in your care goes missing, follow the steps below to ensure the dog is safely reunited with you:
1. If a dog goes missing on a walk, don’t panic. Don’t run after the dog, scream or make any fast movements because the dog may think you are playing. Crouch down to ground level, or approach the dog slowly and calmly, while using a playful voice to call it towards you. It’s a good idea to always have treats on you which can be used to lure the dog towards you.
2. Stay in the area for 20 mins min, repeating sounds, or calls the dog is familiar with, and wait and see if the dog returns.
3. If the dog is still not back after 20 minutes, call the local Dog Warden immediately.
4. Inform the dog’s owner after reporting the missing guest dog, explain the situation and reassure the owner that you have control of the situation.
5. Call local vets, shelters, kennels, pet shops and dog groomers. They might have seen your dog.
6. Put up posters in post offices, newsagents, door-to-door drops and all the areas where people walk their dogs. If possible make a radio announcement.
7. In the event that you don’t find the dog contact www.lostdogs.co.uk, a volunteer site that has successfully reunited many dogs with their owners.
For more information about Dog Wardens in your local council click here.
Please note! To avoid a dog going missing, please ensure that dogs always wear their collars when out in public, this is required by law and you should never ever, as a Sitter, remove any of the guest dog’s collars or ID tags.