If you lose a pet, take action immediately:

• Ask family, friends, and neighbors to help you search for your pet as soon as you realize your pet is missing. Be sure to check around your yard and under your deck.
• For a lost indoor-only or timid cat, think like a cat and look at every hiding spot possible in your yard and your close neighbors. Lost cats will remain hidden and quiet. And, perhaps, inside the house.
• Visit or contact BARC, The Humane Society (903- 729-8074). If you live inside the city, call the Palestine Animal Control Department (903-731-8443).
• Walk, bike, drive, or jog through your neighborhood every day and more than once to find your missing pet.
• Place clothing, toys, litter box, and other items familiar to your pet outside in your yard where she/he might sense it.
• Put signs around the neighborhood or area where your pet was last seen. Include photo and description of your pet, your phone number, and when your pet disappeared. Make sure you have voice mail to answer those calls.
• Call your veterinarian. Your pet's rabies tag number can be traced to your veterinarian.
• Ask your mailperson, newspaper delivery person, and anyone who travels throughout your area regularly on business to look out for your pet.
• Pets (like dogs) can wander far very quickly and some (like cats) may just be right under your nose; however give fliers with a color photograph and description of your pet to these organizations within 30 miles of your home.
• Place "Lost Pet" ads in your local newspapers. They show you're actively looking for your pet, in case someone else claims it.
• In your flyer and ads, offer a reward, if possible.
• Check the "Found Pets" ads in your local newspapers every day.

Important Tip
For your neighborhood posters and newspaper ads, leave out one identifying feature in your pet's description, such as a splotch of color on the nose or extra toes. This protects you from pet-recovery scams and is a sure-proof way of verifying that someone definitely found your beloved pet.

If You Find a Lost Pet...

• Take the pet to a veterinarian's office to be scanned for a microchip.
• If you choose to hold the pet until its owner is found:
• File a found pet report with BARC, The Humane Society.
• Log on to LostTails and post a photo and information on the found pet.
• Place a "Found Pet" ad in newspapers. Look for postings in your area.
• Put up "found pet" signs
• Check "Lost Pet" newspaper ads.
• Check out missing pet reports at veterinary clinics, animal shelters and humane organizations, and your local police department.

If you choose not to hold the missing pet, stray animals should be taken to BARC, The Humane Society as that is where owners will look first.

Here is what you need to know about bringing an animal to BARC:

• Call 903-729-8074 to check our hours and ask when would be the best time to come by.
• Please check in at the front desk when you arrive for animal surrenders.
• The receptionist will take your information and ask you to drive around to the back of the building , where the pet will be taken in.
• You will be requested to make a donation for leaving the pet with us.