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Société Protectrice
des Animaux du Maroc

The Humane Society
of Morocco
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Perdido & Consejos encontrados

Lost Your Pet?

Losing a member of your pet family is a very stressful and upsetting event: the first tip is to not panic. According to some surveys, 93% of dogs who are lost are successfully recovered. We’ve compiled a few steps and tips to get your best friend home as safely and quickly as possible.

There are concrete steps you can take to effectively recover your pet, but you must also be mindful to tailor your search to your specific pet.

How do they respond when people yell or run straight at them? Are they aloof? Will they respond to their name? Swift action, coupled with major neighborhood networking, will increase the odds of recovering your animal. A major factor is to get the word out and not be shy in enlisting help.

With our experience, we have here some tips to give an overview of best practices for recovering your animal.

IF YOU LOST YOUR PET

Step 1: If you did not see your pet run off, search your home and talk to neighbors first
  • As soon as you notice your pet is missing, start searching right away: every minute counts!
  • Talk to your family members or housemates and ask where they last saw it
  • Search your home carefully—under beds, in closets, dark places, small places, behind bulky furniture
  • Shaking a food dish, treat jar or favorite toy will sometimes lure animals out of a hiding place
  • If you are sure your pet is not in or around the home, take a slow ride or walk around and search the neighborhood surrounding your home. Bring along a recent photo of your pet and ask neighbors, postal carriers, and delivery drivers if they have seen him or her, and shoot them a picture of your pet if you have one. Check under porches and shrubs, and ask neighbors to check in sheds and garages in case your pet was accidentally locked in.

Step 2: Make phone calls & check your local shelters and municipal pounds
  • Calls should be made to the local animal control agencies, veterinary clinics, shelters, municipal pounds, and rescue groups in your area. One of them may already have your pet in custody
  • If your pet has a microchip, inform people about it
  • Check in with shelters daily — and pay these visits in person with photos of your pet to distribute to shelter staff. If there are no shelters close to your home, notify your local police department. It’s important for owners who have lost their pets to check the municipal pound daily as new animals are brought in at all hours of each day. If you think you might have found your pet online, PLEASE go to see them in person. Bring proof of ownership with you just in case the pet you saw online is yours.

Step 3: Scour the Internet / Network on Social Media
  • Be sure to share the news with your social media networks. We are happy for you to share your lost poster on our Facebook page as soon as possible
  • Most Moroccan cities have local “Lost Pet” Facebook pages where they will post information about missing pets (ex. Animaux Perdus / Trouvés). Post on your Facebook city page, as well as other sites to ensure you are casting the widest net possible. Ask friends and family to spread the word to their contacts as well.

Step 4: Search also Buy & Sell Groups (e.g Facebook Marketplace or Avito)
  • Some malicious person might want to sell your pet to get some money. If you find your pet advertised do not tell you are the owner but act as someone interested in buying. Arrange very urgently a meeting with them and go there with the police. Do not encourage them to re-offend.


Be wary of scams

When talking to a stranger who claims to have found your pet, ask him to describe the pet thoroughly before you offer any information. If he does not include the identifying characteristics you left out of the advertisements, he may not have your pet. Be particularly wary of people who insist that you give or wire them money for the return of your pet.

Step 5: Create a «Lost Dog» o «Lost Cat» Poster
  • You’ll want to create a poster that will stand out and get noticed by people who may have seen your pet. Please be sure to tailor these posters to your pet
  • Avoid putting misleading phrases on the poster: “very sweet” or “loves treats”. Your animal is in a new and strange environment and may not act as it normally would at home. You want to encourage people assisting you in the search to approach your pet appropriately. Example: If your dog is shy around strangers say “Shy! DO NOT CHASE”
  • Repeated viewings of a consistent message are more likely to stick in people’s minds, so we recommend sticking with one design for your poster. People driving in cars typically don’t pay attention to signs. You have only five seconds to use five to seven words to get a message across. Most pet owners make the mistake of posting standard flyers (A4 white pieces of paper) instead of posters. Flyers are too small and very few people passing by notice them. People notice neon posters. Start with a big, bold headline that people can read from a distance, like “LOST DOG”
  • Include a printed, recent photo of your pet and list the breed, sex, coloring, age, weight, any distinguishing features, and when and where he or she was last seen or lost
  • Provide your name and two phone numbers: yours and a backup number
  • Offer a reward to encourage people.

Step 6: Blanket the Neighborhood

Good places to post your flyers include parks where people walk their dogs, pet supply stores, pet grooming shops, and local veterinarians. Various commercial establishments like local grocery stores, malls, gas stations, cafes, and restaurants are other good high-traffic options.

Step 7: Whatever you do, Don’t Give Up!
  • This one is important! Remember that 93% of dogs lost are successfully recovered, don’t give up hope that your dog will also be recovered.
  • When you find your pet, remove any posters and website postings. Also contact shelters, police stations, and neighbors to let them know your pet has been found.

IF YOU HAVE FOUND A STRAY ANIMAL

If you have found a stray pet and wish to retain it in your home and provide care while actively seeking the owner, you may do so BUT please advertise about it and fill out our found pet form. This report will be sent to our staff and be placed into our found pet national database.

  • Microchipping is one of the best ways in reuniting a pet with their owner and urge you to take the pet to a local veterinarian to be scanned for a microchip. We can also scan an animal here at the Humane Society of Morocco. If you are unable to transport the animal to a veterinarian, call them and see if they can come to your home to scan the animal for a microchip
  • Less than 5% of stray cats surrendered to the shelters are returned to their owners.Many cat owners allow their cats to roam freely outside, so some roaming cats are not lost and likely live nearby. Unless the cat looks sick, malnourished, or is injured, it is often best to allow the cat to find her own way home or keep an eye open for any LOST CAT signs from neighbors
  • Owners that have lost their pet should check regularly our national lost/found pet website database, local newspapers in the classified ads section, local bulletin boards, and Facebook pages, to see if anyone has posted their pets in the found sections
  • If you are unable to retain the lost dog in your home, do not leave it in the street, please ask friends or call animal welfare associations and see if they can send someone to your home to pick up the animal. The Humane Society of Morocco is unable to shelter lost or stray animals.


If the pet has not been reunited with its owner after 72 hours: you may continue holding him or her and you may contact the Humane Society of Morocco
/local rescue organizations who may assist with alternative placement, you may not bring the dog to the municipal pound as they will not attempt every method possible in creating a positive outcome but simply kill it!

SAFEGUARD YOUR PET

Here are some small precautions to take, to prevent escapes and enhance the chance of a return in the future:

  • Have your vet implant a microchip. This helps ensure the return of your pet even if its collar has become lost: when people find your pet, they often turn them into local vets and shelters, most of which can scan your pet for a microchip, which contains crucial contact info. Be sure to always supply your microchip company with current contact info and a photo of your pet
  • Always make sure they have a collar ID tag on, with your name and current phone number: even if your pet is an indoor-only pet, since no house is escape-proof
  • Always keep an eye on your pet. Avoid leaving your pet outdoors when you are not home
  • Keep your dog on a leash unless it is in a fenced yard
  • Consider locks for backyard gates. Some dogs have been known to jump up and inadvertently undo gate latches
  • Neuter your pet to reduce its urge to roam
  • Never leave your pet outside during thunderstorms or firework displays—many pets are terrified of loud sounds and bright lights, will panic and flee
  • Make your cat an “inside” cat.

Get answers to help lost pets and how to prevent your pet from getting lost.

Perdido & Found FAQs

Some pets are natural escape artists, even if you try to keep indoor cats inside and dogs on a leash. If you have a pet who likes to roam, supervise when they’re outdoors and try to determine their exit point. For example, does your fenced yard have a place where a pet can wriggle out? Work with animal trainers to address behavioral issues and practice regular training. Check your pet’s collars and harnesses to make sure they are secure, and microchip your pet with up-to-date contact information.

Yes, a pet microchip can play a critical role in reuniting you with your pet. A veterinarian or shelter scans the pet with a microchip reading device to look up the contact information associated with that chip. Be sure that your contact information is up to date in the microchip database so that you can be reached.

There are several ways you can help. Search our extensive database for lost pet matches or create a found pet listing. Check spaces next to your house, including a window well, under bushes, or under your car. Check with neighbors, Facebook, or other social media platforms like Instagram for lost pet posts and share them with your networks.

There are several good indicators to determine if a pet is lost:

  • If you’ve found a cat, check its ears. If you find a cat missing part of the top of one ear, this indicates that he or she has been spayed or neutered and is a community cat. If you spot a cat with ear tips who appears healthy, they should probably be left alone.
  • Check for a collar and ID tag. Try to sit down and use calm body language to get close enough to read the information on their tag. Even if you can’t get close enough to the animal, you can alert your local animal shelter that you’ve seen a pet with a collar in the area and note the color of the collar.
  • Note the environment. If you’ve spotted a dog in a dangerous location, like by a busy road or in the middle of the woods, that could indicate that you’ve found someone’s missing pet.

There are a few ways you can help:

  • Join the Humane Society of Morocco ReUniter Network or nominate a volunteer in your community who is passionate about reuniting lost pets with their families.
  • Upload a picture to our database if you’ve found a missing cat or dog.
  • Let searching pet parents know about the Humane Society Lost & Found initiative. Keep an eye out for reports of lost pet sightings on Facebook and other social media and share them with your network.
  • Work with the pet parent and local animal shelter to help organize a community search for a missing pet. Just make sure that everyone taking part in the search is educated on how to stay calm and respond appropriately if they spot the missing pet.

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