As I walk or bike through my neighborhood, one of the saddest things I often see is a flyer stuck to a telephone pole or electric pole, telling about a lost dog.

We have a couple of little dogs, Lilly and Fenway. They’re both Yorkies. And believe me, they are family. I can’t imagine the stress and anxiety and sadness if we suddenly discovered one of them were missing.

So that’s what I think about when I see one of those flyers. Some family, in a neighborhood near to where I live, is living with the fact that they don’t know where their dog is. Or where their cat is. And they don’t know if their family pet will ever come home again.

So I think we can all agree, losing a dog is traumatic. 

But what if your dog didn’t just escape and get lost… 

What if your dog was actually stolen? 

That’s what Barbie suspected when her dog, Scooby, went missing.

If your dog gets away: ·     Drive slowly around the neighborhood. Your dog might hear and recognize the sound of your car or your voice, and might be close by. ·     Put a sign in your yard. Include a photo of your pet, along with your phone number. The sign will be seen by pizza deliveries, the mail carrier, and the kids in the neighborhood. ·     Leave unwashed clothing outside, near your house. ·     Hang flyers around the neighborhood and go door to door to let everyone know. Also, post online in local groups such as Next Door. ·     Visit local shelters regularly. Don’t just call – go there in person.

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