Find your lost pet, protect yourself

Technology, including microchip identification, email, and even social networking sites, have all been successfully employed to help search for and return missing pets. However, while the internet, by providing a quick and easy means of far-reaching communication, can help bring a pet home, it can also help opportunistic individuals prey on others who are in the unfortunate situation of having lost a pet. When a pet escapes or is stolen, many pet owners are desperate to do whatever they can to make sure their pet is returned safely back home. If you have ever had a pet go missing, you know what an awful experience it is without having to worry that someone may try to take advantage of your plight. Fortunately, there are some basic precautions that you can take to help prevent yourself from falling victim to a scam artist who can make the situation even worse.

Since we have been working to help reunite lost pets with their families, there have been a growing number of different organizations offering various means of helping you to find your pet. While many of these businesses provide a legitimate service which may be able to notify others in your area more quickly and efficiently than you can yourself while protecting your personal information, others are fly by night operations, and the worst may not even provide the service they claim to. How can you tell that a company is legitimate, trustworthy, and has results worth the investment that you will make by subscribing to such a service?

>> If a site claims to have live support, call the hotline and confirm that they do. If you continue to reach an answering machine during regular business hours, that’s not a good sign. Ideally a pet recovery service will offer 24 hour support, since there is no telling when your pet may go missing or be found.
>> Safeguard your personal information! Always confirm that the service has a customer privacy policy and will not give out your information without your permission. Publicizing your contact information could make you vulnerable to other scams.
>> Beware of copycat providers. Fraudulent organizations often copy content from reputable companies.
>> Confirm partners and affiliates. Sometimes fraudulent organizations will claim to be affiliated with a larger organization to look credible. Check the affiliate’s site to be sure all claims are true.
>> Go with a company that has a reputable, long established business history.
>> Make sure that you know what is included for the price that you are asked to pay. Does the fee that you are quoted cover a one-time service or a lifetime membership? Will your pet’s information continue to be circulated or will the posting be removed after a period of time?
>> As with any other service or product that you plan to purchase, customer representatives should be happy to answer any of your questions and concerns.

Whether or not you decide to subscribe to a lost pet recovery service, there are steps that you can take to help protect yourself while trying to find your missing pet. In the article, Pet Scams: How Not to be a Victim, Internet Scambusters describes five of the more notorious ploys that are used against owners of missing pets. They also provide the following recommendations:

1. Make sure your pet is always properly licensed and tagged.
2. Keep your pet indoors, in a secure yard, or on a leash at all times.
3. If you must place an ad, include only the essential information.
4. If you get a call from someone who claims to be out-of-state, ask them for a phone number where you can call them back.
5. If a caller appears to be ‘fishing’ for information about your pet, make THEM initiate the questions or comments about your pet’s description.
6. If you’ve found a pet and someone claims it belongs to them, before you return the pet, ask for some kind of documentation that the pet actually belongs to them — ownership or breeding papers, records from the vet, or even family photos.

It is also a good idea to treat a missing pet like any other emergency situation by preparing beforehand. Research the available options and most effective methods of pet recovery and then create a plan in advance outlining steps you would take if your pet were missing so that you know exactly what to do, rather than making a hasty decision while in a state of panic.

Have you ever been in a situation where you were searching for a missing pet? What are the things that you know you did right or wish you could have done differently? Share them with other pet owners here!