What should a lost pet poster say to get calls
Use the free tool — Lost Pet Kit
The one rule: it has to work from a moving car
Someone driving by has about two seconds to read your poster. That means one giant word, one huge clear photo, and a phone number big enough to read from the street. Nothing else matters as much as that.
What to put on it
- The word LOST in giant letters, plus the species: DOG or CAT.
- One big, clear photo — not a collage of small pictures.
- Your phone number in fat, bold digits.
- Few words. People are reading this while walking or driving past.
- A reward is optional. If you offer one, do not state the amount on the poster.
File the registries at the same time
A poster helps neighbors, but many finders check online registries and shelters before they ever see a pole. Do both, the same day if you can.
- lost.petcolove.org — a free national lost-pet photo-match registry. Post the moment you're home.
- 24Petconnect — aggregates shelter intake listings across much of the US. Check it daily.
- Universal chip lookup — one search covers most microchip registries at once. Update your pet's chip record now, even if you're not sure it's chipped.
Two scams to ignore completely
- Anyone who demands money by gift card or wire transfer to "return" your pet.
- Fake "pet flight recovery" services calling from out of state.
Never pay anyone who cannot send a current photo of your pet first. If you see a pet in immediate danger, call your local animal control now. Never meet a "finder" who demands payment before showing proof.
Be honest, not certain
Most lost dogs, and many lost cats, are recovered. That is real hope — but no poster, registry, or plan can promise your pet will be found. Nothing here is a guarantee.
What to do next
The free Lost Pet Kit tool reads your own answers — species, time missing, chip status, and details — and gives you an hour-by-hour search plan, ready-to-use poster wording, and the exact calls to make, in English or Spanish. Nothing you type is stored.
This is general search guidance, not a guarantee of any outcome. It can be wrong. Verify contact information with your local shelter and animal-control office.
Lost Pet Kit gives general search guidance; it can be wrong and no outcome is guaranteed. Verify local shelter and animal-control contacts. Nothing you type is stored.