Since beginning this column I have received many requests to help find a lost dog or cat, a service that I don't offer, and even if I did it would be an impossible question to answer in the context of a free advice column. The complexity of a lost animal situation requires the direct one-on-one services of an animal communicator.
However, I have had enough experience with lost animals both personally and professionally to be able to offer some general support and guidance for anyone that finds themselves in the nightmarish situation of not knowing what has happened to their animal companion.
- Don't panic, and do get support for yourself during this difficult time. Your animal companion has a heart-to-heart connection with you. Even if YOU don't know where they are, they probably know where you are. If you stay calm and balanced that energy can enable them to stay calm as well. Given the amazing awareness of energy that animals have, that alone may help them find their way back to you, rather than the other way around.
- Understand your companion. Unless your companion has been abducted, chances are he/she is somewhere in reasonably close proximity. They may have gotten trapped in someone else's garage, or, if frightened or injured, may be hiding in any number of small places. If frightened or injured they will most likely NOT respond to being called; you are going to have to find them.
How an animal responds to a given situation varies by species, and is as individual as people. I often refer people to Missing Pet Partnership because their experience in tracking lost animals has allowed them to understand and create personality profiles. In their Recovery Tips you can now determine what type personality your dog or cat is, and based on that type, receive custom tips on how to conduct a search. They also offer some really good advice in their Recovery Tips on the best ways to spread the word about your missing loved one, and may also offer pet detective services in your area if the basic steps are not yielding results.
- Consult a lost pet professional. The ability to connect, and have a conversation with an animal does not require that you know exactly where they are. Most animal communicators offer phone sessions and work from a photo. That said, in my opinion lost animal sessions are a specialty, requiring a somewhat different approach than a standard session. I usually refer people to ACERs (Animal Communication Practitioners and Resources) which maintains an up-to-date list of a few lost animal specialists and resources.
- Don't forget what you know. Never underestimate the power of prayer and intention, ask for assistance from your guides/higher source. Remember to remain open to the many possibilities; this is about what is best for your companion. Are you a Reiki practitioner? Ground first and let go of attachment to the outcome and send Reiki to the situation for the highest healing good. If you are part of a Reiki community ask others to do the same. Are you versed in shamanic practices? Ask your power animals and the spirit world for assistance. I have witnessed some truly amazing events and occurrences when the energetic/spiritual approach is included.
Rose De Dan,
Animal Reiki Shaman
Disclaimer: Rose De Dan shares insights derived from spirit and through animal communication. Any advice she offers is not meant as a substitute for veterinary care.
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My step-brother found our cat Isabella one night in January in the rain when she was a small kitten. She had no collar and she wasn’t in a residential area, so his feeling was that she probably didn’t have a home. But I’ve always wondered if there were people who wondered what happened to her?
Somehow I wish they could know that she found a warm and loving home and is now a healthy 10-yr-old cat!
On the more concrete side of things these tips might help find lost pets:
Re: point 2, it’s helpful to know that indoor cats who get out don’t often wander too far from home. Cats who are indoor /outdoor more have more of a territory to roam. As mentioned, frightened indoor cats can become very frightened and hide often within feet of their homes.
A useful resource is findtoto.com, a company that employs a sort of amber alert system, which uses a call center to notify all numbers within pre-defined radii of the pet’s home.
Another fact to consider along the lines Rose mentioned aboput personality/flight types is that people are much more inclined to stop to help “friendly” looking breed types like Labradors than they are “scary” looking dogs, which could include Pits, Dobies, Rotties, and even to some extent, black dogs in general. These types of dogs can use all the good press they can get, for this and other reasons.
Hi Meredyth, kudos to your family for taking in little Isabella (who is not so little anymore). Sadly I agree with your stepbrother, she probably did not have a loving home until guided to your family. However I do believe that we are wining the war on pet overpopulation as people become more educated and aware.
Beth, thanks for those excellent additional tips. I’m sure they will be of value to those who seek as well as those who have found.