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Help finding your missing Frenchie

The horror of opening your back door to let in your adored Frenchie and finding them GONE, is unimaginable. Fear, guilt, anger, grief; all sorts of emotions will descend upon you. It is critical that you act FAST to find your Frenchie as soon as possible. The first 24 hours are critical, so read through this page to raise the odds that you will be reunited with your lost Frenchie.

If you would like to report a lost French Bulldog, please complete this short form. 

You will need the following information: your name, contact phone number, the name of the dog, the FBRN name of the dog, was the dog wearing a collar with ID, the last time the dog was seen, the address where the dog was last seen and the nearest cross street. 
Attach a recent photo. A volunteer will contact you soon.

 

1. The first thing to do, is to take a deep breath and tell yourself that you WILL find your dog and everything is going to be fine. Do not panic and try to remain calm.

2. Then, search your entire property thoroughly. Look places you would never think of, such as: behind all major appliances, inside all major appliances, under all major appliances, in sheds, garages, under stairs, in every single room of the house, including closets and linen closets. Look inside all vehicles. A dog might jump in an open car, and the door could shut behind them.

3. Walk around your neighborhood, talk to everybody, and give them your phone number. Take business cards with you, or something to hand out with your info. Look in all pools and ponds, especially under pool covers, it is easy for a dog to slip underneath one.

4. While walking, call your dog’s name out loud, over and over. Keep an upbeat tone of voice so your dog does not think they are in trouble and hide. Whistle, make any noise they might recognize as YOU.

5. Make a flyer/poster with an identifiable picture of your dog, and your phone number. Use brightly colored paper to make it stand out. Post them within a 3-mile radius of where your dog was lost. If your dog is not recovered within 24 hours, expand the radius to 10-25 miles.

6. Offer a reward. Some put a large amount up, and others do not give an amount, but say GENEROUS reward. Go with what feels comfortable to you. Sadly, there are scams that prey on pet owners feelings.

7. Place strong-scented articles of theirs or yours outside your home. Their dog bed, dirty socks, anything that will remind them of safety. Lost dogs can get disoriented and confused, and strong smells of home can help them find their way back.

8. Call local veterinary offices during the day. After 5 PM, call veterinary emergency clinics. Take them flyers to post. Many dogs have been recovered when a sharp-eyed tech saw a dog that was on a flyer in the waiting room!

9. Visit your local Animal Control, Humane Society, and Animal Shelter. Do not call, go in person or send a trusted person for you. Many shelter volunteers have no idea what a French Bulldog looks like. Go again if necessary, every 3-4 days.

10. Call the city, county, and state road crews, DOT, and Animal Control daily to see if they have found your dog. Post flyers with these agencies if allowable. Ask to put flyers in break rooms or near time clocks for the crews to see.

11. Place an ad in your local newspapers (all of them if you have several.) Many newspapers have free "Lost Dog" ads, take advantage of them. Check all of the newspaper "Found" ads every day.

12. There are many Internet-based Lost and Found organizations. Post your missing dog info on them. Below are links to some.

www.petfinder.com
www.dogdetective.com

13. If you are on any French Bulldog facebook groups, post about your "Lost Frenchie", and ask that it be cross posted. Use a good, clear photo and an accurate description of your dog. Include all details of when your dog went missing.