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When a beloved pet goes missing, it is an agonizing experience – the searching, the waiting, the wondering. We’ve all seen posters taped up in our neighbourhoods of missing animals. Do they ever come home? Are their owners still searching for them? Are they hungry, hurt, homesick?
Last May, a concerned Montrealer noticed an influx of missing pet posters in her neighbourhood and decided to take action. She created the Petluck Blog (a play on the word “potluck”) – a site designed to reunite missing Montreal pets with their owners. The site includes an interactive map showing the locations where animals were lost or found – as well as photos, write-ups and contact info for each.
Why did you start the Petluck Blog?
People often lose hope too quickly, and cats are especially elusive. By the time they show up, the posters are often gone. I thought I could help with this. When people lose an animal they might eventually give up looking, but they don’t often forget! And the lack of closure is especially tough. It’s heartbreaking.
Are there more cats or dogs on the site?
Well there’s many more cats than dogs on the site, as dogs are recovered a bit more easily. They’re more obvious when they’re lost.
Is there one story that stands out for you?
There are a lot of standouts, but one in particular was a cat named Rocket, newly arrived all the way from California. He was lost for over 3 weeks and was stuck in the neighbour’s garage the whole time! What made it stand out was, the neighbours knew he was there – he had tags, and his owner had plastered the neighbourhood with posters, and it still took all that time to get him back!
Do you have pets yourself?
I have a great rescue dog, and 3 beautiful cats that I took in (all had been abandoned). Another reason why I started the blog – my house is full, but I still wanted to help!
How can people prevent their pets from getting lost?
Well, if I only had one piece of advice I could give, it would definitely be having ID on your pets. It would save a lot of heartache. (or have them microchipped!)
What advice can you give to people who are still searching for lost pets?
Keep your eyes on the shelters, don’t just call, go and check. It can take a long time for your pet to show up! And be sure to ask your neighbours to check their sheds and garages and whatnot. Posters are really effective too, and perseverance is key!
Anything else you’d like to add?
Yes, pets lost during the summer could be winding up in the shelters only now. I have more being reported found on my site too, since winter started. So anyone who’s lost a pet should still be checking the shelters regularly!
The Petluck Blog: www.petluck.ca
