Photo by Soloviova Liudmyla

A lost, stolen or otherwise missing pet is devastating to the human. Not knowing where your dog, cat or parrot is or how he or she is doing is literally sickening—knotted stomachs, tension, anxiety, three-in-the-morning woeful, intrusive thoughts. Signs go up on every block with your pet’s photo, your contact information and your every hope in the world.

Sometimes, it works; sometimes, it doesn’t. Various sources report about 10 million pets a year that go missing, with a smaller number of returns to owner. But Long Beach is an animal-loving community with plenty of resources and people who get it and jump in in to help. Thanks to the efforts of passionate and compassionate residents, there are lots of new tools to help find a lost or stolen pet or locate the human belonging to one. Here they are in the hope that they’ll help if you’re either missing a pet or want to keep them safe.

Photo by A Dog’s Life Photo

Social Media

Thanks to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other apps and pages, anyone’s chances of finding a missing pet or pet owner have increased considerably. These resources give a missing pet a higher profile and a better chance of reuniting with its owner.

Facebook Pages

Locally, Long Beach/562 Lost and Found Pets, Lakewood and Long Beach Lost and Found Pets, Santa Fe Springs Lost and Found Pets, and Lost and Found Paws in the Los Angeles Metro Area—lots more about the last one in a future article—are free pages founded by pet advocates. Each website has photos and descriptions of lost pets, found pets and stolen pets. Guidelines are provided for posting and announcing when the pet or owner has been located—you never get tired of seeing those. The site managers also provide helpful tips and other links and resources for locating your pet and informative graphics to share.

A shout-out to each of the administrators of these pages is called for: Rebecca Sampson, Sarah Rogers and Catherine Hiatt Garcia for Lakewood and Long Beach; Tamara Lopez for Santa Fe; someone who prefers to remain anonymous for Long Beach/562 Lost and Found Pets, but she knows who she is; and Teresa Wekid and Helen Trimble—more about her later as well—for Lost and Found Paws—thank you for being connective forces.

NextDoor

For those who’ve never publicly posted a yard sale or alerted people in the area about suspicious activity, NextDoor is, as described on its webpage, a “private social network for your neighborhood.” The way it works is this: You access the page, plug in your address, and get directed to your neighborhood. Then, you create an account, and bingo! You’ve got access to babysitters, requests for services, crime-watch details, people asking if anyone else is being plagued with tiny flies around their drain, and any number of provocative, vituperative and downright nasty comments about social and political issues.

But if you want to experience “love thy neighbor” in spades, post a request for a recommendation for a veterinarian or a lost or a found pet. You’ll get full threads of support and offers of help. There have been successful reunions, offers to foster the animal, and “finder failures” when people don’t find a pet owner and wind up with a new cat or dog.

The NextDoor app’s free. At its best, you’ll find an endless source of community information and activity; at worst, there’s an equally endless source of entertainment.

Long Beach Animal Care Services’ (ACS) Online Toolbox

A couple of years ago, ACS came up with a couple of innovative ways to help people find their pets. Their Lost and Found page gives tips on locating a pet and what to do if it winds up in the shelter. One of the page’s features is a real-time Twitter feed where you can check for a lost pet or post one you’ve found.

Lost My Doggie.com describes its services as “similar to an Amber Alert.” There are three levels of service offered: the free one, which posts lost pets’ photos and information and emails that information to 25 shelters and veterinary offices; one for $54.95, which offers telephone alerts to neighbors in addition to the first-level services, and the $94.95 level, which combines both lower levels and adds physical mailers. This has the added benefit of helping to keep the U.S. Postal Services solvent.

Before you use this service, remember that you pay for the company’s work and that there’s no guarantee of success. I’ve never used the page myself, but I know people who have, and they like it. Most reviews are positive. As always, caveat emptor. And cave canem, besides.

Local Long Beach Page

Long Beach, Calif., is yet another contribution of Justin Rudd, Long Beach’s answer to the Energizer Bunny. The page isn’t specifically tailored to find lost pets, but anything Long Beach related can be posted, and that includes pet information.

Singular Support Systems

The following three organizations cannot be afforded the space they merit in a general article. They’re definitely balance tippers and deserve their own spotlight, which they’ll get in the next article. But if you’ve lost your pet or found someone else’s, you’ll want to know who they are, what they do, and how to contact them. So, here are the trailers:

Captain Care is an all-volunteer nonprofit founded in 2014 by Phyllis Kuehn, with the aim of keeping pets out of shelters and in their homes. To help keep animals from getting lost in the first place, they stamp out free name tags to attach to collars. Kuehn stresses that name tags aren’t a substitute for microchips, but if the pet is wearing one, owner return can be immediate.

911 Lost Pet Rescue is a literal mom-and-pop service. Long Beach residents Nancy and Larry Gorman launched it in 2014. It’s run by volunteers, is free of charge (with the exception of some printing costs), and involves the use of flyers, a reward system and actual boots on the ground. Like Captain Care, 911 provides name tags for the pets.

The previously mentioned Helen Trimble is an extraordinary person even for an animal advocate. She lives in Maryland, yet she’s reunited 2,300 lost or missing pets with their owners in the Los Angeles area, beginning in 2013. She partners with Lost and Found Paws in the Los Angeles Metro Area, and her success photos can be seen on that page.

Old-School Tools

Photo by Ramon RDGZ

Typewriters may be obsolete and landlines might be headed that way, but the tried-and-true methods of tacking up fliers and posters around the neighborhood are still proving their effectiveness. Used in combination with the tools described in the article, returns will be more positive—literally.

Some tips for posters and fliers:

Include a photo of the pet—if possible, include both full-body and close-up head shot. Make sure that the photo details any distinguishing marks
Use Arial or Helvetica font for the text—they’re easier to read. Put any description of the animal in all-caps or boldface.
Give a general vicinity of where the pet was last seen.
List a phone number or an e-mail address where you can be reached. For security reasons, don’t list your address
Make a couple of hundred copies. Tack them up around your neighborhood or where the pet was seen last. If they’re removed, put them up again. Give some to the mail carrier. Store owners, particularly coffee houses and pet-supply stores, will tape them up somewhere, and some have bulletin boards for the purpose.
Offering rewards for the pet can be double-edged. Most people would probably find a reward unnecessary and would be happy to see pet and person reunited. Others might see it as scam bait. Whatever you do, should someone contact you claiming to have your pet, ask him or her to describe the animal in detail, down to the last meow or whine. If they demand money, see if you can get a number or address. Do not visit the location they give you unless you have Danny Trejo with you. Then, call the police.
When the pet is returned or when you no longer feel you need to post the signs, take them down for your own privacy and for the consideration of the neighborhood.

Access this link on the Human Society of the United States’ page for more information on lost pets.

And Whichever Methods You Use…

…walk the neighborhood as frequently as possible, and ask your friends and neighbors to keep an eye out as well.

How to Not Lose Your Pet in the First Place

Photo by Sergey Nivens

“Many strays are lost pets who were not kept properly indoors or provided with identification” reads a statement on the home page of the ASPCA. So, it’s up to us to keep our pets safe. Here are some suggestions from various sources:

First, spay or neuter your pet. No matter how eagle your eye is, an unaltered pet is more likely to break away from your control and go doggin’ or cattin’ around. Your pet will also be less obnoxious in the home, as they won’t go into heat or start freaking out if a similarly inclined member of the opposite sex is outside. And most importantly, the shelters won’t become filled with unwanted animals who likely won’t make it out. Besides, it’s mandatory to fix all cats and most dogs in Long Beach.
Several sources report over 10 million pets lost and stolen yearly, with only about a quarter being returned. But a 2013 study reported by the American Veterinary Medical Association reported a more-than-double percentage rate of return for microchipped dogs—about 22 percent to 52 percent—and an increase from around 2 percent to over 38 percent for cats! So by all means, microchip your pet. Your vet can do it, and there are free and low-cost services in the area such as Captain Care, Fix Long Beach and the spay/neuter clinics offered by Long Beach Animal Care Services. Update the chip information if you move or there are any changes in name or contact information.
Suit up your pet with a tag and a collar (breakaway collars for cats). An extra ounce of caution: Pick up a Sharpie and write the pet’s name and your contact phone (again, no address) on the back of the collar.
Secure your property if your dog is outside for any period of time. Fences should be high enough for the dog not to jump over and rooted deeply enough to prevent digging under it. Objects that can serve as “boosters”—kids’ climbing sets, picnic tables—should be near the fence. If you want to take an extra step, research electronic fences and decide if they’re appropriate for you.
Indoor cats lead longer lives. They’re also less likely to be stolen, run over, subject to the whims of nasty people or those who simply don’t want cat poop in the garden, or eaten by predators. If they insist on crying at the door, remind them who pays their room and board, and who’s really the boss.
Remind housekeeping staff or workers in the home that the pets aren’t allowed outdoors. During parties and visits, alert guests to the presence of animals as well, and tell them not to leave doors open. This is especially important with cats.
If you’re traveling with your pet, transport them safely in secure carriers. Dogs must be on leash—even the most obedient dog can get lost. If your pet is in the car and there’s no choice but to leave it there, park in a shady area with windows open a couple of inches. And keep your vehicle in view.
Keep photos of your pets around for posters and online notices, and have proof of ownership—e.g., adoption papers, vet bills—just in case.

Pet Theft

Photo by Fresh Idea

Stories about people helping themselves to parrots on porches, dogs from children’s hands and companion animals from cars or the yard are heartbreaking and provoke anger from the public when the sobbing victims are shown on TV or posted in the media.

Every precaution and step mentioned in the article also applies to preventing pet theft. Additionally, Det. W. Paul LeBaron, Commander of the Detective Division of the LBPD investigations unit, advises security cameras, secure yards and residence, and active participation in a neighborhood community group. If a pet is stolen, Det. LeBaron gives the following advice:

File a report immediately. Animals are considered property, and stealing them is a crime. The police department can’t help if it isn’t reported.
Pet owners should become acquainted with their neighbors and those in the walking range of a pet who may run away. The neighbors, in turn, should get to know the pet. If someone sees the animal with a person other than the owner, the neighbors could ask innocent-sounding questions or call the police.
Scan Craigslist and other local shopping websites for the animal. Lots of stolen consumer goods wind up on sites like eBay; Craigslist is notorious for people involved in fur-and-feather slavery.
If the pet needs special care, notify local veterinarians to be on the lookout, as the thief may bring the animal in for care and not know as much about the animal as the true owner would.

Use every tool in the box. And good luck.

“and she cries at the kitchen door

So I open up and she crouches

Then sprints into the wind

And the wind cries at the kitchen door

So I open up and call and call

And she doesn’t run in but the wind does,

With rain, a squall of claws.”

~ Jen Hadfield, “Nigh-No-Place”