Your dog is missing: the first 24 hours, hour by hour

Hour 0 to 1: search where they were last seen

Grab their leash, a favorite treat, and a squeaky toy. Bring a phone with a charged battery. Walk, do not drive. A frightened dog often hides within a few blocks of where they slipped away.

Call their name in a calm voice. Yelling can push a scared dog further. Stop and listen every minute. Check under porches, behind sheds, inside open garages, and near garbage bins.

Ask anyone you pass. Give a short description and your phone number. Most people will help if you make it easy.

Hour 1 to 2: anchor the last seen spot

Return to the exact place your dog was last seen. Lost dogs often loop back to a familiar scent within hours.

• Leave a worn t-shirt, a used blanket, or their bed on the ground.
• Put down a bowl of water and a small amount of their regular food.
• If you can, have one person stay at the spot while another searches nearby.

Hour 2 to 4: call every shelter and vet in a 10 to 15 mile radius

Do not just check websites. Phone each one. Ask them to check strays brought in that day and to flag your dog on their intake board.

• Give breed, color, size, collar, and any unique marks.
• Ask for the shelter's after hours process. Many take strays 24 hours a day.
• If your dog is microchipped, call the chip registry and confirm your contact info is current.

Also call animal control for your city and the next city over. Dogs cross municipal lines fast.

Hour 4 to 6: post online where locals actually look

One clear post beats five cluttered ones. Use one recent photo where your dog fills the frame.

• Local lost and found pet groups on Facebook, sorted by your neighborhood.
• Nextdoor, in your immediate area and the surrounding zones.
• Reddit for your city if it has an active local subreddit.

Include name, breed, where and when last seen, your phone number, and whether your dog is friendly or shy. Say clearly whether there is a reward. Do not share the microchip number publicly.

Hour 6 to 10: put up posters where the eyes are

Print a simple poster with "LOST" in very large type, one photo, your phone number, and the last seen area. Details are in our poster guide.

Hang posters at eye level at intersections with traffic lights, at dog parks, at pet stores, at coffee shops, and at any nearby off leash area. Ask permission where needed. Bring tape, staples, and zip ties.

Hour 10 to 14: rest, then search again at dusk

Lost dogs move most at dawn and dusk when it is cool and quiet. Sleep if you can. Then head back out around sunset with a slow, quiet pace.

Bring a flashlight, treats, and the same worn shirt. A dog that will not come to a stranger may still come to your scent.

Hour 14 to 20: expand the circle

If you have not found them, widen your search radius by another mile. Repeat the shelter calls. Ask overnight staff at 24 hour vet clinics. Check with local delivery drivers and mail carriers, who see everything.

Hour 20 to 24: search at dawn

Get out before sunrise. Streets are empty and sound carries. This is often when scared dogs come out of hiding to look for food and water.

Bring the water bowl and food back to the last seen spot if it is empty. Check it every few hours. Many dogs return to a familiar scent within 24 to 48 hours.

Keep going. Do not give up on day two.

Most dogs are found by a stranger who saw a poster, a Facebook post, or the tag on the collar. The more places your dog's face and your phone number appear, the shorter the search.

A scannable tag turns any stranger with a phone into help. One tap opens your pet's profile and calls you. No app, no account, no explanation needed. See how PawTrace works.