When a dog gets lost, it is distressing for the dog and the owner. A lost dog in Singapore is not rare, and it happens every day. if you browse Facebook, you will see groups that post about lost and found dogs. There are many reasons why dogs get lost; the gate was not secured, the fence is relatively too low for the dog’s athletic abilities, chased prey, and many other reasons. No matter what the reason is, it is very sad for the owner.
You can do your part as a concerned citizen in helping someone find their dog, and it could happen to you too. Here is what you can do in case of a lost dog in Singapore:
Dogs might hide in weird places, which could make you think they are lost. You must thoroughly check around your house in case your dog is in a tight space. It could be that they went under your bed or couch, behind appliances or cabinets, inside closets, and crawlspaces. These are all ideal sports for your dog to hide in. If this is what happened, make sure to praise your dog or give him a treat. You need to block this spot to make it inaccessible to your dog in the future.
Once you realize that your dog is really missing, the last thing you could think of is to calm down, but this is the first thing you need to do. By staying calm, you can think logically about what to do. Losing your dog can be stressful because you do not know what might have happened to him outside. It is important to still think rationally and step by step.
You need to file a police report, call SPCA at 6287 5355 and the Centre for Animal Welfare Control (CAWC) at 1800 476 1600 so they are made aware of your missing pet. SPCA also lets you submit a report about your lost pet by going to their website. This is helpful to those who found your dog in informing these parties. Make sure to have the photos and details of your dog ready:
If you print flyers and put them in areas where you last saw your dog. His favorite places also increase the possibility of finding your dog. Normally, if a dog is lost, they go to areas that are familiar to them.
If there is still no sign of your dog after one night, you need to tell the community already.
You need to contact the veterinary clinics and animal shelters in your community. Make sure to give a detailed description of your dog in case there is a possibility they found your dog. Look in the shelter or clinic personally to see if your dog is there.
However, you must not disclose any distinct details about your dog. If someone calls you and claims to have your dog, ask for a description of any unique mannerism the dog has to see if they are telling the truth. Ask them to send a photo if they claim to have found your dog. Do not meet with the person alone to claim your pet for your own safety.
If you found the dog on a busy road, do not chase it. Stand by and observe to see if it knows where to go. Even if the dog starts running, you still should chase it because it will only worsen the situation.
In case you see the dog in a construction site or an area where there is not much human movement, it most likely lives there.
A dog on the street could either be separated from its owner or it does not have a home or family at all. Even if all dogs deserve to be loved and need to be rescued, there are certain considerations to make if you try to catch a stray dog. There is a risk of being infected with a disease it carries or you could get bitten without knowing if the dog has anti-rabies shots or not. Therefore, you must be very cautious about it.
It can be quite dangerous to approach the dog because they can be hostile to strangers or if they have been abused, are sick, neglected, or it is their temperament. You need to protect yourself if you try to help a stray or lost dog.
If it shows hostility and you want to catch it, put a barrier between you and the dog. You can use any object as a barrier to keep it from biting you as you walk closer to it. The barrier should not be used as a weapon to attack or swing at the animal.
You can help foster the dog until the owner finds it or a family could adopt him. In case you have fallen in love with the dog and no one is claiming it, you can think of adopting him. Before bringing the dog to animal welfare, you must know that their limits are already stretched because of the other rescues they already have.
If you cannot adopt the dog and it clearly has an owner, use social media to help you. Social media is very powerful and it can help the owner know that their dog is with you.
You must post the dog’s information on social media. For instance, make a post about it with pictures and information about the lost dog. You can submit the post to different pet groups that help owners be reunited with their pets.
In case the dog is not microchipped, you can still find its owner.
You can go to Lost and Found Rewards to help you find your lost dog or if you need to find the owner of a dog you found.
