Lost dog or cat? A 24-hour, 3-day and 1-week search plan

Your pet has been missing for hours or days? This is a timeline plan: what to do in the first 24 hours, the next 3 days and after a week, with a post template and tips to avoid scams. If your pet just went missing, start with 7 steps to find a lost pet.

Spend 10 minutes preparing: 2–3 clear photos, a short description (species, breed, colour, size, sex, collar, marks), when and where your pet was last seen, and a phone number that is always on.

Turn on lost mode in PetID (one tap: the QR page shows a red alert), post on the lost pets board, search nearby at dawn and dusk, ask guards, shopkeepers and delivery riders, and leave familiar-smelling items at your door.

Cats usually hide close by and stay silent: check under cars, stairs, bushes, storage areas and rooftops with a torch, and wait quietly. Dogs travel further along familiar routes and may be taken in by kind strangers, so posts and flyers matter. When you spot your pet, do not chase; crouch, speak softly and let them come to you.

Put up flyers (with permission), post in neighbourhood and lost-pet groups and re-share every 1–2 days, contact nearby vet clinics, groomers and rescues, ask to check neighbours' cameras, and check the lost pets board daily.

Many pets are found after days or longer. Keep lost mode on, refresh your posts, replace damaged flyers, revisit places you asked before, and share the search with family.

Copy the template: name, description, when and where lost, temperament, contacts. Share only the area, not your full address; keep one detail private to verify callers; ask people not to chase a shy pet but to report its location.

Be wary of anyone demanding payment first, who cannot describe your private detail, or who pressures you. Verify, ask for a fresh photo or video, meet in public with someone, and do not send money if in doubt.

Check the collar first. If it has a PetID QR tag or ID card, scan it with your phone camera (no app needed) to reach the owner, and share the location if you wish. See found a lost pet? what to do.

Make sure your pet always wears a PetID QR tag or ID card with a complete profile, secure gates and balconies, and take extra care during fireworks, storms, moves and travel.

Best time to search? Early morning and late evening. Post my address? No, just the area and phone. Is PetID lost mode free? Yes. Does the QR tag locate my pet? No, it is not GPS. When to remove the post? When your pet is home; turn off lost mode.