How To Find Lost Dogs

For many pet sitters, a runaway dog is the ultimate nightmare. It’s why we put so much effort into escape-proofing our spaces and double-checking gear.

But dogs are full of surprises, and while escapes are rare, knowing the right steps to take can help you recover a loose dog quickly and safely. Here’s what to do and when to do it.

Call Us Right Away

We’ll jump into action. Save our Trust & Safety phone number (888-727-1140) in your contacts, and call us immediately in case of a lost dog. Call the owner right after you call us—they’ll often have tips on how to get their dog to come to you. We can’t emphasize enough that the earlier you let us know, the more we can help.

If You Can Still See the Dog

If the dog is still within view, use these simple tricks (and treats) to catch them.

Stay safe

Before you do anything, assess your surroundings. You don’t want to chase a loose dog into traffic or unsafe areas. If the dog is somewhere dangerous, your first step is to call emergency services and get help—not follow them into danger.

Don’t chase

Chasing a loose dog can make them run. Walk at a slow enough pace so you can keep an eye on the dog without startling them into running.

If you have their attention, crouch down a little and start jogging backwards, coaxing them to chase you. When they’re close enough and you’re confident you can grab them, catch them and leash them right away.

Stay positive

Sounding angry or frightened can spook a dog—so instead, project calm or even happy excitement, like you have awesome treats with you or you’re going somewhere fun. Never yell at the dog to come to you.

Use high-value treats

If you have treats with you, try tossing them relatively close to the dog, then progressively closer to yourself.

Remain alert

A spooked dog can behave oddly and unpredictably. When possible, avoid cornering them in favor of encouraging them to come to you.

Reach Out to the Owner

If you can’t see the loose dog, it’s time to get some help. Call Rover’s Trust & Safety phone number: 888-727-1140.

We know it sounds scary, but after you give us a call, we’ll ask you to call the dog owner. The good news is, an owner might have a good idea of how to bring their dog home. Letting them know as soon as possible will increase your chances of finding the lost dog.

Here’s what we’ll ask you to do:

1. Call the owner directly.
2. If they don’t pick up, text, e-mail, or send a message to them through the Rover site. In this message, tell the owner this is urgent and you need to speak with them as soon as possible.
3. Give the owner around an hour to receive the message and respond. If they haven’t responded by then, send them a message through Rover with details regarding the incident, as well as actions being taken to recover their dog.

What to ask the dog owner

Once you get a hold of the dog owner, we recommend asking:

• Is your dog wearing an AirTag, GPS collar, or smart tracking device?
• Has anything like this ever happened before, and if so, how did the dog behave? Did they try to track their way home? Did they hide in a neighbor’s garage or yard? These questions will help give you an idea of where to look, just in case the dog has a favorite spot that’s normally out-of-bounds.
• Is your dog food-motivated? Will searching with treats increase the chances of bringing them home?
• Do they respond best to a certain type of person?
• Will they respond to any nicknames?
• Do they respond to a recall cue like “come”?
• Are they microchipped? Is their info up-to-date? What about their tags? Encourage the owner to notify their microchip provider that the pet is missing.
• Can you send a photo of your dog? Use that photo to create flyers.

Start the Recovery Process

Even if you haven’t yet gotten ahold of the dog owner, spring into action. Here’s what to do next.

Get out there and search as often as possible

Quiet times, like the early morning and evening, are especially good times to search.

When you search, make sure you’re carrying:

• Smelly high-value treats like bacon
• A leash and collar so you can secure the dog right away
• Familiar scent items, like a piece of the owner’s clothing, a blanket, a favorite toy, or a bed

Check common hiding spots

Good places to look include garages, sheds, fenced yards, and under decks. Just make sure you have a property owner’s permission before searching.

Involve the neighbors

Knock on neighbor’s doors to inquire if anyone saw a dog or took a dog in. Ask them to review Ring doorbell or security camera footage to determine the dog’s direction of travel.

Recruit family and friends to start a search party

Also work with the owners to see if any of their family or friends in the area can help physically search and coordinate your efforts.

Consider using other dogs to help

If the dog responds well to other dogs, try to bring a dog to assist with the search. But if the lost dog doesn’t like other dogs, keep the search party human-only.

Create flyers to hand out and post around the neighborhood

Print extras, so that you can hand it out to people you meet. Print in black and white, if that’s fastest, and use very bright-colored paper. It’s okay if you don’t have a picture of the dog: just include a brief description (breed, gender, collar), your phone number, and the word REWARD.

Use large, bright poster boards with the same information as the REWARD poster, and post around your neighborhood or anywhere else where the dog was sighted.

Create a “lost dog” post on social media

Post a lost-dog message with the dog’s description, photo, and your contact information on the following:

• Neighborhood Facebook groups
• Lost & Found Pet Facebook groups
• Nextdoor
• PawBoost
• Petco Love Lost
• Craigslist

Make sure to also search these sites for postings of found dogs. Search both “Lost and Found” and “Pets” sections.

Contact local agencies for help

Good resources include:

• Your local Animal Care and Control (sometimes they’ll even come out to help you search)
• Pet hospitals
• Vets
• Dog-walking services
• Animal shelters
• Pet stores
• Other local businesses in your area

Visit your local Animal Care and Control and animal shelters in case they haven’t updated what dogs are in their care. They also might describe the dog differently than you would, so it’s best to do a physical check yourself.

Once a Dog Is Found

When you find the escaped dog, follow the “dog in sight” protocol described above to bring them close. Here’s what to do next:

• Quickly secure the dog with a leash or carrier.
• Check for visible injuries.
• Notify the owner and Rover right away.
• Seek veterinary care if you suspect injuries or illness.

Conclusion

We know it’s stressful to even imagine your Rover dog escaping, but knowing what to do can make a big difference in your ability to recover a lost dog in an emergency.

Other ways to make sure you’re prepared include:

• Double-checking collars, harnesses, and leash attachments before every walk.
• Verifying gates and doors are fully secured with careful escape-proofing.
• Discussing escape tendencies during the Meet & Greet.
• Exercising additional caution with newly adopted, fearful, or high-flight-risk dogs.

Remember, we’re here to help you spring into action just in case. We’ll help you communicate with the dog owner, take steps to bring them home, and use resources around you to your advantage. Bottom line: We’re dog safety experts, and we’re here to help you bring your Rover dog home.