How to Make Lost Pet Signs
Find a recent photo., Collect important logistical information., Locate and record your pet's microchip number (if applicable)., Call local veterinarians, police stations, pet shelters, and animal control centers to report your pet's lost status.Be...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Find a recent photo.
As rushed and panicked as you might feel during a lost pet search, it is important to take the time to find a recent, high-resolution, colored photograph of your pet.
If possible, choose a picture that clearly shows your pet’s most defining markings and features.If the picture is not already digitized, be sure to get it scanned, saved, and loaded onto your computer.
If you don’t have access to a personal scanner, take the original to a local printing shop (like Kinko’s or FedEx) or a major pharmacy with photo scanning services (like Walmart, CVS, or Shopper’s). -
Step 2: Collect important logistical information.
Try to pin down the approximate date, time, and location of when and where your pet was last seen.
Make note of what your pet was wearing, such as a collar or bandana, at the time it disappeared.
Finally, create a shorthand list of information that includes your pet’s name, age, breed, gender (including spay/neuter status), size/weight, color, and markings, along with your contact information. , You may also want to call the microchip company to alert customer service of your pet’s “lost” status., Have your pet’s photograph and your quick list of information ready if you are able to file a lost pet report.
This will jump-start your search, as you begin designing your sign. , It's best to use a plain text, like Times New Roman or Arial, in bolded black to help ensure that your poster is easy to read and understand.
There are a number of free “lost pet” templates you can find and download using the search terms, “lost pet sign,” on Google.
Some websites will create a sign for you – all you have to do is enter your pet’s information., In big, bold, text at the top of the sign, write “LOST” followed by the type of pet you are searching for, such as “LOST DOG” or “LOST CAT.” , Using the template as a guide, enlarge and center the photo.
For the name, use the same font style and size as the heading. , Add your pet’s logistical information along with any extra physical or personality descriptions you feel are important to your pet’s identification.
This information should be in a slightly smaller font size than that of the heading.
Be sure to include a description of features that are not noticeable in the photograph.
Consider a description like this: “Mac is a very friendly, 2-year-old, neutered, Jack Russell/Yorkie Terrier mix with a white and brown face.
He has a white body with a big brown spot on his back.
He is approximately 12 pounds and was last seen on March 3, 2017 at 3pm in his family’s backyard on Elm Street in Plymouth, Michigan.
He was wearing a blue collar and he may come to his name, ‘Mac,’ when called.
His microchip ID# is H2DRSTYL. , Place this information below your pet's physical description.
Enlarge, bold-face, and center your number and/or email address, so that they catch attention.
For example: “Please help me locate my best friend.
He is dearly missed.
If you have found or sighted Mac, please call or email Paul Starr at: 999-999-9999 OR macsdad@LifeGuide Hub.com (centered).
Any information is helpful, thank you.” Some people feel uncomfortable providing a phone number on a public poster, but email can be slow or delayed and not everyone has an email account.
Although it may be hassle, you can always change your phone number, once your lost pet is retrieved. , Rewards are not necessary, but they do provide incentive for a swift reunion, especially if you think your pet may have been stolen.
Of course, it is impossible to put monetary value on your pet, so try to configure a reasonable reward based on your personal budget and what you can comfortably offer.
If theft is a real concern and your pet is a purebred or highly popularized mix-breed, you may need to offer a larger amount of money, in order to entice return.
Your “REWARD” label should always be listed in large, bold, black letters to catch attention. , They should feature your name, phone number, and/or email.
Don’t forget to pre-cut the strips before posting the fliers. , It is important to create a sign free of typos and misinformation.
A missing pet is a highly stressful and emotional situation, so you may want to ask a family member or close friend to double-check your sign. , To protect your original formatting and to ensure that your information remains intact, it is best to save your poster as a PDF file.
For fast, high quality printing at an affordable price, you may want to use the services of local mainstream printing companies, like Kinko’s or FedEx stores, especially if your home printer does not have high volume printing capacity.
White or eye-catching, neon-colored paper is usually the best paper choice for your sign.
If you plan to post your sign outdoors, consider getting some of the posters laminated to protect against the weather. , Places should include pet-friendly organizations, like the pet shelters and veterinarian offices you contacted in Part
1.
Pet shops, coffee shops, library lobbies, grocery stores, diners, and dog parks near the vicinity of where your pet was last seen are also good places to post signs.
Don’t forget to post your sign on social media, specifically on local pet-oriented Facebook pages.
Be sure to make your social media posts “public,” so that they can be viewed and shared by others. , Family and friends are great helpers when it comes to posting signs and quickly spreading the word about your lost pet because they likely love and cherish your pet as much as you do! , When your pet is missing, time will seem to drag on forever, but a successful search can sometimes take days, weeks, or even months.
Try to remain patient, polite, persistent, and optimistic in your search.
If your pet has been sighted in a new area, be sure to keep your “lost pet” signs and posts as updated as possible. -
Step 3: Locate and record your pet's microchip number (if applicable).
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Step 4: Call local veterinarians
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Step 5: police stations
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Step 6: pet shelters
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Step 7: and animal control centers to report your pet's lost status.Be sure to ask if anyone has called in with a found pet or has reported a sighting.
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Step 8: Create an easily readable sign on your computer.
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Step 9: Write a heading in big
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Step 10: bold letters.
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Step 11: Insert your pet's picture below the heading and then add its name.
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Step 12: Add your pet’s logistics.
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Step 13: Include a short personal plea
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Step 14: and then add your contact information.
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Step 15: Consider offering a reward.
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Step 16: Provide tear-off strips at the bottom of the sign.
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Step 17: Proofread your finished sign.
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Step 18: Save and print your sign.
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Step 19: Post your signs in places frequented by locals.
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Step 20: Recruit helpers.
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Step 21: Don’t give up.
Detailed Guide
As rushed and panicked as you might feel during a lost pet search, it is important to take the time to find a recent, high-resolution, colored photograph of your pet.
If possible, choose a picture that clearly shows your pet’s most defining markings and features.If the picture is not already digitized, be sure to get it scanned, saved, and loaded onto your computer.
If you don’t have access to a personal scanner, take the original to a local printing shop (like Kinko’s or FedEx) or a major pharmacy with photo scanning services (like Walmart, CVS, or Shopper’s).
Try to pin down the approximate date, time, and location of when and where your pet was last seen.
Make note of what your pet was wearing, such as a collar or bandana, at the time it disappeared.
Finally, create a shorthand list of information that includes your pet’s name, age, breed, gender (including spay/neuter status), size/weight, color, and markings, along with your contact information. , You may also want to call the microchip company to alert customer service of your pet’s “lost” status., Have your pet’s photograph and your quick list of information ready if you are able to file a lost pet report.
This will jump-start your search, as you begin designing your sign. , It's best to use a plain text, like Times New Roman or Arial, in bolded black to help ensure that your poster is easy to read and understand.
There are a number of free “lost pet” templates you can find and download using the search terms, “lost pet sign,” on Google.
Some websites will create a sign for you – all you have to do is enter your pet’s information., In big, bold, text at the top of the sign, write “LOST” followed by the type of pet you are searching for, such as “LOST DOG” or “LOST CAT.” , Using the template as a guide, enlarge and center the photo.
For the name, use the same font style and size as the heading. , Add your pet’s logistical information along with any extra physical or personality descriptions you feel are important to your pet’s identification.
This information should be in a slightly smaller font size than that of the heading.
Be sure to include a description of features that are not noticeable in the photograph.
Consider a description like this: “Mac is a very friendly, 2-year-old, neutered, Jack Russell/Yorkie Terrier mix with a white and brown face.
He has a white body with a big brown spot on his back.
He is approximately 12 pounds and was last seen on March 3, 2017 at 3pm in his family’s backyard on Elm Street in Plymouth, Michigan.
He was wearing a blue collar and he may come to his name, ‘Mac,’ when called.
His microchip ID# is H2DRSTYL. , Place this information below your pet's physical description.
Enlarge, bold-face, and center your number and/or email address, so that they catch attention.
For example: “Please help me locate my best friend.
He is dearly missed.
If you have found or sighted Mac, please call or email Paul Starr at: 999-999-9999 OR macsdad@LifeGuide Hub.com (centered).
Any information is helpful, thank you.” Some people feel uncomfortable providing a phone number on a public poster, but email can be slow or delayed and not everyone has an email account.
Although it may be hassle, you can always change your phone number, once your lost pet is retrieved. , Rewards are not necessary, but they do provide incentive for a swift reunion, especially if you think your pet may have been stolen.
Of course, it is impossible to put monetary value on your pet, so try to configure a reasonable reward based on your personal budget and what you can comfortably offer.
If theft is a real concern and your pet is a purebred or highly popularized mix-breed, you may need to offer a larger amount of money, in order to entice return.
Your “REWARD” label should always be listed in large, bold, black letters to catch attention. , They should feature your name, phone number, and/or email.
Don’t forget to pre-cut the strips before posting the fliers. , It is important to create a sign free of typos and misinformation.
A missing pet is a highly stressful and emotional situation, so you may want to ask a family member or close friend to double-check your sign. , To protect your original formatting and to ensure that your information remains intact, it is best to save your poster as a PDF file.
For fast, high quality printing at an affordable price, you may want to use the services of local mainstream printing companies, like Kinko’s or FedEx stores, especially if your home printer does not have high volume printing capacity.
White or eye-catching, neon-colored paper is usually the best paper choice for your sign.
If you plan to post your sign outdoors, consider getting some of the posters laminated to protect against the weather. , Places should include pet-friendly organizations, like the pet shelters and veterinarian offices you contacted in Part
1.
Pet shops, coffee shops, library lobbies, grocery stores, diners, and dog parks near the vicinity of where your pet was last seen are also good places to post signs.
Don’t forget to post your sign on social media, specifically on local pet-oriented Facebook pages.
Be sure to make your social media posts “public,” so that they can be viewed and shared by others. , Family and friends are great helpers when it comes to posting signs and quickly spreading the word about your lost pet because they likely love and cherish your pet as much as you do! , When your pet is missing, time will seem to drag on forever, but a successful search can sometimes take days, weeks, or even months.
Try to remain patient, polite, persistent, and optimistic in your search.
If your pet has been sighted in a new area, be sure to keep your “lost pet” signs and posts as updated as possible.
About the Author
Deborah Brooks
Enthusiastic about teaching practical skills techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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