Missing Dog?

Steps to Take if Your Dog is Missing

Step 1

Call Weston Police Dispatch at 781-786-6201 and provide them with your pet's name, description, where he/she went missing, and your contact information. 

This information is kept in a log and is referenced whenever an animal is found. You will be contacted right away if someone has found your animal. Also, consider contacting neighboring towns in case your dog crossed the town line or was picked up by someone trying to be helpful and mistakenly transported your pet out of town. 

Step 2

If your dog was lost near your home, put the dog’s bed, blanket, crate or something familiar outside with food and water to help her find her way home. Also, if your dog has an electric fence collar on, be sure to turn the fence OFF.

Step 3

Contact resources such as Missing Dogs Massachusetts (@missingdogsmass on Facebook) and Weston, MA – Lost and Found Pets on Facebook (@Weston.Lost.Pets). 

Provide these groups with your pet’s photo and a description and they will post to their pages. Also, share it on your own social media page and ask your friends to share it, too, for maximum exposure! 

Be sure to stress not to call out or chase your dog, if seen. Even if your pet is friendly he is in a different element being lost and may be scared by well-meaning people.

Step 4

If your pet is microchipped, contact the company so they can flag your account as lost/missing. Many of them will send out an email notification to all of their members within the area indicating your pet is lost, as well as veterinarian practices in the area. 

If your pet is not microchipped, you may consider contacting local veterinarian practices with your pet’s information.

Step 5

Make simple fliers with no name, just LOST DOG and a photo. Add "do not call or chase" and your phone number. Copy the flier on brightly colored paper – place in plastic sheet protectors with the opening on the bottom and place everywhere possible within a one-mile radius to start (expand out as necessary). Place fliers at eye level facing the direction of traffic. Give the flier to mailmen, UPS drivers, etc. 

If your dog is seen, stress "do not call or chase." Instead, have the person get low to the ground and have high-level treats or people food. Advise to slowly toss the treat to the side to entice the dog to come to the person slowly and to not make eye contact.