Oxon Hill, MD Lost Female Dog, Dana Is Missing

Paul D.

3 months ago

Comprehensive Guide for Finding a Lost Dog Have a plan with any search parties as this may push your pet further away. Do not simply form a line and crash through the area yelling. The plan of a search party should be to draw in or drive your pup to home. Research reputable Search and Rescue Dog teams that have extra training in finding pets. (more below) Behavior: One must understand all dogs go into survival mode almost immediately they become more "wolf" like. They will not be the same as when at home with you. They are frightened, unsure, hungry, exhausted and on constant alert. In many cases, they are fending for their lives. While they live in this state the less likely they are to recognize their owner on sight or sound, and they are less likely to stick around and wait to see if the person approaching them is their owner. A dog works off of its nose in that he must settle down enough to smell the owner and recognize him or her. This is the defining moment. Most dogs still cannot drop the survival/flight mode and turn and run. If this happens then they need to be trapped. Lost dogs can wander far distances and eventually set up a repeating path. This is what we work to have happen by using scent and feeding stations, then a trap, if chased the cycle will start all over again. Note some dogs are just runners and may be very hard to get into an area but its not impossible. Get permission from your neighbors to look around their yards. Going onto someone’s land my start and argument that could scare your dog away. It is important to understand that you should not chase or yell at your dog if you find them. Remember the survival mode. What to do when you spot your dog will be explained below. Tracking: Hire a good dog tracking team, for example Dogs Finding Dogs. (DO NOT hire any team that will chase the dog or won’t let you come with the team). Once the tracking team has located the area your pet is in set up a feeding stations traps and cameras to get your dog on a repeating path in the area. Social media: Post in PawBoost, nextdoor, UPSDogs and every missing pet page on facebook. Use the daytime to post flyers make calls and engage others to help search. Enlist help of Neighbors and people walking dogs, the more eyes the better. File missing pet reports with all the animal control agencies in your area. Post fliers with contact info at Vets offices and everywhere within three miles in any direction. Call/go to shelters and Vets daily. Do not give your address or amount of reward; this will protect you a bit from scammers. Never give/send money without seeing your pet. Also leave a flyer with your Mailman, UPS, FedEx, Amazon and any other delivery drivers you can find. Post fliers on dog walking paths in your area. Bus Drivers, Ice Cream trucks, local patrol cops, fire stations. Garbage and recycling guys too. Fliers – make sure of the laws of your city when posting fliers to prevent issues with the county. If the animal is black, white, brown, tan, grey etc, then black and white flyers are fine and use brightly colored duct tape to put them up with. The duct tape attracts the eye and not printing in color is less expensive. All flyers should be put up in clear plastic sheet protectors. Flyers should be simple… Lost Dog, Picture Phone number and reward. They must be able to be read from a car. Beware that if you put up large posters or large signs in the ground, you will need to get a permit for each and everyone one of them to be insured that you are not fined by local counties. This also pertains to small 8x10 flyers but you can usually get away with the small flyers by not posting on major streets and keeping to exit points of neighborhoods and also inside neighborhoods. The only way around putting the large posters or signs up is to have them on private property, of course, permission needs to be gotten from the property owner. No flyers in or on mailboxes... its illegal, this is true of the community mailboxes. Scent Strips and baiting: Cut up some scent strips out of your old cloths or bed sheets etc. (one inch by three-inch strips) place them on the ground (I wore a shirt for 5 days to make it smell as strong.) The smell can last 3-5 days. Then make the scent strip and “Dog Chum” (Described below) trails back in the most direct and safe way to your house and/or feeding stations/traps. Dog Chum: Mix a gallon of water with 1-2 cans pate style cat food. Do not use anything that is of chunky or shredded nature as this will give your pet something to eat and could fill it up thus causing it to not follow the smell to the feeding station or trap. Make straight lines of chum to the trap/house. You can and should use Scent strips and Dog Chum at the same time. Keep the two at least 3 feet apart when laying down scent lines concentrate it near the opening of the trap and run it in a straight-line way from the trap/feeding stations/home. Feeding stations: This is a large piece of cardboard with a thick layer of flour placed on top. In the center of the flower place food. Lay down feeding stations in several places to get your pet on a repeating path and keep them in the area. Check the stations often and look for foot prints and signs that the food has been eaten. Once the dog is coming back to the feeding stations you are ready to start trapping. Trapping: If trapping ask Neighbors to only put out water not food. Let your dog find food in the traps. Inform everyone not to chase your pet. Get large humane traps even for small dogs. Dogs must feel unconfined to go into a trap. (Google hunting supply stores). (Larger than raccoon traps) For larger dogs (Great Dane, Newfoundland even Pit Bulls) use a large deer trap or an enclosure trap.... kennel run with automatic door on it. (Sardines, tuna, smelly cat food). Place the food outside the trap a few feet away eventually bringing it closer and closer before putting food in the trap. Lay small chunks of food and food oil to a large portion of food at the back so the dog can trip the plate. Do not put food and water in a bowl as a dog can move the bowl. Simply place small portions to the large portions in the back behind the trip plate to get the dog to trip the trap. Cover the trap in natural coverings. You can also use something that smells like you to help guide the dog. Place at least one trap near your home in the event that your dog has been coming to the house when you are away or asleep. It is imperative that you Do NOT chase your dog. If you hear or see them REMAIN CALM and SIT DOWN they maybe in flight mode still. Get your emotions under control. Turn your body so your back or side is to the dog. Keep your eyes averted and bow your head so as to look non-threatening. Toss tasty treats (hot dogs, chicken, smelly cheese, etc.) behind you or to the side of you. Don’t talk, yell, scream. Wait patiently for the dog to approach you. Don’t make any sudden movements, but continue to toss treats. Only at this point Speak softly, but if they back away, stop talking and just continue to toss treats until they trust you enough to come closer. Don’t grab the dog when they get close, but wait patiently and build trust. Do NOT chase your dog. You will only drive them further away. Stay on paths and open areas if you must go in. Stay on the tree lines - Chum/scent and trap along the tree line. Hide your traps just inside the tree line to keep them disguised for your pet and from people who may take them. It can take some time for your dog to feel secure enough to come out of hiding. I am not going to lie and tell you this is a quick process, in some cases up to a year. Stay strong and positive when tracking. Have your breakdowns and crying moments during the day in your house. NEVER while you are tracking. They need you to help them get past their instincts to help them get home. Never Give up. This is also helpful youtube.com/watch?v=8cKxfWUXBnY

Reply

Paul D.

3 months ago

Pet Scams. Do not lose hope, the majority of the people in your lost pet posts are trying to honestly help. Please be calm, do research and look for the red flags of the scam. "______found your pet scam"! And its variations. There is a post that states someone found your pet. A big Red flag of this scam will be that there is no proof they have your pet in their post to you. They will just tell you to contact them via massager or txt. The post may have a social media link to someone claiming to be able to help see "pet tracker" and detective" scam below. They may ask that you prove you are the owner by giving them personal information. They may not provide you a phone number or proof they have your pet. They will have an excuse as to why they cannot send you a picture, and will not meet you in a safe location. They will want the reward or money up front without proof they have your pet. ALWAYS ask for proof they have your pet before you do anything. It is so easy to post a pic on FB that there is no believable excuse as to why they cannot post one when requested to do so. In other words they are making what should be a simple exchange very complex. "The PIN number scam". This is a modification if the "_____found your pet scam". This is a phone or bank account scam. Commonly they will say something like they need to "verify you" and require a PIN number to do so. This PIN number will be used to set up a phone account under your name so they can scam others. The less common version of this scam is they will try to get your bank account PIN or do bank money transfers out of your account using the PIN system your bank would typically use. Red Flags: Wont show you a picture of your pet. <-- (This is huge red flag) Don’t have a phone number for you to call. They will want your number and not give theirs. Want a PIN number from you. Want any personal information. Have you go to social media links to get a service that they claim helped them find their pet. Want money up front without you seeing your pet. Another modification of the "______found your pet scam". They will ask you to get a gift card as payment. If you get one they will then tell you to tell them the codes on the back, they take the money and hang up. You NEVER give a PIN, Money, or Personal Information to anyone. Wont show you a picture of your pet. <-- (This is huge red flag) Don’t have a phone number for you to call. They will want your number and not give theirs. Now what to do when you actually verified someone has your pet. You have gotten a picture, you are sure it is your pet. The person wants to meet to give you your pet. Meet in a public location such as a vet's office, or police station, or a busy market. Take a friend or family member with you to the location. Make the exchange and love on your pet. MOST OF ALL - Fix the reason why your pet got out in the first place. "Pet Trackers" and "Detectives" scams Not all of them scams are but you MUST do your research before you hire anyone who states they can get your pet back. Do not be fooled Tracker/detective scams will charge you a lot of money and maybe not show up or show up or just take their untrained dog out for a long walk and tell you they found nothing or WORSE if they stumble onto your pet, they will then give chase and potentially hurt or even kill your pet. (This has happened). Do research, and check references, a Random person with a dog is not a tracker. Real Tracking teams are Search and Rescue Certified (SARs) and may have extra training in finding pets too. (NOTE Tracking something is NOT like the movies). Real SARs dogs/teams do NOT chase pets or bark while tracking or at pets when they find them. An Example of a reputable tracking team is Dogs Finding Dogs out of Maryland and there are plenty of other great tracking teams. Real SARs teams are proud of said Certifications and will gladly show you that they have them. They usually have websites and references, social media on top of their SARs training Certs. "Pet Detectives" scam These scammers will have a website or social media links where they have copied free information and videos and then charge you to get that information. There is lots of free info out there, and it may take you time to find it all but it is out there. "Drone Search" Scam This is a version of the detective scam where they try to impress you with the use of high-tech equipment such as drones. This can be a scam because of how your pet may behave when they get lost. For example: When indoor cats are lost they will hide during the day under/in a tight small location. They tend to come out after dusk and go back into hiding near dawn, making drone detection near impossible. As for dogs, they can run miles from home unless the dog is in an open area close by, drone detection is again almost impossible. The noise of drones can also scare pets making them run further away or into roads or other dangerous areas. Note In some locations like near airports, or military bases flying drones is illegal. You are better off getting Reputable and Certified Search and Rescue K9 and a Trap and Release teams in your area to help you locate and trap your pet. "Pet vs Money" scam. This usually happens when you put the reward amount on the flier. The person will say they have your pet but will want the money upfront. They will not show you your pet, or have an excuse as to why they cannot show you your pet. Do NOT transfer/give money to anyone without your pet in person. If someone has your pet meet them in a safe and public location. Police Station, Firehouse, places during the day with lots of people around. Bring someone with you. Again do not give money without seeing your pet in person. Won't show you a picture of your pet. <-- (This is a huge red flag)May want a PIN number May want personal information May want to do a bank transfer May want a gift card > take the codes > and hang up. Examples of good FREE information are: How to find a lost dog - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cKxfWUXBnY How to find a lost cat - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2eCoC63B9I Lots of great FREE info for finding a cat here - WWW.HAPPYCATLADY.COM My God be with you in all the dark places you must walk.

Reply

Brenda W.

3 months ago

Jessica Cook

Reply

Paul T.

3 months ago

I feel so sorry about your missing pet, i can remember when my Sushi was missing there is this search service that helped me find Sushi and now am reunited with my puppy I recommend you search " satellitesearchforlostpets " on Instagram, they will help you find your missing pet. They are the best i have seen so far. Thanks to them.