Bently Holdings

Who Let The Dogs Out?

By: Byron Taylor

If we have learned nothing else from Pixar and Disney about lost dogs, (I say dogs because let’s face it, cats are never truly lost), it is that every time a precocious pooch leaps off a stoop and over a white picket fence, they almost always get involved in a heartwarming adventure that will end favorably. But the hard boiled truth is that over 80% of dogs that go missing never make it back home. In this installment we’ll discuss ways to reduce the odds of your pet becoming part of an increasingly alarming national statistic.

In case you haven’t noticed, gone are the days of the generic mixed breed mongrel. You need only look as far as San Francisco’s tony Union Square to realize the dog of the moment is now highly pedigreed and obscenely pampered. With this heightened level of financial motivation for potential thieves, not to mention emotional investment for the owner, imagine what it must feel like to exit your local coffee shop only to find an empty leash tied to the post where your best friend used to be. That’s right, your dog is gone. So now what?

In the first 24 hours:

• React: Look in the immediate area, immediately. If your dog just got away it’s probably still close by and should respond to your voice. Training your dog to respond to specific vocal commands gets you extra points.
• Contact: Get in touch with local veterinarians, animal control, and emergency pet clinics in your area should you come up empty handed. Joining a recovery service like homeagain.com will also give you access to text and email notification so that other members know your pet is missing. Suspect foul play? Call the police and file a report post-haste.
• Twitter: You know those people keeping you updated with every minute detail of their lives? Put them to work searching for your pet. Post the area your pup was last seen and keep your fingers crossed that Julie112 will stop tweeting about Snuggie Commericals and her favorite danish clogs long enough to take a look around.

Over the next 48 hours:

• Inform and Inquire: Make your neighborhood aware there is a missing dog by knocking on doors or launching an ambitious photo campaign. This will also put heat on the pet thief should they live locally and have taken your pet for companionship. I mean really. Who does that?
• Mark your territory: Help your pet find their way back using what nature gave them. Dogs have an amazing sense of smell and the simple act of hanging an old t-shirt on your front door can serve as a beacon to guide them back home.
• Reward: Tread lightly with this method. There are enterprising pet thieves who consider this as a regular source of income. They’ll swipe your beloved pet and wait for you to post a healthy reward before swooping in for an easy payday.

According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, there are an estimated 163 million dogs and cats in the United States. With those kind of numbers, every now and then one is bound to go AWOL. At the very least, you should get your dog licensed as it creates a record of traceable ownership should Rex wind up in a Dog Catcher’s net. You can find tons of information regarding licensing as well as microchipping at San Francisco Animal Care and Control. The kind folks over at SFACC will also be providing free pet chipping to local residents on April 8th!

Most importantly, you should use simple common sense and, above all, trust your gut. If you leash your Tibetan Spaniel to a parking meter and get a weird feeling that this is the last time you are going to see him, you’re probably right. Should you insist on taking your pet along for your weekly errands into the city, surf over to dogfriendly.com for an assorted list of rover loving retailers such as Neiman Marcus and Williams-Sonoma.

The best thing you can do for your pet is to be informed about theft prevention and recovery should the worst case scenario become a reality. You should also consider teaching your dog to remove a pet thief’s arm at the elbow. Just in case.

Think getting an intimidating looking dog will deter a canine crook? Guess again. The most stolen breed in the United States is the Pit Bull. Wonder where your dog ranks on the hot sheet? Get over to Dog Detective to get the skinny on dog theft statistics and more.

Bently Holdings is a long-time supporter of PAWS and other animal rights groups. We hope you and your canine companion have a safe Spring together.