Hopeful Henry: Help, I've lost my dog!

As the weather gets warmer people are becoming more active with their pets, going on hikes, down to the beach and such. With all this activity the number of lost pets increases and we wanted to take this time to let you know what to do when your furry family member goes missing.

If you lose a pet, as soon as you realize your pet (cat or dog) is missing time is of the essence! Don’t wait! The sooner your report your pet missing the better your chances are of retrieving it. Call El Dorado Animal Services at 530-573-7925 to report missing (if they are closed leave a message), then contact the Lake Tahoe Humane Society at their office if during business hours (Mon-Fri 9-5) 530-542-2857. If after hours call their 24/7 emergency number 530-577-4521. You can also text to the 24/7 number a photo of your missing pet, and the information regarding the situation such as where they were lost, when they were lost and a full disruption of animal including sex, age, size and if they are spayed or neutered.

Once the Lake Tahoe Humane Society has received this information they will post your pet their Facebook page and share with all the various “Tahoe” Groups. This is a great way to get your pet’s info out to the community and has proven to be very successful in reuniting pets with their owners. Once you have done all these steps place flyers around, sometimes pets wander fairly far away and someone may have picked up your pet. Also, place something with your pet's scent on it outside your house, the smell will help them find home. If you lose your dog on a trail or out in the wild, place a dog bed or blanket in the area last seen and check it often, many dogs have been found this way by owners who find them snuggled up the blanket they put out.

If you find a pet and they have ID tags call the number on the tag first. If you get no response call the Lake Tahoe Humane Society for assistance in locating the pet's owners. Also, make sure you contact El Dorado Animal Services at 530-573-7925 as they may know who the owners are. If you can’t keep the animal you found until the owner is located they will pick up the found animal and take it to shelter until the owner is found. Keep in mind this will cost the owner a pretty penny to reclaim their pet so if at all possible try hold on to the found pet for a while to see if owners can be located.

Here are a few other tips to help prevent losing your pets:
- Take advantage of this warm weather to fix any holes in fences, make sure there are no spots they can dig out.
- Always use a leash that is sturdy and connects securely to the collar. Make sure the collar fits well and is not lose or warn out.
- Don’t just “let your dog outside” to go to the bathroom, make sure you accompany them.
- When taking Fido for a drive make sure you have him leashed before you get out of the car. When in unfamiliar locations dogs can dart off and get lost easily.
- We highly recommend getting your pets Microchipped. This way if they end up at a shelter they will always scan for a chip first and you will be located.
- Lastly please make sure your pets have collars with a legible ID tag that contains current contact information. Make sure you have voice mail set up on the phone number that is on the tags. I can’t tell how often people don’t which makes it very frustrating for person who found your pet.

Hoping this information helps with our community’s lost pets.
Hopeful Henry

It’s time again to submit your furry family member’s photos to the Lake Tahoe Humane Society’s Calendar/Card photo contest. Just go to their website www.LakeTahoeHUmaneSociety.org and click on the calendar link, scroll to bottom of the page, fill out form & Submit your pic. It a fun way to support our Lake Tahoe Humane Society and help them help local animals in need.

You can submit your questions or letters via e-mail to AskHenry@LakeTahoeHumaneSociety.org or by mail to P.O. Box PET South Lake Tahoe CA 96158. Follow us on FaceBook at www.FaceBook.com/LakeTahoeHumaneSocietySPCA you can also become a FaceBook friend of HopefulHenry at www.Facebook.com/Hopeful.Henry or follow us on Twitter @LtHumaneSociety