FINDING A STRAY BASSET HOUND
IF YOU FIND A BASSET HOUND WEARING A RED HEART TAG FROM NTBHR, PLEASE SECURE THE DOG AND CONTACT US VIA PHONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!
1. See if He’s Microchipped
Take him to a veterinarian’s office or animal shelter and have him scanned for a microchip. If the dog has one, the vet or shelter will attempt to contact the owner. Sadly, many people don’t register or update their pet’s microchip information, so you may not be successful in finding the owner even if the pet is chipped.
2. Take Him to the Animal Shelter
If you can’t find his owner through micro-chipping, you must immediately take the lost pet to the animal shelter closest to the area in which you found him. If someone has lost their dog and can’t find him, the first place they will look is the shelter. Linus, one of my former foster dogs, escaped from his yard, and his owner went to the shelter immediately, less than a half hour after Linus escaped. Someone had already turned him in!
If you’re worried about what will happen if he isn’t found or adopted, you have the option of adopting the pet after the shelter hold is up (shelters usually hold them for three or four days to give the owners the opportunity to find their pets). You’ll have to pay an adoption fee, but the price will include a spay/neuter, vaccinations and a microchip.
3. Make a “Found Dog” Flier and Post to Neighborhood Social Networks
Before you take the dog to the shelter, take a photo of him so you can make a “found dog” flier and post throughout your neighborhood. Include the date, the area in which you found him and your phone number. Hold back a few facts, if possible, so you can make sure anyone who contacts you is the real owner.
Neighborhood and community social media sites are also a great way to get the word out about a lost pet.
4. Canvas the Neighborhood
Talk to neighbors and friends; most likely someone will recognize an animal who lives in the community. Take a flier with you when you canvas your neighborhood.
5. Contact NTBHR for Assistance
Please e-mail us at info@bassetrescuedfw.org to let us know if you have taken a Basset Hound to a shelter here in North Texas. That way we can keep an eye out for him if he is not reclaimed by his owner.
Make Sure Your Own Pet Is Wearing ID!
Prevent this scenario from happening to you and your pup by getting him micro-chipped and registering his information with the microchip company. If you move, update the information. Just like putting in your own change of address, the same goes for your pets.
Even if your pet is chipped, make sure it always wears a collar with a tag that includes the dog’s name, your phone number and your street address, so that if someone finds your dog, he can return him to you right away.
