What are the chances of finding a lost dog let’s see some stats?
93% of lost dogs (in a survey by the ASPCA) were eventually recovered
90% is the likelihood of finding a lost dog within the first 12 hours
49% of dog parents found their canine friend by searching the neighbourhood
16% of lost dogs manage to find their way back home
15% of dog parents found their dogs thanks to a microchip or ID tag
6% of dog parents found their dogs at animal shelters
The Animal Welfare Board of India’s ABC policy ignores pets and randomly vaccinates and sterilises some homeless dogs. This policy has failed so spectacularly that the board has invented ‘street/Indian/community’ dogs that are supposedly meant to live on the streets anyway.
Unowned dogs on the streets have an average life span of three years, struggle to survive and have very low fecundity and litter survival rates. Consider also the problems of pet retention. People are often unable to keep their pets for their entire life span for a number of reasons — moving house, having kids, pet having litter often, other financial, behavioural space or time constraints.
People’s attitude toward ‘homeless dogs’ is to avoid them at all costs
Except in India, nowhere else do animal activists promote the homelessness of dogs with such enthusiasm and ignorance. Terms like ‘community’ and ‘Indian’ dogs are thrown about to obfuscate the issue and the term ‘homeless dog’ is avoided at all costs. However, this does not change reality. ‘Making a case for stray dogs’ is akin to making a case for misery and suffering by pretending it is a virtue.
Dogs are man’s best friends for a reason. Humans and dogs have shared a special bond for centuries. These friendly pups help us reduce anxiety and tension and love us with all they have. While we give sweet and comforting hugs to our pets, there are some poor pups who live on the streets and are often deprived of all the warmth and affection. We sometimes feel anxious and sad for these helpless dogs on the streets in rough weather conditions and with poor health issues.
Help the street dogs following these simple steps:
- Identify the dogs incapable of surviving on their own.
- Contact an animal shelter or a community dog centre.
- Arrange for some food.
- Find a temporary shelter for them.
- Take care and wait for professional help.
Here are some vital things to do to find your dog if missing:
- Thoroughly scout the area your dog was last seen in. Show people photographs and ask if they have seen him/her anywhere in the area.
- If there is a marketplace nearby, ask shopkeepers, fruit and vegetable vendors as well as meat shops if any. Leave your contact information with all of them and ask them to call if they spot the missing pet or anything related.
- File an FIR (First Incident Report) at your nearest Police Station giving a detailed description of your pet- name, age, colour, breed, temperament, the colour of the collar and where he was last seen, along with a photograph.
- Pick a good, clear and distinct photograph of your pet to make a flyer, with all relevant details. Print outs the same flyer and post them, first within a 5km radius while you go searching for your pet and further on. Do remember to cover community centres, markets and parks leaving flyers, asking people to keep a lookout and spread the word.
- Post full information across all social media platforms- Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. and send emails to everyone in your contact list. Share with Animal welfare and support groups online since you will then have the help of all animal lovers near you. Ask all family members, friends and acquaintances to share these details on social media with everyone they know as well.
- Speak to the guards of all neighbouring colonies and leave a few flyers with them, asking them to call if they notice anything relevant. Similarly request your postman to circulate them along with the mail on his entire route.
- Post an advertisement in the newspapers.
- Contact Animal NGOs in your city and ask if any animal fitting the description of your pet has been left at their shelter. Visit them to check their shelters and confirm in person that they are not there. Leave a few flyers with them as well.
Steps to follow when you spot a lost or abandoned dog:
- Secure the dog and inform a community dog centre.
- Click a picture of the dog and circulate it on social media and community social groups.
- Ensure that food and water are given to the dog.
- Arrange for a temporary shelter.
- If anyone claims ownership verifies thoroughly.
- If no one contacts or claims ownership you can adopt the dog. If interested.
Millions of stray dogs live on the streets in India. You can’t help all of them, so you can just take care of the dogs in your locality and treat them well. Try to find and reach out to an animal shelter in case they need medical help.
