Berkshire Petwatch

Serving Berkshire County

and Surrounding Communities

Tools and Suggestions for Finding Your Pet

I invite you to contact me if you find any information here to be notcurrent:  comments@berkshire-petwatch.com

A Word about Scams

Before we talk about ways to find your pet, let's talk about one thing youneed to avoid - the scam.  I've heard two scenarios.  There are manyothers.  

1.  a truck driver calls who claims to have been offered a dog when hestopped for gas in your area.  He buys the dog.  He notices your ad inthe paper and thinks he has your dog.  If you will just reimbursehim what he paid he will drop the dog off next week when his run will bring himback through your town.  He tells you to wire the money.  Pleasedon't.

2.  a person calls who claims to have just moved from a neighborhoodnear you and lo and behold when the movers opened the back of the truck awonderful kitty cat jumped out.  Of course they ran right to the paper andlooked at lost and found and they think they have your cat.  He tells youto send the money it will take to send your pet home.  Please don't.

Please don't add the desolation and humiliation of being scammed to theheartache you already have.  If you honestly think a caller has your animalask for directions to their home - no matter what state it's in.  If theconversation deteriorates you'll know you just saved yourself a lot of heartache,embarrassment and money you could put toward worthwhile ways to find your pet.  If the person still claims to have your animal afterexplaining that you will pick it up, call the local police or animal controlofficer and have them check the situation out for you.  If it's legit - goget your animal.  You might even have the animal control officer take itinto custody so you are assured it won't get loose while you're on yourway.  Please don't be so anxious to find your pet that you grab at thishateful straw.

Posters, Posters, Posters!

This tool brought the greatest result.  I asked a local State Trooper,who did not know me, if he had seen a black Lab running loose.  He said"you mean Cash? - I see your posters all over town.  You're doing agood job."  Don't underestimate the power of posters!  When Cash was lost we printed:

Area Dog Officers & Related Facilities:

We also contacted:

Neighbor Power!  

Dont forget them.  The neighbors inthe new and old neighborhoods were watching for Cash and wanted updates.  

The obvious . . . pet identification!

Now's a fine time to remind you, but readable identification with up-to-date information,in good repair, should be firmlyattached firmly to your pet's collar -  along with town license and veterinary tags. A call to the town hall or veterinary hospital should be one of your first stepstoward locating your pet, especially if he is wearing such identification thatwatchful people might use to help you and your pet get backtogether.   Microchips and techy things are great, but are notreadily noticed by those people out there who might notice your pet.  They can prove ownership, but the average personis not going to take a stray animal to a veterinarian just to see if it has amicrochip.  Make identification obvious.