The first thing you should do if you have lost your pet is to call the animal shelter closest to where the pet was lost and speak to the shelter staff to see if your pet was picked up by animal control or brought in by a concerned community member. Also, it can be very helpful to simply visit shelters in your local area to see if the lost animal was recovered.
The second thing you should do is completely fill out the Oscar Alert information that is requested (see below) and we will help spread the word through social media pages and through our email contact list.
Things to consider ~ if your pet has been microchipped, please know that new technology allows animals to be easily returned to their owners when they are micro-chipped. The microchip is painlessly placed under the skin by a vet and can be read at the shelter with an electronic reader. Ask your veterinarian or your local animal control officer about identity microchips. It is also beneficial for pets to wear a collar at all times with identification tags and licenses.
Click HERE for a good article on the pros and cons of identity microchips for your pets, a practice which has been endorsed by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
For wildlife questions or injuries please call Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Rhode Island at 401-294-6363.