Set Up Your Home Base
Leave familiar scents outside
Place your worn clothing, your pet's bedding, or their favorite toys outside your door. Familiar smells can guide a lost animal back home.
Put their food bowl outside
A hungry pet will often follow the scent of their regular food. Set out food and fresh water near the last known location.
Keep a light on at night
Leave a porch light on and consider placing a battery-powered lantern near where the pet was last seen. Many pets navigate toward light sources at night.
Leave a door or gate ajar
If safe to do so, leave a familiar entryway slightly open so your pet can find their own way back.
Local Notification Strategies
Post on local Facebook groups
Search for "[Your Town] Lost & Found Pets" groups and post immediately with a clear photo, last seen location, and your phone number.
Use Nextdoor
Nextdoor reaches nearby neighbors who may not use Facebook. Post an urgent alert with your pet's photo and last seen details.
Contact local shelters immediately
Call and visit every shelter within 30 miles — don't just check online listings. Bring a printed photo and visit in person daily.
Notify your vet and local vets
Alert nearby veterinary offices. A good Samaritan may bring an injured pet to the nearest vet before going to a shelter.
File a report with animal control
File a lost pet report with your county animal control. This creates an official record and alerts officers in the field.
Printable Flyers & Physical Search
Use your downloadable flyer
Our booking confirmation page generates a ready-to-print lost pet flyer. Print 20–30 copies and post them at eye level on utility poles, mailboxes, and bulletin boards.
Post at key community spots
Target gas stations, grocery stores, laundromats, pet supply stores, and parks. Ask permission from businesses to place flyers in their windows.
Walk the area at dawn and dusk
Lost pets are most active and visible at dawn and dusk when it's quieter. Walk slowly and call their name softly — don't run or shout, which can startle a frightened animal.
Mark your search areas
Use a map to track areas you've covered. Bring treats and a familiar leash. Check hiding spots: under porches, in dense brush, inside culverts.
Community Search Coordination
Organize a search party
Ask friends, family, and neighbors to help. Assign each person a specific grid area and use a group text to share updates in real time.
Partner with local rescue groups
Many areas have volunteer lost pet rescue networks. Search Facebook for local pet rescue groups — they often have trackers, traps, and experience finding lost animals.
Set up humane traps
Frightened pets often won't come to even their owners. Contact a local rescue group about borrowing a humane trap baited with food near a sighting location.
Use a wildlife camera
Set up a trail or wildlife camera near food/water stations. Reviewing footage helps confirm if the pet is still in the area and their direction of travel.
While You Wait for the Drone Search
Stay near the last known location
If possible, have someone remain in the area at all times. Your pet may circle back, especially at quiet times of day.
Track every sighting
Note the time, location, and direction of any reported sightings. Share these with Tim and Gwen before the drone search — this helps focus the search area.
Keep your phone charged and on
You may receive a call from a neighbor, shelter, or our team at any time. Make sure your voicemail is set up and check messages frequently.
Prepare for the thermal search
The drone works best in cooler temperatures (early morning or evening). We'll recommend the best time window — try to have fresh sighting information ready for us.
Taking Care of Yourself
Don't give up
Pets are found days and even weeks after going missing. Stay persistent — the combination of physical searching, community alerts, and our thermal drone search greatly improves odds.
Lean on community support
Many people have been in your shoes. Online pet recovery communities like PetFBI and Finding Rover offer both resources and emotional support.
Rest so you can keep searching
You're no help to your pet if you're exhausted. Take breaks, eat, sleep. A fresh pair of eyes often spots what a tired one misses.