Are you living in Lake of the Woods with a furry family member? Well, then, you are in luck! For the most part, all of us “LOWians” love the four-footed members of our awesome community and the majority of pet owners are respectful with their pets. But what happens when Fido takes flight or Fluffy just flees. This question came up recently when a cute and obviously amused puppy was found on one of the beaches- “We have found (or lost) a pet – Now what do we do?” Again, if you find yourself in this situation, you are fortunate that you live in LOW. Here are a few of On Lake Time’s suggestions-
What to do immediately for a FOUND pet-
Stay in that location with the found pet for a moment to see if the owner comes looking for it. Secure it’s safety if possible. If the animal is friendly, borrow a leash or improvise with a rope to loosely slip thru the collar. Never tie a rope around the animal’s neck in case the animal escapes. It could be hung or injured severely by the loose rope. Check it’s collar for contact information.
While waiting for the owner to appear, take these steps-
-Call LOW Security (540-972-2210) to see if anyone has called to report a missing pet and report that you have found one. Leave your contact information.
-Call the Holcomb Building (540-972-2237) if they are open, to report a lost/found pet – leave your information.
Use these Facebook pages links to report and post a picture-
LOW Lost and Found Pets (linked)
Lake of theWoods, Virginia (linked)
Official Lake of the Woods facebook page (linked)
If you do not have facebook access please ask a neighbor or friend who does to post it for you and in the post ask readers to please repost it for you. It is amazing how “pet parents” and all the good people of LOW band together to help a lost pet.
If the animal will not allow you to safely secure it or is running away – post a picture and report it’s last location of Facebook as well as telling security and the Holcomb Offices. If the pet is friendly and calm you could walk the neighborhood it was found in and ask a few people – perhaps they will recognize the animal.
If you can no longer stay with the lost pet and it is friendly, please do not leave it alone. Give it a safe harbor within your home or ask another pet lover to give it a temporary home.
Continue to check back with Security and the Holcomb Offices as well as monitoring facebook for information that will lead to the owner.
If the owner was not found within a few hours using the methods listed above, try calling the Animal Shelters in the area to see if the owners have contacted them about a lost pet. These numbers are listed below.
If you have LOST your pet – stay calm and follow these steps-
Stay where you last saw it for a few minutes.
While waiting for the animal to reappear, take these steps-
Call LOW Security (540-972-2210) to see if anyone has called to report a found pet and report that you have lost one. Leave a description of the pet and all of your contact information.
Call the Holcomb Building (540-972-2237) if they are open, to report a lost pet – leave a description and all of your information.
Use these Facebook pages links to report and post a picture- This is very important. Pet owners here in LOW are the BEST and will do everything they can to reunite you with your pet.
LOW Lost and Found Pets (linked)
Lake of theWoods, Virginia (linked)
Official Lake of the Woods facebook page (linked)
If you have waited for a time and you feel the dog is not coming back to look for you – it is time to go look for it. If possible, leave someone at the house to watch for the pet to reappear and then go take a walk in the neighborhood. Try to have a noise (such as a squeak toy a the rustling dog food bag ) to attract his attention. Bring favorite treats or lunch meat for them to smell. Bring a picture or a pic on your phone to ask the other LOWians if they have seen the missing pet.
Continue monitoring the Facebook pages and calling security for updates.
The Humane Society of the United States recommends you call all animal shelters within a 60-mile radius to see if someone has turned your animal in. (The number are listed below) Send them a picture by text if you can. Give them a detailed description and all your contact information. Call back frequently. They have shift changes and information can get lost so please check often to double check. Here is a link to the Humane Society of the United States.
Post a picture and contact info at all of the mailbox locations-
Of course, it would be ideal if our pets never went missing, to begin with. Cesar Milan, The Dog Whisperer, recommends these steps to help prevent your dog from becoming a poster child-
“The eyes have it
The easiest and surest way to keep your dog safe is to be able to see where he is at all times. And notice we say “see” and not “know.” You may think you know your dog is playing in your fenced-in backyard, but if you don’t have an eye on him, he could have run out of a gate that was left open, dug a hole under the fence to freedom, or be stolen by a criminal.
Get a new leash on life
Whenever possible, keep your dog on a good leash when out in the world. Even if you’re just letting your dog follow at your heels as you go to the mailbox, a stray squirrel or rabbit in the corner of your dog’s eye could cause him to bolt into traffic or down the street, and you are probably not going to catch him.
A dog by a different collar
A good collar that fits well is your best line of defense for two reasons: it keeps your dog from slipping out of it and getting loose, and it provides an easy way to ID your dog and makes your contact information available so you can get her back.
Microchipping—not just for computers
Microchipping involves implanting a tiny rice-grain-sized chip under your dog’s skin. It’s painless and can help your dog be identified with a scanner. Even if your dog loses his collar (or in the case of dognapping, has it removed), the microchip allows your dog to be positively identified as yours. This shouldn’t be regarded as a substitute for the collar and ID, however. The microchip is a worst-case scenario for identifying your dog.”
(I strongly recommend microchipping your cat too! That chip saved my cat’s life!)
Please remember, as residents of LOW, we have circumstances that may agitate or trigger your pet to run off. They may be chasing a squirrel or frightened by the 4th of July fireworks, chasing a fox or just wandering off to find a beach to play on. Please take steps to adjust your pet to low noises such as thunderstorms and safely secure them during busy weekends and during the Fireworks show. But when all else fails and they do become lost – rest assured that the good people of LOW are animal lovers and want to reunite your family as soon as possible.
Orange County Animal Shelter -540-673-1124
Orange County Humane Society -540-672-0069
Culpeper Animal Control (540) 547-4477
Culpeper Humane Society (540) 727-7524
Spotsylvania Animal Shelters (540) 507-7459
SPCA of Fredericksburg (540) 898-1500