Lost Pets

HOURS OF OPERATION

Looking for a lost pet?

FINDING YOUR LOST PET

Even with the best precautionary measures, there is a chance that one of your beloved pets may become lost.  Here are the steps to take to recover your lost cat or dog:

 

Act Swiftly

• Most animals, at least initially, do not stray far from home.  Start searching for them immediately & enlist your neighbors in the search

 

Post & Search; Far & Wide

• Call your local animal shelters & pounds immediately.  Also call shelters & pounds in at least the next county over; in Delaware this can mean calling facilities in Maryland or Pennsylvania .
• Have photos of all your pets that you can send to the local animal facilities.
• Do go to the local shelters/pounds daily & ask to see the animals: please remember that other people may describe your pet differently then you do; someone may describe your tabby cat as grey, while you consider her to be brown
• While this is illegal in Delaware, some people will steal a family member’s/neighbor’s pet, especially cats, & take them to a shelter & state when handing them over that the animal is their personal pet.  Ask to see ALL the animals who may fit your pet’s description, both those listed as “owner surrenders,’ as well as strays
• Look & post on Craig's List
• Contact & put up notices at Post Offices & Libraries in your area.  Remember that your local mail carrier may be your best ally in finding your pet
• Contact & post notices at local veterinary hospitals & at regional pet emergency centers.  Truly caring & responsible people would take an injured animal to a veterinarian, not to a shelter or pound
• Post eye-catching laminated fliers at all intersections in your neighborhood where traffic stops

 

Pet Detectives

• Consider hiring a Pet Detective.  Safe Haven’s director found her lost cat after 2 weeks of searching with the help of a Pet Detective.  
• Keep a sample of your pet’s hair from a brush &/or do not wash the last blanket s/he slept on so that search dogs may do their work in tracking down your pet.  
• Two quality detectives in our region are at (410) 236-2788 or (410) 365-7456, or google “Pet Detectives”

 

Cats & Dog tend to get Lost Differently

• Cats tend to be lost closer to home, while dogs may wander farther away.  Even bold cats can become very scared when lost & may hide & not even meow when they hear you calling.  
• Cats are often locked in neighbor’s garages/sheds; look around your neighborhood, especially if you know a neighbor might be on vacation & have accidentally locked your cat in.
• Cats often get lost when they cross a major barrier; such as a busy road or a ditch, & are often too scared to cross-back.  Look at least beyond your nearest busy intersection.
• Cat may also go into a delivery or maintence truck, if you or a neighbor had a package delivered or some work done on your home, call those companies to see if your cat may have gotten into the company’s vehicle.

Kent County Levy Court Notice

Click here to read the notice issued by the Kent County Levy Court regarding temporary holding facilities.

Holding Period

Delaware's Shelters Standards law, Section 8003. Animal Adoption, Recovery, and Rehabilitation, mandates that:   "(b)Animal shelters shall provide a minimum holding period of 72 hours for animals in their care, to allow reclamation by their owners.  If an adoptable animal is not reclaimed, the animal may be transferred to another animal shelter or rescue for adoption, or adopted as a companion in a suitable home."

To help reunite dogs with their guardians, Safe Haven has a holding period of 7 days before a dog is available for adoption. We know that during this transition, it may take Kent County residents longer to find out where stray dogs in their county are taken.  As a true No Kill sanctuary, Safe Haven never puts down a dog unless he/she is suffering agonizing pain that cannot be managed or treated with world-class veterinary care.