Source: Examiner.com, Sharon Harleigh

Last week, I was walking Angel and found a dog who had apparently escaped from his home. He was clean, groomed, and well mannered, but had no collar or tag on him. Three of us stood there with our dogs, trying to figure out what to do. Several neighbors came out to see what was going on, but none of them recognized him as a neighborhood pet. Eventually, we found his owner, but this experience got me thinking - what would I do if I lost either my cat or my dog? Would I know what steps to take, or just become hysterical?

In the event your pet becomes lost, here are some steps to take:

1) Inspect your property thoroughly before panicking - pets can hide in the strangest places, and before you take the following steps, make sure Meowkins isn't just hiding in a shoe or behind a box in your closet.

2) Walk the neighborhood, and call the pet's name - this seems obvious, but pets do respond to their owner's voice, and may come running when you call.

3) Bring your pet's favorite squeaky toy with you while you walk the neighborhood - my dog comes running, even out of a sound sleep, when I squeak her favorite toy. My cat comes running when I pull out his favorite toy covered with catnip. Different things work for different pets.

4) Be sure to talk to everyone you see on the street - and have a picture of your pet with you - kids and mail carriers are great sources of information for finding a stray pet.

5) Visit your local Animal Control, and vet's office - again, bring pictures of your pet! Usually these locations will allow you to put up flyers asking for help finding your pet. Sometimes, Good Samaritans who find a lost pet will drop it off at the nearest vet's office instead of Animal Control out of concern for the pet's wellbeing

Remember: Once your pet has been safely found, thank everyone who helped you! Gratitude is in short supply and a thank you goes a long way.

To prevent loss of a pet... remember to microchip your pet, and have tags with current information/phone number. I know some folks feel microchipping is questionable, but my cat won't wear a collar (he's strictly indoor) so in the event of an emergency, that microchip will be the only way I am able to find him. My dog has both a microchip (put in at the shelter before I adopted her) and current tags. Take all the precautions you need to.... because there's nothing worse than losing your best friend and companion!