Lost dog: what to do in the first 24 hours

Most lost dogs come home, and most of them are found by people who go out and look. In a US survey, 93 % of lost dogs were recovered and almost half were found by searching the neighbourhood (Weiss, Slater and Lord, 2012). The first hours count.

1. Search nearby, on foot, straight away

Start where the dog went missing and walk outwards. Call its name calmly and stop often to listen. Do not run after it if you see it: a frightened dog runs further.

Shy or scared dogs can hide even from their own family. If you spot yours and it does not come, sit or crouch, look away, speak softly and toss a little food towards it.

2. Leave something that smells of home

Put a piece of clothing you have worn, its bed and a bowl of water at the place where it was lost and at your door. Dogs often come back to a familiar smell, especially at night.

3. Tell the people who will find it

• The microchip database: check that your phone number is up to date.
• Local shelters, animal control and vets. Call, and visit the shelters in person: a description over the phone is easy to miss.
• Neighbours, delivery drivers and anyone who works outdoors in the area.

4. Post a clear notice

In your local lost-pet groups and on paper. One large, recent photo, "LOST DOG", the area, the date and a phone number. On paper, keep the text big enough to read from a car. Do not publish your home address.

5. Put every sighting on a map

Write down where and when each sighting happened. Two or three points with times show the direction the dog is moving, and tell a search team where to start. The search web of Animal Drone Rescue AI keeps the last known place and the sightings on one map.

6. Ask for a drone where it can help

A drone covers open ground fast: fields, scrub, farmland, beaches, riverbanks. It is much less useful under a closed tree canopy or between houses. Early morning and dusk are the best hours. How to search for a lost dog with a drone.

What not to do

• Do not let a group of people chase or corner the dog.
• Do not pay anyone up front who says they have your dog without proof: it is a common scam.
• Do not stop after the first day. Dogs are found after days and weeks too.

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Reviewed on October 23, 2026.