Emergency guide
Lost your dog?
Follow this plan.
The first hours matter most. Below you'll find the exact order of actions, the contacts, and a free A4 poster generator.
The Prizo team Updated: July 24, 2026
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- Print-ready poster
The first hour
Do these things first
Don't try to do everything at once — these five steps have the best chance of working before your dog moves further away.
Go back to where your dog was last seen
Dogs often return there on their own. Stay a few minutes and call calmly — panic makes a dog hide.
Leave something that smells of you
A hoodie, a blanket from home, a bowl of water. Your dog may come back to the scent — check the spot regularly.
Walk the area with treats
A rustling bag does more than shouting. Ask passers-by — people walking their own dogs notice the most.
Organize your household
One person stays at the spot, the rest spread out. Agree who answers the phone from the notices.
Prepare a current photo and description
A phone photo, coat, collar, distinguishing marks — you'll need them for the notices.
The first day
Activate every channel
If your dog hasn't returned within an hour or two, widen the search. The order matters:
Phone
Shelter and local council
The council is responsible for stray animals — ask where animals from your area are taken and leave a description with your number.
Phone
Vet clinics nearby
A found dog usually goes to a vet first — that's where the chip gets scanned. Leave a description and contact.
Chip database
Check your database entry
Make sure the chip number is registered and your contact details are current. An unregistered chip won't connect the dog to you.
Online
Post notices online
Local "lost animals" Facebook groups, OLX's lost-and-found category, your neighbourhood group — same photo and number everywhere.
Field
Put up posters
Crossings, shops, bus stops, park entrances. Print the poster from the generator below.
Field
Return morning and evening
The quietest hours — a scared dog shows itself when the streets calm down.
Free tool
Create a lost-dog poster
Fill in the details, add a photo and print a ready A4 poster.
- Updates live
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- Data stays on your device
Basic information
Description
Photo
In the print dialog choose "Save as PDF" to keep the poster on your phone or computer.
Poster preview
Updates automatically
Where to report a lost dog
First call
Shelter and council
The council is responsible for stray animals — ask where found animals from your area are taken and which shelter it works with.
Check your details
Chip database
A chip number only helps when it's properly registered and the contact details are current.
Open Safe-AnimalReach the neighbourhood
Local notices
Post the same photo, description and phone number everywhere finders publish.
Open OLX — lost and foundYour dog is found — what now?
- Water and a calm place first.
- Check paws, coat and movement — if anything worries you, a vet check-up settles it.
- Update your notices and thank the people who helped.
- Take down the posters you hung.
- Fix what failed: an ID tag with a current number, chip database details, the gate.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do in the first hour after my dog goes missing?
Return to where the dog disappeared and stay there, calling calmly. Leave an item with your scent and water, walk the area with treats, get your household to help, and prepare a current photo for the notices.
Where do I report a lost dog?
To your local council and shelter (the council is responsible for stray animals), to nearby vet clinics, in the chip database, and in local Facebook groups plus OLX's lost-and-found category.
What should a lost-dog poster say?
A big current photo, the dog's name, where and when it went missing, distinguishing marks, and a phone number readable from a distance. A reward is optional. You can generate and print an A4 poster on this page.
Will a microchipped dog definitely be found?
A chip only works once someone takes the dog to be scanned — at a vet or shelter — and the database details are current. That's why a chip and an ID tag complement each other: a street finder calls immediately, no scanner needed.
How long should I keep searching?
Don't stop after the first day — dogs are found after many days, sometimes weeks. Refresh your notices, return to the spot at quiet hours, and keep in touch with the shelter and clinics.
How do I prevent my dog from going missing?
An ID tag with a current number from the very first walk, a registered chip with current details, a recent photo on your phone, and checked harness buckles. The full list is in our puppy starter kit.
For the future
Make it easy for a finder to reach you
A Prizo ID tag with a phone number and QR code helps a finder contact the owner without a chip scanner and without hunting for the right database.