So you have lost your precious dog, and you have searched everywhere around your house and neighbourhood with no luck. You may have probably printed fliers, and even contacted your local shelter or animal control to confirm that no one has come in recently to drop a lost dog with them. You are frantic and are running out of time.
Social media as another Craigslist
In your search for your lost dog, social media may be the last place you would want to turn to, but it is just as important in your search, especially a platform like Facebook.
We do not imply that your lost dog might have signed up on Facebook: with the sheer number of people that access the platform daily, a user just might have seen it somewhere.
How then do you post an alert for your lost dog on Facebook?
Lost dog facebook: Lost dog alert
Like the internet, Facebook is such a large place that is home to millions of activities daily and it is easy to feel confused on how best to use it to get your lost dog back.
You can employ the following steps to create a viral alert for your lost pet on Facebook:
Create a sponsored ad
If you have a large following, it is easier to have your alert go viral.
However, if you are anything like us, you have just hundreds of followers who may or may not be active on Facebook. Using the paid ad feature on the platform will help you reach more people faster and easier.
In addition, Facebook will allow you to target your ad to the right audience. You can choose age, gender and more importantly, location. Using these parameters and the others available will help you get your lost dog alert to the people who may be in the best position to have either seen your pet or can help you find it.
Create an alert on local groups dedicated to finding lost pets
Lost pet groups on Facebook is another effective way to raise awareness for your dog. These groups typically have thousands of followers of like-minded individuals who are more likely to do something to help than the average Facebook user.
Apart from getting other people to share and help you find your dog, you may also be lucky to find your pet among the alerts created by members who are reporting a lost-but-found dog. If you can get a group that caters to your area, then that’s fine. If not, a general lost pet group for your state or country should work fine as well.
Use influencers
Influencers usually have a large, engaging community of followers. If you can, reach out to one in your area or state to help you create an alert on their page. Depending on who they are, they might help you and get their followers to join in the search either through sharing the post or being on the lookout for your lost dog.
What else should you do?
To increase the success rate of your Facebook alert
- Use a recent image of your lost dog in your ads.
- Include some text on it so that anyone who comes across your alert can quickly know what you need without having to read captions or comments.
- Run multiple ads within a specific period.
Finally, please don’t give up!
The foolproof methods to find the track of a lost dog
Dogs are known as faithful companions of humans. So, if it were to suffer an accident or even get lost, its owner would be in total panic. It is certainly distressing not knowing where your pet has gone, but you must still remain hopeful. Chances of finding your dog are relatively high with the following effective methods. File a lost dog report, make a lost dog alert on Facebook or other social networks, start a search, etc.
How to declare your pet missing?
Because animals are regulated by law, the owner has an obligation to identify his dog, cat, ferret or other domestic animals. This identification is particularly useful in case the animal is lost. It is recommended to quickly fill out the form on the I-CAD website or to report the disappearance by phone. Thus, as soon as an entity ( dog pound, animal sanctuary or association) finds it, you will be contacted immediately.
Post an ad online
Social networks and forums can be used to publish your lost dog ad. Particularly, Facebook regroups millions of members who can help you to find your companion faster. Take care to create a formal announcement and to publish it regularly. It should include a photograph of your dog, your contact information and the mention “lost puppy”.
Start your search
In addition to online ads, it is necessary not to overlook physical searches. Walk around your home, checking every corner to make sure it really has gone astray. Then, organize a search by soliciting the help of your family or neighbors. Don’t forget to print out flyers and place them around your home.
If your dog is wearing a microchip necklace, simply contact the company to locate it via GPS. These entities, upon being notified, will also help you to publish the ads online for example.