At a glance
Has your dog or cat run off? Gone missing? How can you give yourself the best chance of finding them again?
Has your pet (dog, cat) run away?
Has it got lost?
How can you give yourself the best chance of finding it again?
- Before alerting people around you or calling the police: make sure your pet is actually missing — check it isn't shut in one of the rooms of your home, hiding under or behind a piece of furniture, or simply wandering around nearby.
- Some nervous animals run off or hide during thunderstorms or fireworks. Ahead of such events, keep your pets safe indoors and reassure them.
- Note: - At certain times (mating/heat periods), pets run off more easily and sometimes for longer. If they don't wander too far, they often find their way home again once they've "calmed down". - A dog can also run away following separation anxiety. - When it runs off, a dog or cat can cover several kilometres a day and get considerably further from its familiar surroundings. Under normal circumstances (i.e. outside heat periods), a cat will rarely go more than a few hundred metres from home. - A dog that gets lost during a walk will often instinctively try to return to the spot where it lost sight of its owner.
- Ask people around you, your neighbours (possibly also via Facebook) or passers-by if they've seen your pet. Have a recent photo ready.
- If you haven't found your pet after searching the area: contact the nearest police station, your local vet and the animal shelter.
- Report your dog missing to DogID (+32 (0)2 333 92 22).
- There are websites and apps where you can report a missing pet. Register your pet as missing there and check whether anyone has spotted it. Don't forget to remove your notice once the animal has been found. (For example: chien-perdu.org, animal-research, or the websites of animal welfare societies and shelters near you.)
- Put up a missing pet notice in busy spots (post office, department stores, bakeries, etc.).
- If your pet has a microchip or an ID tag: inform the registry, which will pick up any call from whoever may have found your pet.
- If it's been missing for a long time, place a notice in local newspapers.
A pet lost abroad
If your dog or cat travels abroad, it must have an identification microchip. Also add an ID tag with your contact details.
See also our article on pet passports and vaccinations for animals travelling abroad.
One last tip: before anything goes missing, make sure your pet has an identification chip. Don't forget to update the chip's details if you change your phone number or address!
For dogs: DogID. For cats: IDchips or CatsID Ask your vet.
Some specialist pet shops also sell GPS systems that let you locate a lost pet.
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