How to avoid losing your pet

Nothing strikes fear in the heart of a pet parent like losing their beloved pet. And more dogs and cats get lost during summer than during other times of the year. This may be due to changes in routine, vacations, and traveling. Now is a good time to how to avoid losing your pet.

Key points to avoid losing your pet:

1. IDENTIFICATION – use a collar with name and phone as well as microchip.
2. LEASH – always use a leash when outside the house and yard.
3. TRAINING – “come” and “stay” are critical for your pet to learn.
4. SECURITY – be sure the yard and enclosures don’t allow an escape.
5. TRAVEL – instructions for pet sitters and preparation for travel with your pet.
6. MONITOR – pay attention to behavior, create “safe” places, consider a GPS tracker.

Identification

Be sure your pet can be identified when lost, so that if he or she is found you can be quickly reunited.

• A collar and tag with name and phone number is simple, inexpensive, and can be easily seen from a distance. A big benefit is that people are more likely to help a pet with a collar and identification because they assume the dog has a home. This happened with one of my dogs. Rachel escaped from our fenced yard and was gone overnight. Neighbors had seen her, but only called us when they noticed her collar with her name. Embroidering your contact info on the collar helps if your pet tends to lose an ID tag. Now is a good time to make sure your pet’s collar is in good condition, and is not too tight or loose.
• Microchipping your pet is a great idea. Your veterinarian can easily implant the microchip. You register your contact information with the microchip service. This is a permanent identification for your dog. Most shelters and veterinary clinics scan lost pets to check for a chip. Here are some free microchip registries. Now is a good time to update any changes to your contact information with the microchip service.

Leash:

If you take your pet outside the house and fenced yard, be sure he or she is on a leash. This is the simplest way to ensure that your dog, cat, or other pet will not be able to run off and get lost. There are leashes of every size, shape, and price on the market. A harness is a good idea for pets that can slip out of a collar easily. Our beagle puppy was an expert at backing out of his collar when walking on a leash, so a harness solved the problem. And you can find leashes or harnesses for all kinds of pets, including miniature pigs, ferrets, and birds. Now is a good time to check your leash or harness for good condition and fit.

Training:

Making sure your pet is well-trained goes a long way to avoid losing your pet. Be sure to train your dogto "come" and "stay". This can help to keep a dog from wandering off when she smells something interesting, and even from going out into the street. What about other types of pets? Most pet animals – cats, ferrets, parrots, and even chickens - can be trained with basic commands. You can always encourage your pet to come with a certain word that they associate with a treat or attention. My chickens are all trained to come when I say “chick, chick, chick” because I do that each time I feed them. Training is important to begin when the animal is young, but you can train pets of all ages. Now is a good time to practice your training commands with your pet.

Security:

Pets live in all types of environments and enclosures, including cages, rooms, yards, and acreage. A common way to lose a pet is when he or she escapes from an enclosure. Some dogs are escape artists, able to leap tall fences or dig out of enclosures. There are many ideas for keeping your dog inside the yard, as well as specific training and products to help. For example, tall “no-climb” fencing and burying the fence to keep dogs from digging are two helpful methods. Electric or invisible fences are popular options, and require some training with your pet.

Other pets dart out of the house when the door opens, so specific training and household security procedures are necessary. Be sure to make it a habit of checking the yard, doors/gates, and any enclosures for signs of wear or any spots where a pet could escape. Now is a good time to fortify any areas that need attention.

Travel:

Summertime means vacation! If you are leaving your pet at home with a pet sitter, you may want to shore up your yard security, and be sure to leave careful instructions for your sitter about opening doors, access to outdoor areas, etc. Keep in mind that pets may behave differently with a sitter and may not respond as well to commands. It is best to be more careful when pets are outside the house during vacation and keep them in the house when no one is around. Provide your pet sitter or kennel manager with the details on your pet’s identification in case he or she becomes lost when you are away.

If you are taking your pet with you on summer travel, be particularly strict about keeping your pet on a leash or in an enclosure when entering or exiting the car. Travel and strange places can be stressful to pets, and they may try to run away if given the opportunity. When packing up your pet’s necessities (food, medication, toys, bedding), be sure to bring details on your pet’s identification and a picture. Now is a good time to collect your pet’s information in a folder so you are ready for your summer travel plans.

Monitor:

Outside activities and changes in routine are part of the summer schedule. But don’t let your guard down in terms of monitoring your pet. Paying close attention to your dog, cat, or other animal buddy will alert you to times when he or she is showing signs of stress or fear, which may result in an attempt to run away. Simple monitoring will help you to avoid losing your pet. And don’t forget that things we consider great fun – like summer barbeques and pool parties, fireworks, and sleepovers – can be extremely upsetting to your pet. Consider preparing a “safe” space away from the commotion for your pet to retreat and relax. Include a soft bed for your dog our cat.

Perhaps the ultimate monitoring of your pet is a GPS tracker collar. This allows you to locate your pet if he or she becomes lost. You can designate a “safe” area, so that if the pet goes outside this space, you will receive an alarm. This is a great option to monitor your pet when you are away from home. Some models also track daily activity, sleep, and calories burned. Most tracker collars are designed for dogs, some are small enough for cats too. Now is a good time to research GPS trackers.