Frequent How do I return a found dog tag? Find Out Here

What to do if you find a lost dog

What if you are the one who finds a lost dog? Here are some tips in case you find yourself in that scenario:

  • If the dog won’t come near you: take a photo of the dog and post it to social media with a description and location of the dog. Share it in lost & found dog groups on Facebook.
  • Using calm body language, encourage the dog to come to you. Turning sideways and moving slowly can help the dog to feel less intimidated by you. Offering a treat can help.
  • Do not chase or run after the dog.
  • Try opening your car door and inviting the dog to go on a car ride in an excited voice. The dog may jump happily into the back of your vehicle.
  • If the dog is aggressive or otherwise difficult to catch, contact animal control for assistance.
  • Once you have the dog, keep them safely contained until you find their caretaker. A leash, fenced area, or room in your home are helpful here.
  • Make sure they have access to plenty of fresh water, fresh air and ventilation, and a comfortable temperature. Beware of heat stroke in dogs.
  • Keep the dog separated from any other pets in your home (for the safety of all animals involved).
  • In case the dog is injured or sick, take them to a nearby animal hospital or vet for treatment. The vet can also scan for a microchip to identify the family of the dog. Note that you might have to cover any related costs.
  • Check the dog’s collar tags for a phone number, microchip ID, or any other information. Use this info to look up and contact the dog’s parents.
  • In case you can’t reach the dog’s guardian, contact nearby animal shelters, animal control, and vet clinics to let them know you’ve found a lost dog.
  • Create ‘found dog’ posters and post them around your neighborhood or wherever the dog was found. Make digital found dog posts and distribute them across your social media platforms.
  • Register the found dog on a service like Petco Love Lost.
  • Make and distribute lost dog posters

    Make and print paper lost dog flyers with your dog’s information that you can post around your neighborhood and/or the area where your dog was lost. Use large, bright, neon paper if possible so the flyer will be more visible. A good lost pet sign includes:

  • Description of the dog, including any special or recognizable features
  • A photo of the dog
  • Collar tag details
  • Last known location
  • Microchip ID number
  • Your contact details
  • Reward details
  • Tip: To help, we’ve created a free lost dog poster template to download and use immediately! Download here: Free Lost Dog Poster Template

    Plaster the lost dog posters all over telephone poles in the area and make a large sign to place in your front yard or on your front door.

    Hang the lost dog flyer on bulletin boards, at local coffee shops and stores, vet practices, pet stores, animal shelters and animal hospitals.

    If you want to take this one step further, try car tagging as a means to help inform the community of your lost pet.

    Tip: PawBoost is a service that helps you report your lost dog, post to local lost & found pet Facebook pages, alert local community members, print a lost dog flyer and more.

    Yes! There are many stories you can read online about how printed lost dog posters really helped reunite dog parents with their four legged friend. Even in the age of social media, paper flyers are effective. So use both digital and physical lost log posters for best results.

    Information Found on Today’s Dog Tag

    Today, dog tags issued by the US military include the service member’s Name, Branch of Service (all except Army), Serial Number (often Social Security Number, or DoD ID Number), Blood Type, and Religious Preference (if any). This information is the most essential information needed on the battlefield.

    Note: as of early 2016, the Army is the only branch that has gone away from the Social Security Number on dog tags. They started using the DoD ID Number in Nov. 2015.

    The information on dog tags should be protected because having the name and Social Security number is enough for many people to steal the servicemember’s identity. Identity theft is a big problem, not just for servicemembers, but for everyone.

    It’s important to understand the purpose of dog tags and the information they contain before ordering a replacement set of dog tags. If you are currently serving in the military and need a replacement set, you can get them issued at no cost. Contact your personnel unit and they can issue them to you or tell you where you can get a set issued. These should only be used in the line of duty. Don’t hang them from the mirror on your car or display them at home. There is no need, and displaying your personal information is not only unnecessary but potentially harmful.

    The military only issues dog tags to current servicemembers. They do not issue them to veterans. The National Archives also doesn’t issue replacement dog tags if you make a military records request. They will only send copies of your military records.

    So where do you buy them? There are many places that will make custom dog tags. You can find them on many military installations, military surplus stores, or at dozens of online stores, including USAMilitaryMedals.com.

    WW2 Dog Tag Returned to Veteran – STILLFIN

    For civilians and military personnel alike, military dog tags are so much a part of our of military life. They are as evocative and reminiscent as camo and combat boots.

    Initially introduced as a means of identifying fallen soldiers, dog tags have become the central figure in miraculous and inspirational accounts of tags found and returned after 20, 60 and 80 years to the families of fallen soldiers–and even to the soldiers themselves.