For weeks, Ruthie, at right, walked the streets of Ringgold, Ga., before being taken to a local animal shelter. She was never claimed and was eventually adopted by a loving family, including her new step-brother, Parker.You see their photos on telephone poles, on storefront windows, in newspaper advertisements and in veterinarians' offices.
And though making signs is a good start in looking for lost pets, there's more that distraught owners can do, experts say.
Karen Roach, executive director at DoGood, a Chattanooga volunteer group, is working with city leaders to educate people about responsible dog ownership.
Roach shares the following tips about what to do if you lose a pet.
-- If you have a photograph, send it to lookingforlostpets@yahoo.com, an independent volunteer network that works with local shelters and rescues, searching for lost or found pets.
-- Search or place an advertisement in the local newspaper and media websites, as well as petfinder.com and thalppc.com (the Pet Placement Center in Red Bank).
-- Check with all local shelters regardless of the neighborhood where you live. You never know how far your pet traveled or where the person lives who has found your pet. Keep checking back in person, and don't give up.
-- Do not expect to find your pet on the first visit. No one knows your pet as well as you do, and sometimes pets look different from their description/photo on your flier or poster.
-- Pets found in the city of Chattanooga are under the jurisdiction of McKamey Animal Center, mckameyanimalcenter.org, 305-6500.
-- Pets found in East Ridge are under the jurisdiction of East Ridge Animal Shelter, 664-0271.
-- Hamilton County animals (excluding East Ridge and Lookout Mountain) are under the jurisdiction of The Humane Educational Society, heschatt.com, 624-5302.
-- Once you have found your lost pet, notify everyone you have contacted and retrieve all the lost pet posters so people will stop searching.