Missing Yorkie

[Jan L.]

I'm not sure if I should be posting this here or not,someone bump me if need be.
Anyway one of my Yorkies is missing. I went to the movie w/a friend,my husband was home with the dogs. I got home and no Ida. We've been looking all over the neighborhood by foot & by car since about 8 pm. I've called till my voice is hoarse. No Ida. I can't stop crying. I'm sitting bythe back door looking out,and have left the gate open incase she comes home. They say things come in 3's. Well,believe it because this is the 3rd bad thing that has happened to be in 2 days. Where could she be? Please, come home Ida.

[Princess Zoe]

Oh my gosh... my heart is breaking for you! I hope you find your baby. GO HOME IDA!!!

[LaviniaHyacynth]

Oh, I am so sorry...I will say a prayer that Ida will be home soon. I am sending a big hug your way.

[Jan L.]

Thank-you both. I hope she's not out there cold & scared. She's never been out of the yard before except for car ride. She's so loving & friendly,she'd go to anybody.

[icy]

Does Ida have a microchip? Have you called the shelters yet? If not, call around and also call the vets around you to see if anyone has brought in a Yorkie for a checkup.

I hope Ida comes home soon........

[bugaboosmom]

We will pray for Ida's safe return.

[Princess Zoe]

You can also call animal control and inform them... if she gets picked up by them, or dropped off by someone else, they will call you.

[livingdustmops]

I am so sorry, hopefully these steps will help.

12 Steps to Better Your Chances of Finding Your Pet
Step One -
Search your property thoroughly and the property of the homes on either side of your home. Cats, small dogs, and other types of small pets can get into some pretty strange places.
You need to look in EVERY nook and cranny. Don't assume that your pet would never crawl into a tiny little space or some small hole. In fact, don't assume anything. Cats especially, because they use their whiskers to determine whether or not they can go through an opening, plus they have the ability to collapse their rib cage in order to slink into a very small space. So, for cat owners, think about the measurement or length between the left and right side ends of your cat's whiskers, it will probably be somewhere around 6 inches. While conducting your search, be sure to check any opening that is 6 inches wide because your cat could very well have gone through an opening of this size.
Look behind, under, and inside washing machines, clothes dryers, stoves, refrigerators, and dish washers. Check behind water heaters, under furniture, in closets, in cabinets, on shelves and in bookcases, in drain pipes, in sewer drains, in boxes, in culvert pipes, under vehicles, look through the crawl spaces under the house, inside sheds and barns, and especially under decks. Even if the deck in your back yard sits right on the ground, if there is an opening that is at least 6 inches wide then your pet may have been able to crawl underneath. We actually pulled up several boards of the deck in our backyard, stuck a flash light and a camera down through the holes and took pictures of the entire area underneath our deck. In the case of cats, also look in attic crawl spaces, on the roof, in roof gutters, and up in the trees.


Step Two -
Walk around your neighborhood, talk to everybody, and leave your phone number and a picture of your pet with everyone that you come into contact.
Go to each house in the area where your pet was lost and talk to the residents. Write down a description of your lost pet, or better yet, have flyers ready to hand out to each person, but whatever you do be sure that you give everyone your phone number. Leave the information or flyer attached to the front door, if homeowners do not answer the door.
Caution - It is against Federal law to leave flyers or any other unstamped or unpostmarked material in someone's mailbox.
Talk to everybody you run into. This includes the postman, paperboy, children, parents waiting at the school bus stop, school crossing guards, neighborhood crime watch captains, garbage pick-up workers, etc. Give them a written description (or the Flyer) of your pet and your phone number as well.
Try to get all the neighborhood children involved. Kids are great at finding lost pets! Have a meeting with all of the neighborhood children and invite the parents to come. The information you give to them can be invaluable.
At your meeting, ask everybody if they saw or heard anything unusual in the neighborhood and carefully write down everything they tell you. This could include strange vehicles, work crews, people, or activities. Get detailed descriptions of everything.
Whenever you set out on foot to search for your pet, don't travel alone. Take a friend or family member with you.
Don't ever give out your full name or address. Scam artists and other criminals in our society can and will use this information against you and your family. Remember, it is never a good idea to publicize this information no matter what the reason may be.
Offer a reward, but don't state the amount.


Step Three -
Make some noise while you walk around the neighborhood! Animals can hear you from great distances.


Have your family members call the pet's name where ever they may go.
If your pet has a favorite "toy" that has a bell or makes a sound, bring it along and use it to help you make familiar noises.
Use an "Dog Whistle" to get your pet's attention. The high-pitched sound from these whistles can carry up to a mile or more. Cats are attracted to this sound as well as dogs. ( Note: this whistle is the "silent" ultrasonic type, but has a simple adjustment that lowers the tone into the human audible range. Use this audible tone when searching for your pet because the sound will carry farther).
Carry a box or can of your pet's favorite biscuits, chews, or other treats and rattle it loudly while calling your pet's name.
Make any other noises that your pet may be familiar with.
It's also important to stop regularly, be quiet, and listen for your pet to make a noise in reply.
The neighbors will think you're crazy, but hey, this is your pet's life we're talking about here!


Step Four -
Bring a powerful flashlight (even during daylight hours) for checking in dark spaces.


A frightened or injured animal will hide in dark spaces and will not come to you.
Use your flashlight for checking under houses and other dark spots. Also check storage sheds, garages, dumpsters, trash cans, and under cars. Don't forget to look in trees for a cats and other pets that access tree tops.


Step Five -
Place strong-scented articles outside your home to attract your pet. Animals find their way by scent as well as sound.


Place some of your dirty clothes outdoors. Sweaty gym socks and jogging suits are great for this!
Place a cat's litterbox, bedding, and favorite toys outside.
Place a dogs bedding and favorite toys outside.
Put out some smelly food such as tuna, sardines, or warm, freshly cooked chicken, liver, or other savory meat. Be sure to protect the food if you can, so that other animals don't eat it!
If it's warm weather, crate other family pets and place them outside in a SAFE and SECURE area.


Step Six - Call local veterinarian offices during the day. After 5 PM, call veterinarian emergency clinics.


Find out if your pet was injured and taken to any of these offices or clinics for treatment.

If an office has taken in or treated any animal that even remotely resembles your pet, VISIT THE OFFICE IN PERSON. Your description of your pet and their description of the same pet rarely match. YOU MUST GO SEE FOR YOURSELF!
Also ask them for the phone numbers of local rescue organizations. They generally keep a list and may even work with them.
Call each of the rescue organizations and ask for their help and find out if they have your pet. These groups generally network with each other and will pass the word about your case.
Be sure to leave a flyer with each of the veterinary offices you visit and you don't physically visit each office then send them a packet containing all of the information pertaining to your pet, especially any significant medical history that may help them to identify your pet.

[livingdustmops]

Step Seven -

VISIT your local Animal Control, humane societies, and animal shelters, including the ones in surrounding areas.


You must actually visit the animal control and humane shelters every day or two. It works well if several family members can take turns visiting the shelters.
Your description of your pet and their description rarely match. YOU MUST GO LOOK ! Be sure to check all areas of the shelter, including the infirmary. Also be aware that dogs may be housed in the cat section and vice-versa.
Leave a picture of your pet and your phone number at each shelter. Befriend the workers at the shelter, you get more bees with honey than you do with vinegar.
Find out the holding period of each animal control and humane shelter. Be aware of how much time you have to claim your pet before it is euthanized!
Government Animal Control agencies usually keep an animal for only 3 - 4 days and then they either adopt it out or kill it. You only get one chance at this. Be there!


Step Eight -
Ask Animal Control, humane societies, and shelters about pet rescue organizations in your area.


Usually there are many small pet rescue groups that work with the local humane shelter. They often take pets from the shelter to save them from euthanasia and adopt them out to new homes.
Call the rescue groups regularly to see if they have your pet. Ask to visit their foster homes so that you can check for your pet in person.


Step Nine -
Find out if your pet has been killed on the road. (D.O.A reports are usually available at the Animal Shelter front desks)


This is a very sad but necessary task. Otherwise, you may never know what happened to your pet and it could haunt you for years.
The road crews for your local and state Department of Transportation ( CALTRANS ) will usually pick up dead animals from the highways and freeways. The Animal Control Department is usually responsible for roads and city streets. You have to call around and find out which agencies do this service in your area. Be sure to find them all!
Dogs are usually picked up within 24 hours, but cats and other animals often are not.
Call the city, county, and state road crews, CALTRANS , and Animal Control EVERY DAY to see if they have found your pet's body. The Animal Services Department will usually have a DOA list available for public viewing, if so, you can check while your visiting the shelter to look for your pet.
If any of them do not cooperate with your efforts, contact City Hall as a last resort and complain. This usually gets a response. But remember, you will get better results with courteous personal visits.
If your pet is wearing an ID tag, the DOT and/or Animal Control agencies should contact you if they find your pet dead along the road. But don't count on it. You must put forth the effort to find out for yourself!
Sadly, this section has a higher "find" rate than anything else except posted flyers.


Step Ten -
It is extremely important to post as MANY flyers as you can about your lost pet.


From the point where your pet was last seen, place your posters within:
a 6-mile radius for cats
a 20-mile radius for dogs
If you receive a call from someone stating that they saw your pet near their home or business. It will be extremely difficult to physically "hang around" this person's house or place of business, however you do have other options. You can send your flyers directly to homes and/or businesses via the US Postal Service. This can be costly but it could provide you with more sighting information. Here's how you go about this process.
You will need to have at least 500 flyers for each area that you decide to do a "mailing" except they do not have to be color flyers, black and white will suffice for this purpose. To save sometime, have the printer or copying service tri-fold the flyers for you, this costs about 3 cents per copy. Title companies generally maintain current lists of the names and addresses of each homeowner in each housing subdivision in your city or town. You can purchase these subdivision databases for a minimal fee of about twenty dollars per subdivision. Call the local title companies in your town and ask if you can purchase the database for "Country Meadows Estates" or whatever the name is of the subdivision where the sighting of your pet occurred. Ask them to send the database via email. This way you should be able to convert or transfer the information into one of your database programs on your computer, such as Excel. Using the database program on your computer you should be able to print mailing labels for each homeowner in that particular subdivision. If you don't want to generate the labels yourself, the Title companies can provide you with mailing labels but the there is an added cost for this service. Affix the labels to your flyers and check with your Post Office for the proper method of sealing the flyers. Do not send your flyers "Bulk Mail" as many post offices only send out Bulk Mail at specific times of the month. Time is of the essence and you cannot risk waiting for your flyers to be delivered on Bulk Mail delivery days.
Overall, flyers or posters produce more "finds" than anything else. But don't neglect the rest of the tips!
Your budget will determine how many flyers you can afford to post, but the more the better.

Step Eleven - HERE IS THE TYPE OF INFORMATION THAT SHOULD and SHOULD 'NOT' BE ON YOUR FLYER


If possible, it is best to place a color photo of your pet on each flyer.
Use 8-1/2" X 11" fluorescent paper for high visibility.
List the date and place your pet was lost, breed of dog or cat, sex, age, weight, color, markings, and your telephone number.
Offer a reward , but don't state the amount.
Do not put your full name or address on the flyer, just your phone number.
It is very important to always withhold several identifying marks and characteristics of your lost pet. You may need to use these later to verify that a person has actually found your pet and is not trying to scam you. More on this later.
Post the flyers on telephone or street light poles, at a level as far above your head as possible, as there are those that find it amusing to destroy posters of this type. By placing the posters as high as possible you will most likely discourage anyone from attempting to destroy your poster. Take a small step stool or ladder with you when you are placing the posters on telephone and light poles. If it is during the winter or rainy season, put your posters in "top loading plastic pages", however, you will want the opening to be at the bottom. This way you can prevent (AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE) the ink from running due to the moisture in the air. Be sure to use wide clear tape. Packing tape works very well and it is stickier than most other tapes. Tape all four sides of the poster, such that someone cannot simply stick a finger or a stick under an edge of your poster and rip it down. Taking these extra measures when posting your flyer will give your poster a much better chance of remaining in its spot for an adequate length of time. If anyone thinks about ripping down your poster they are going to have to through as much effort to take it down as you did putting it up. All other posters can be placed at eye level, such places as veterinary offices, pet shops, barber & beauty shops, grocery stores, community bulletin boards, churches, pizza parlors, laundromats, convenience stores, near schools, and on school bulletin boards.
Examine your posted flyers frequently and replace the ones that are missing or damaged.



Step Twelve - Place an Ad in your local newspaper and/or an Internet Lost and Found web site. Some will do this for free, but most of the time those that are placing Lost Ads have to pay. It is generally only free to those that are placing Found Ads. (Except here at this web site where it is free to all who use it)


Be sure to advertise in the Sunday edition as well as during the week.
Also place an ad in any "Penny Saver" type of publications you might have in your area.
Check the Lost and Found section of the newspaper everyday.
Most newspapers provide free ads to people who have found lost pets.
Also check regularly in any other local publications.
Don't ever give up! Pets have been known to find their way back home after being lost for several months. Good luck!

A Few Words Of Caution
There are dangerous people in our society who prey upon victims by using "found" pets as a ploy.
NEVER respond to a "found" pet contact alone. Take a friend or two along with you.
Arrange to meet in a public place.
NEVER invite the person to your home unless you happen to know them well.


Beware of money scams. A common one is a person calls you claiming to be a long-haul trucker. He says he picked up your pet and is out of state now. He heard about your ad, flyer, etc. and says he will return your pet if you will pay to ship it home. This person does not have your pet, he is only trying to take your money. Don't wander around looking for your pet alone, either during the day or at night. Always bring a friend or relative. This is especially important in unfamiliar neighborhoods. Use the identifying information you have withheld about your pet. Please remember that you should never give out all of the identifying features of your lost pet. If the person who claims to have found your pet cannot describe these features to you, they do not have your pet!

[whispersmom2]

Are you absolutely sure she got out? Please hope and pray that she has gotten scared and is hiding somewhere in the house. Get out a treat can and start shaking and calling "Get your treat!" Maybe, the Yorkie God is protecting her til she feels safe.

[Jan L.]

We have searched the house up & down.
I called the emergency vet hospital. I will call everyone else in the am(it's 12:45 am here).

Thanks for all your prayers & the great info on finding lost pets.
I don't think I can go to bed. I'm to upset. I have to get up in 5 hrs.
This is AWFUL. I keep going outside & calling for her. I know if she could hear me she'd come. Ida always comes when I call her. Lord, I pray she's ok where ever she is.

[Maddie-Rudy-Mom]

I am so sorry your Ida is missing. My prayer are with you that she comes home safe soon. A lady in the neighborhood lost her little dog one night and in the morning she put signs in her yard about missing her dog and some lady had picked it up and kept it safe and in the morning saw the sign and returned it.

[icy]

Please keep us posted on how everything goes with Ida.......

[YorkieShadow]

Im so so sorry . I will pray that she comes back home and is safe.

[Baby Blessing]

Prayers for you to get Ida home soon. Maybe a neighbor took her in, not knowing who she belongs to and that in the morning you will be united. I hope you can get some rest tonight, please take care of yourself.