Lost Pet Research & Recovery

21/08/2024

It's been a long time coming, but I am finally starting the search for my next lost pet search dog. I'm aiming for a scent-specific trailing dog but I'd also consider a cat detection dog.

I'm hoping to find a dog between now and next summer. If anyone has any leads on dogs or good rescue groups, please let me know. I will want to meet and test them before adoption, so they need to be within the Northeast. I'd prefer to adopt but I would consider purchasing a pure bred puppy if from a working dog line and reputable breeder.

My Ideal Search Dog Candidate

Puppy or Young Dog up to 2 years.

Small to Medium Size - ideally between 10 to 40 lbs. I want to be able to carry them in an emergency.

Must LOVE cats! They will primarily be searching for lost cats and I live with two senior kitties.

Must like other dogs and be okay around children. I don't have either but we often encounter them on searches.

No significant fear or aggression issues. No sound phobias is a major plus.

High search and play drives. High food drive is a plus.

I'm starting my search for my next lost pet search dog. Looking for a special puppy or dog with the right drive and temperament.

20/08/2024

I had a great time at the Pet Search and Rescue Conference in upstate New York last month. There were many opportunities to watch different dogs working the scent training scenarios. I even had the chance to try working with a few of Annalisa Berns’ and Susan Long’s search dogs. Perhaps most useful, I had the chance to ask experienced search dog handlers lots of training and business questions. I’m now ready to start looking for a new search dog to train, and I’m excited to implement some new ideas to improve how I run my business.

15/08/2024

Today is Check the Chip Day! Did you know that around half of microchipped pets that arrive in shelters never make it home? This is primarily due to unregistered microchips and incorrect contact information. Take a moment today to make sure that your pets' microchips are properly registered and up to date. If you're not sure, learn how to check here:

Learn how pet microchips work and what can go wrong. Find out if your pet’s microchip is working and what to do if it isn't.

30/06/2024

Sushi is home safe after nearly a month missing! She was on a harness away from home when something startled her. She slipped out of her harness and disappeared into some woods. She was ultimately found due to a Facebook post to a community page. Someone had been feeding her for about a week and was able to secure her on their porch. She had traveled nearly a mile from her location lost, which is unusual for an indoor-only cat.

When a lost cat travels outside of your poster/flyer area, local online posting such as community Facebook groups and Nextdoor are most effective. People tend to post found cats or cats that they are feeding to these places before posting them to lost pet pages/groups. You should follow Facebook groups in the town your cat is missing and nearby towns. In this case Sushi was posted to a different town because the person feeding her did not use Facebook and someone visiting took photos and shared the post.

It is also important to make connections with cat rescuers, lost pet page moderators, and feral cat feeders. They tend to pay attention to found cat posting and share them. In this case a feral cat feeder alerted me to the post and the owner saw it herself around the same time, but I’ve had several other cases where rescuers were pivotal to online recoveries.
- Chicopee, MA

10/06/2024

If you are interested in learning about training a lost pet tracking dog, there's still time to sign up for the Pet Search and Rescue Conference in the Adirondacks, July 19-21, 2024. You don't even need a dog to attend, you can learn a lot as an observer.

To the heroes working in animal rescue....

Join us at the Pet Search and Rescue Conference in the Adirondacks, July 19-21, 2024, and unlock your dog's potential.

Register: https://forms.gle/EMwsNDJ2hA8AXVH69

More Details: https://www.petsearchandrescue.com/conferences

06/06/2024

Zeus is home safe after 3 weeks missing! He was an intact male semi-feral outdoor cat that disappeared from his colony one day. After posting to a local Facebook group his caretakers found out that Zeus was hanging out in my neighborhood about 1/3 mile from his home. After I saw the flyers go up on my street, I put out a surveillance camera on my feral cat feeding station, and less than 15 minutes later, I had Zeus on camera eating there! This was after he had been missing for about 2 weeks.

I contacted Zeus’ people, and although they saw him, he was in “survival mode” and wouldn’t come near them. Unfortunately, Zeus did not show up consistently at my house. He probably had other food sources since there are many outdoor cats in my neighborhood. But after a week of trapping, I finally caught Zeus in my own backyard. I wish they could all be that easy.

His caretaker’s brought him home and were finally able to get him neutered. He is now safely indoors, and they are attempting to transition him to an inside cat. Based on the photo, I think he’s happy to be there.

South Hadley, MA

04/04/2024

I finally finished my article on Effective Long-term Lost Pet Search Methods: https://lostpetresearch.com/2024/04/effective-long-term-lost-pet-search-methods/. I will start working on part 2 shortly which covers how long to search and advice on keeping motivated.

Learn what search methods work best in a long-term lost pet search. Also includes search methods to try when nothing else has worked.

14/03/2024

Riley is home safe after 57 days missing! He went missing about 3 weeks after moving to a new home and had only been going outside for about 2 weeks. At their old home he had been an outdoor-access cat for 3 years. After nearly 2 months of endless posters, flyers, searching and online posting, Riley was ultimately found due to a Facebook post on a local community group. He was being fed outside at a home nearly 7.5 miles away and had been in that area for at least 3 weeks.

Unfortunately, we will never know how Riley ended up there. It’s possible that he was accidentally transported though he doesn’t have a history of climbing into vehicles. It’s also quite possible that he traveled there himself. This is a long distance for a lost outdoor-access cat, but he may have been trying to travel back to their old home. If so, he started off in the right direction and got off track.

Riley is happy to be home and recovering well from his ordeal. He now has a tracking collar and is currently under (possibly permanent) house arrest. – Louisville, OH

When an outdoor-access cat goes missing from a new home, there is always the chance that they will attempt to return to their old home. This is most common if the cat was lost within 5 miles of their old home and had lived there for at least 2 years. For more details check out this blog post: https://lostpetresearch.com/2016/12/cat-homing-behavior-survey-results/.

If a lost cat travels outside of the poster/flyer area, online posting is one of the most effective search tools. Most importantly, posting to local online sites like community Facebook groups (and not just lost pet groups), Nextdoor.com and the Neighbors App. It’s also important to repost and engage with your posts so that people know you are still looking when a cat is missing for months.

17/01/2024

Just a heads up. There are some great trail camera sales going on right now. TrailCamPro (http://i.refs.cc/rItI3YTX ) is having a sale on their demo and used trail cameras. Find the sale under the "Shop Accessories" tab. SpyPoint is also having a blowout sale. Only $69.99 for the Link-Micro-LTE trail camera when I checked today.

13/01/2024

For my first research project of the new year, I am collecting preliminary data on long-term lost pet searches. I am especially interested in those cases with few or no confirmed sightings where the lost pet was found after 1 month or longer. Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey on your experience and/or interests in long-term lost pet searches. Feel free to share with others. I plan to post a summary by the end of the month.

The purpose of this survey is to collect preliminary data on long-term lost pet searches and assess future interest in this topic. I am primarily interested in long-term searches with few to no confirmed sightings.

26/11/2023

Cyber Monday is great time to buy lost pet trapping supplies. Wildlife Control Supplies is offering a $100 shipping credit on orders over $99. And Tomahawk is offering 20% off at (livetrap.com). Not too mention all the great camera deals at TrailCamPro.com, SpyPoint.com, Amazon.com and elsewhere I'm sure.

We offer knowledgeable support and the broadest selection of nuisance wildlife and animal handling equipment anywhere!

26/09/2023

FYI: I am switching back to my old business number (413) 367-7171 due to issues with my new number.

11/09/2023

Pet Search and Rescue is hosting three Lost Pet Search Dog training conferences next year. I'm excited and planning to attend the New York conference (which is now July 19-21 and not August as listed in the photo). The event is open to private investigators, lost pet professionals, non profits and pet owners.

🐾Announcing 2024 Pet Search and Rescue Conferences🐾

Please note updated New York dates: Adirondack Mountains, New York - July 19-21, 2024

Are you ready for an adventure like no other? Do you possess the determination and compassion to make a real difference in the lives of pets and their owners? If so, then come and join us at the Pet Search and Rescue Conferences! 🌟

We are thrilled to announce the Pet Search and Rescue 2024 Conferences will be offered in three amazing locations - sunny Tampa Bay, Florida in January, glamorous Los Angeles, California in April, and beautiful Adirondack Mountains, New York in August.

Working as a Pet Detective is rewarding and exciting. Every day brings new challenges. The sense of fulfillment that comes from reuniting lost pets with their families is unparalleled. Whether you dream of getting a job as a Pet Detective, starting your own Pet Detective business, or volunteering lost pet search services in your community, these conferences will inspire you and get you started.

🔎 The Investigative Adventure 🔎

Imagine being part of a team that tracks down lost pets. Your observation skills will come into play as you follow trails, analyze clues, and narrow down potential locations to search. Working Search K9s adds another technique to the methods that can be used to help find lost pets and evidence.

💼 From Volunteer to Expert 💼

Volunteering with a nonprofit or in your local community to help find lost pets is an excellent way to begin your career or share your skills as a Pet Detective. These conferences will provide you with inspiration, resources and in-person training. One of the highlights of the training is being able to work Search K9s or train with your own dog.

👥 Network and Join a Community of Animal Advocates 👥

One of the most unique aspects of these conferences is the opportunity to network and connect with a community of animal advocates. Meet like-minded individuals who share your love for animals and dedication to reuniting lost pets with their families.

📅 Mark Your Calendar for 2024! 📅

Ready to embark on this life-changing adventure? Want to find out more about working as a Pet Detective, hone your skills and work Search K9s? We're excited to invite you to our weekend conferences in 2024! *Very limited spots are available.

📞 Contact Us for a Free Consultation! 📞

Conference details, dates and rates: https://www.petsearchandrescue.com/conferences

If you have any questions about becoming a real-life Pet Detective, don't hesitate to reach out. We offer free consultations to answer your questions. Contact us today at https://www.petsearchandrescue.com/contact

Join us in making a difference in the lives of pets and their families. Become a Pet Detective and experience the joy of reuniting lost pets with their loving homes! 🐶🏠 Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity – register for the conferences now: https://www.petsearchandrescue.com/conferences

05/09/2023

When an indoor-only cat escapes from an unfamiliar location, will they return to that location? In my experience, the answer is often “yes.” I have seen cats return to the cat sitter's house, an RV at a campground, a vacation rental, and even the vet’s office. Most of these cats were caught using a humane trap or “house trap” near the point of escape. Sophie is one such cat.

Sophie is home safe after 6 nights missing! An indoor-only cat, she managed to escape by squeezing out around a window AC unit. When she escaped, she had been at the cat sitter’s house for less than 24 hours. Two days later, she was found hiding inside a neighbors shed, but she managed to escape and take off again. On the 5th day, I came on-site and assisted with trap and camera set-up. That night Sophie came on the enclosed porch and was caught in one of the humane traps. - Wilbraham, MA

16/08/2023

When does an outdoor-access cat lost from home act like an escaped indoor-only cat? Here is one example.

Callie is home safe after 11 days missing! An outdoor-access cat, she disappeared after a suspected fight with another cat. Her owner was convinced that she was not nearby since Callie normally responded to her calls when she was outside. However, since Callie was skittish, usually stayed close to home, and had possibly been involved in a traumatic event, I convinced her that a thorough search of the property was necessary.

Unfortunately, Callie’s owner was unable to conduct a thorough search on her own and there were no pet detectives available in her area. So she hired someone local that was physically able to check the many nearby sheds and other outbuildings. And, after 8 days missing, Callie was found hiding under a shed less than 100 feet from the house (see map).

But she wouldn’t come out. A humane trap was set and after several days of trying, Callie was caught. She was taken immediately to the vet for evaluation, and fortunately had no injuries and was in good health. She is now safely inside and happy to be there.

- North Carolina

15/08/2023

Today is Check the Chip Day! Are you sure that your pet's microchip is properly registered and the contact information is up to date? If not, take a minute to check out this article.

Learn how pet microchips work and what can go wrong. Find out if your pet’s microchip is working and what to do if it isn't.

11/08/2023

Silvio is home safe after 9 days missing! An indoor-only cat, he was accidentally left outside in the lanai (screened in porch with a pool and lots of vegetation) and then escaped outside through a screen door. After 5 nights he was successfully caught back in the lanai using a house trap. But then he hid in the vegetation and refused to come out.

Even though Silvio was now contained, there was concern that he might rip through a screen and escape again. His owner tried several nights setting up a house trap into the house, but he never went inside. She also tried simply sitting and a humane trap but all without success.

Here’s what finally worked in her own words “Silvio is finally back inside! So I took your idea of sending out two of his "brothers," Milo and Gibby. Gibby is the oldest (about 15) and Silvio always goes to him to get groomed, and he likes to sleep with him. Milo went first and discovered Silvio in the bushes. Milo went up to him and they were both curious.

After a few visits, I decided to bring out Gibby, but I was careful because he is old and not as strong as he used to be. As soon as Gibby got on the ledge, Silvio came right out, tail in the air, and gave Gibby a head butt. But Gibby hissed at him which sent Silvio back. This happened a few times. Then Gibby lost interest and walked around the pool. Silvio was meowing. I sat on the pavers, talking with him with Gibby hanging around.

It took awhile, but he finally jumped down and let me pet him. I inched my way back to the bedroom door with him following and wanting to be petted. I was able to scoop him up right in front of the door and get him inside.” - Florida

Lost dogs often seem to recognize and approach a dog friend much sooner than they will their owner. This technique can also be tried with cats but is trickier. Most importantly, you don’t want to accidentally lose a second cat while trying it. Secondly, you can’t always predict how the cats will interact. Resident cats will sometimes hiss at a lost cat after they are reunited. This did happen in this case, but didn’t seem to cause any major issue.

18/07/2023

I am currently on vacation in Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah until July 30th. After I'm back, I will have limited availability for lost pet consultations and on-site assistance until August 8th. If you need help during this time please check out the resources available on my website.

30/06/2023

I'm excited to be presenting my research on the Risk of Raptor Attacks on Dogs and Cats tomorrow at the Missing Animal Response Members meeting. I've included a few preview slides. In July (and maybe August) I'll post this research as blog articles in the Lost Pet Research blog.

14/06/2023

Happy Busterback Day! This was a case that I assisted with back in 2017.

12/05/2023

I finally got my new Lost Pet Research Project website up. Check it out if you are interested in learning about or participating in lost pet research studies. At this time, I am learning more about effective survey design. If anyone knows any good free or low cost online classes, I'd love to hear about them.

The Lost Pet Research Project was created to help bring research to the lost pet search and recovery community.

25/04/2023

Here's my newest blog article on "Cat Feeding Station Best Practices to Avoid Coyotes." It includes some cat feeding station designs and discussion of coyote deterrents. There's also some interesting info on how long to keep a lost cat feeding station in one location before concluding that the lost cat is not present.

There is a lot of disagreement around the use of cat feeding stations since they can attract predators such as coyotes that may harm cats.

14/04/2023

Would you be interested in learning about or participating in research on lost/found pet statistics? If so, please complete this short survey: https://forms.gle/fgnzoeHUvNXi5YzX9

At this time, there are only a few published research studies on lost/found pet statistics. All of these studies used surveys completed by pet owners and most owners did not receive help from lost pet professionals in their search. Therefore, the results do not necessarily reflect successful search methods. For example, in two studies most cats were found because they returned home on their own.

I am interested in collecting data on pets found with the help of trained lost pet professionals. This could be done using case logs or surveys. The surveys could be completed by us or by pet owners that we helped. No doubt, our research would have its own biases, but the results would still be very interesting.

FYI: I will continue to post research results on this page, but if you are interested in participating or learning more about on-going research projects, please join the Lost Pet Research Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/lostpetresearch/).

This survey is for volunteer and for-profit pet detectives, lost pet consultants, searchers, trackers, and trappers. The goal is to assess interest and feasibility of conducting lost pet statistics studies.

12/04/2023

This year I am planning to focus on lost pet research projects and blog articles. At this point, I have a lot of ideas and I want to hear about what YOU are most interested in learning about. I’m also hoping to gather interest in research participation, which would be necessary for some projects. You can find an overview of project ideas here: https://lostpetresearch.com/2023/04/lost-pet-research-projects/. If you are interested in learning more or participating, please join my new Lost Pet Research Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/lostpetresearch) or sign up for the Lost Pet Research Email Newsletter (https://lostpetresearch.com/lost-pet-research-newsletter-sign-up/).

09/02/2023

It's that time of the year again, and the coyote mating memes are making the rounds on Facebook. But do coyote attacks really increase during the mating season? Find out what the research says in my review of coyote attack studies.

Are coyote attacks on pets really more common during mating season? The popular coyote mating meme warns people to beware dangerous coyotes during this time

30/01/2023

I just learned that TrailCamPro.com is offering used wildlife cameras at a good discount. Most are already sold, but there's still a few left. https://www.trailcampro.com/collections/used-trail-cameras-for-sale

Looking for an affordable, quality wildlife camera? Browse our used trail & game cameras for sale. We sell refurbished outdoor cameras at great low prices.

18/01/2023

I recently updated my article on my favorite humane cat traps: https://lostpetresearch.com/2018/06/best-humane-cat-traps/. Tomahawk has designed a gravity door trap similar to Trucatch, but with a locking door: https://amzn.to/3Hb8Wyr ( ). I was wondering if anyone has tried it out. I would also love to hear about your favorite model cat traps.

Learn the best humane cat traps available. Using the right cat trap leads to faster captures of stray and lost cats.

05/01/2023

Here are the details on how Rebecca of Lost Fur Baby Support found and trapped Sabrina. I worked with Sabrina's owner for the first month she was missing, then he returned my equipment and bought his own cameras. I thought he was doing everything on his own, but turns out that he was getting some amazing volunteer support.

04/01/2023

Update: I was embarrassed to find out that I didn’t have all my facts correct in this case. I worked with the owner for the first month that Sabrina was missing. Then he returned all my equipment and bought his own cameras to continue the search. I didn’t hear from him again until Sabrina was trapped three months later. He thanked me for my help and provided few details.

I felt it was important to share the story because many people give up hope after a few weeks of searching for their lost cat, especially when it is cold outside. Some escaped indoor cats can survive months or even years outside and it can take A LOT of effort to get the sighting that finally brings them home. Many people give up way too soon.

What I didn’t know is that Sabrina’s owner received help from an amazing volunteer lost pet searcher, Rebecca Casagrande of Lost Fur Baby Support. She is the primary reason that Sabrina was eventually found using social media advertising. She is also the one that tracked down the sightings and finally trapped her. I’m going to share Rebecca’s post to my page for those who are interested in all the details.
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Sabrina is home safe after 3 months missing! An indoor cat, she fell out a 2nd story window in an apartment complex. In the first month there were a couple sightings and she showed up a few times on cameras outside her home, but not consistently.

Finally in early-December, she was located around homes near a dump (1/2 mile away). After three weeks of surveillance cameras and trapping, Sabrina was finally caught the day after Christmas. – Amherst, MA

This is definitely a lesson of don’t give up on your lost cat just because it gets really cold out. This is actually a good time to increase your search and advertising efforts. Cats are more likely to seek shelter and food around humans in the winter. People are also more likely to notice cats and want to help them when it’s really cold outside.

27/11/2022

There are some good Cyber Monday sales going on now for lost pet search tools including security cameras, cellular cameras, humane traps and GPS trackers. I also updated my article of some on my favorite equipment.
Blink Cameras 40-60% off: https://amzn.to/3UbV0rb ( )
SpyPoint Cameras Buy One Get One 30% off: https://www.spypoint.com/en
Whistle GPS up to 30% off: https://whistle.blihtq.net/oDg4O ( )
Tabcat Tracker $20 off: https://amzn.to/3if4Lrg ( )
Tomahawk Traps 15% off: https://www.livetrap.com/
Wildlife Control Supplies Free Shipping: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Cyber-Monday-Shipping-Special.html?soid=988996606875&aid=54ECREL0OLk
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This is some of my favorite lost pet search equipment. Includes some equipment used by other pet detectives and lost pet trappers.