About DogLost
Since Dog Lost began in 2003, thousands of missing and stolen dogs have been reunited. Dog Lost is run by volunteers and headed by Jayne Hayes. Any lost or stolen dog registered on the site will have great chance of being reunited with its owners, 1000's of volunteers work really hard every day to support its efforts in reuniting dogs with their owners.
The initial story of DogLost is an extraordinary tale of one woman's devotion to being a dog lover. She set up the website to reunite missing pets with their owners, together with the helpline which she, and the growing team of coordinators and helpers, man all day every day for frantic dog owners who have lost their beloved pets or had them stolen.
How DogLost Began
The site was set up following Jayne's experience of having her dog, a miniature French bulldog, Hermy, stolen. She was horrified to discover that the provision for finding a lost dog or stolen dog was, to say the least, patchy. Jayne found that she was only allowed to deal with the dog warden from one area, even though she lived 50 yards from the boundary of the next county, and remembers that Rescue centres seemed to be completely disorganised. She would ring every day and yet they'd have no record of previous calls. And the police didn't want to know. From this frustration, DogLost was born.
DogLost and the team have built up a considerable reputation with the professional community and have close working relationships with dog wardens, local rescue centers and the Police – after Kent police led the way, we now hope to increase the collaboration to other forces.
And at a time when dog-napping has become a widespread crime, the website – DogLost.co.uk – is providing an increasingly vital service. It receives over 100,000 visitors a month and reunites over 100 lost or stolen dogs every week.
Ways to help prevent your Dog going missing and making it easier to find:
Ensure your dog is clearly identified with a collar and dog tag, and is easily identifiable:
- Ensure your dog's tag contains the owners' name, the first line of their address, postcode, and at least one contact number. Update their details if they change. Cats should always wear quick-release collars.
- Microchipping involves inserting a tiny chip into the scruff of an animal's neck. It contains a unique code that can be read on a scanner to reveal the owners' contact details. Scanners are normally used by vets, rescue centres and dog wardens. Owners should update their details if they change.
- A technology leap is also taking place – get a phone for your dog - enabling owners to track your dog in real time. The Retrieva collar allows you to track and locate your dog using your smart phone or computer.
- Dog tattoo identification offers a permanent and visible means of identifying your pet in cases where they are lost or stolen. The National Dog Tattoo Register can provide more details.
- Under The Control of Dogs Order 1992 any dog in a public place must wear a collar with the name and address (including postcode) of the owner engraved or written on it, or engraved on a tag. Owners can be fined up to £5,000 if their dog does not wear an identification tag. The exception to this is working dogs.
If you lose your dog:
- Report your dog missing at www.DogLost.co.uk. It is FREE and supporters will help to distribute posters and spread the word about your dog.
- Report it to your local animal rescue centre.
- Contact your local animal warden, who is responsible for collecting stray dogs. Very few animal wardens deal with stray cats.
- Call your local veterinary surgery in case a member of the public has handed your dog or cat to them or has notified them of a stray.
- Create posters and ask local businesses to display them. DogLost creates a FREE POSTER for your lost dog - all you have to do is register it on our site!
DogLost is more than just a web site – we link to Facebook and Twitter, provide FREE lost dog posters, and use email to send out details of lost dogs to our community of helpers.
