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Whether or not you have a pet, you should know about PetRescuers. PetRescuers by HomeAgain, helps to reunite lost pets with their owners. HomeAgain sells microchips that are implanted into animals so that even if they lose their collars, they can be identified and returned to their owners. They have brought joy to many by reuniting more than 600,000 lost pets with their owners.
What do you do if a stray cat wanders into your yard and stays? Or if you see a dog who appears to be lost? PetRescuers provides you with ways to help.
PetRescuers has a website that helps reunite lost pets with their owners. PetRescuers You can sign up for email alerts so if there is a lost pet within a certain number of miles to your location (you get to choose how many miles) you receive an email alert from PetRescuers. That way you can be alerted about lost pets and be on the lookout. PetRescuers has a Twitter account and Facebook page so you can be alerted through these sites as well.
If you need further convincing about signing up for these email alerts, read the Found Pet Stories at the PetRescuers website.
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If you find a pet, you can report it on the PetRescuers website, even if you haven’t signed up for email alerts. The website also tells you how to deal with a pet you suspect is lost. Often lost pets are scared so approaching the animal may not be the best idea. PetRescuers provides advice so that everyone can stay safe.
iPhone App
If you have an iPhone, then you should grab the free PetRescuers app from the iTunes App Store. The app alerts you when there are lost pets in your area. You can search by how recently a pet was lost or with a map that shows where the pet was last seen. The app provides pictures and descriptions of the pets to help you identify them.
You can control Push Notifications and Location Services from within the app. Although I’m not a big fan of sound notifications (See, Apps: To Push or Not to Push?), if you choose to hear a sound notification, you can control whether you hear a bark, meow or chime.
Make sure to check out the Reunions section of the app for heartwarming stories about how this app helped owners reunite with their pets.
If You Lose a Pet
If you discover that your pet is lost, you can report it on the PetRescuers site or call them at 1-888-466-3242. You have to have your pet microchipped and have a HomeAgain account, which costs $17 per year, to use their pet recovery service.
PetRescuers sends out a Rapid Lost Pet Alert to veterinarians, animal shelters, the PetRescuers app and people who have signed up for email notices, within minutes of your reporting the lost pet. If you have uploaded a picture of your pet to your HomeAgain account, PetRescuers will generate a Lost Pet poster for you to print out and distribute in your area.
The website also offers advice on how to find a lost pet. The section on being a pet detective is very thorough and could provide you with helpful information on finding your pet even if you have not signed up for a HomeAgain account.
Bottom Line
If you have an iOS device, such as an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, you should get the PetRescuers app. I wish this app came pre-installed. Imagine if everyone with an iOS device had this app what a better world this would be. How often can you say that about an app?
If you don’t have an iOS device, you should sign up with PetRescuers for email alerts about lost pets in your area. PetRescuers gives you the opportunity to make a difference in many lives at no cost to you.
If you lose a pet, check out the PetRescuers website even if you don’t have an account. The advice it provides may help you track down your pet and be an invaluable aid in the search process.
Have you ever found a lost pet? Have you ever seen an animal and wondered if it was a lost pet? Let us know in the Comments section below!
* Image by Phillip Torrone
** Image by Yukari
That’s a great idea. Crowd-sourcing lost pets. When we first got Sparky I knew if he got out (gardener left the gate open a few times) he wouldn’t know how to come home. Now he’s not such a wanderer (thank goodness!) but this is a great idea! Will pass it along to my dog friends.
Hi Kathy, Welcome back to The Wonder of Tech! I agree, this is a fantastic app and I’m so glad it’s available for free. Wouldn’t you feel good if everyone in your town had this app? My dog is a wanderer and he can disappear in the blink of an eye. The only thing that would make this app better would be if it were available on Android phones as well!
I will certainly download the app. It would be a great joy to help someone recover their lost pet. I’m going to share this with our vet and local SPCA. Thank you for letting us know about such a valuable app.
Hi Reilly, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I am thrilled to be able to spread the word about this app. Great idea to let your vet and animal shelter know about this app. The more people who download this app the better!
Thankfully when we adopted our dog she was microchipped. $17 is far less than we spend for her food in a single month, let alone the peace of mind it will bring each year. Everyone with a pet they adore should be aware of this service. Thank you, Carolyn for bringing it to our attention!
Hi Noah, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I agree, $17 is a small price to pay to have the piece of mind this service provides. I imagine that price just offsets the costs to them of providing the PetRescuers service. Even people who don’t have a pet should get the app or sign up for the email alerts so they can be on the lookout for lost animals too. Thanks for your comment!