It is a terrible thing to come to terms with losing a pet. Loss through old age and illness at least gives one closure. But when a pet goes missing and you have no idea what has happened, it’s almost too much to bear. 

When my story about Maxx came out (Paw Print, Nov 27), I received a call from a lady who had lost her Daschund. It had been a while since her pet went missing, and yet, she called, hoping that just maybe Maxx was her lost dog. Alas, no.  

This got me thinking about how strong the bond between owner and pet is. Recently, my cat Chewie went missing, and I think possibly he was stolen. Chewie is a beautiful (if I do say so myself) apricot Persian. As far as he is concerned, he is king of the neighbourhood, and every house and its occupants, his subjects. I have had to personally visit my neighbours to apologize if Chewie was being a bother. 

Thankfully, they all loved him. He especially loved the house three doors away. A lovely family they are with two girls and a boy, whom Chewie personally sent off to school every morning and greeted upon returning. It got to the point where my house was just his restaurant while theirs was his home. He’d sleep with the kids, sit with them while they did their homework and supervised when they did their chores.  

In a way, Chewie was like the neighbourhood ambassador. On washing day, when I’m hanging clothes in the backyard, I’d be treated to stories of his antics from across the fence. It was great. Chewie, I concluded, had a good life. So it was a shock, not just for me but to those kids and their parents, when Chewie went missing.  

We all went on a search, put up notices and prayed very hard that he’d reappear. It has been almost a month now. The kids still mop around and washing day has got very quiet. Many asked why I didn’t just keep Chewie indoors. But I couldn’t do that to him. Before he came to live with me, Chewie spent his life caged, and he hates any sort of restriction.  

I’ve questioned why someone would steal him. Yes, he is a great-looking cat, but he is six years old and has been neutered, so that makes him useless as a show cat or for breeding.  

My main fear is that Chewie is not being well cared for. The old boy suffers from urinary tract infection and has to be on a special diet.  

I’m just overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness. I’ve contemplated making a police report but I believe the cops will think me silly and, really, a missing cat would not be a priority for them. 

Karina Chin, who had three dogs (a miniature Pincher and two American spaniels) stolen from her compound, said, “I know they were stolen because I found a can of dog food outside my gate, and I know it didn’t come from my trash.  

‘’From the price tag, I even traced the shop it was purchased from in the hope that the shopkeeper would be able to give me a description of the people who bought it. Of course, that did not help.’’ 

Hers was an exhaustive months-long search that involved a police report, flyers pasted on every lamp post in the neighbourhood, ads in the newspapers, notices in forums on the web, and even faxes to vets in the Klang Valley.  

Faxes to vets are a good idea but, as Karina discovered, vets have patient confidentiality to maintain. Therefore, they can only inform their clients that the dog or cat they’ve brought in was reported stolen. The vets cannot report or inform the actual owners. 

“The most help I received was from regular folk who were pet owners themselves,’’ said Karina. ‘’People called me, giving names of breeders in the area – just in case – and helped keep an eye out for dogs fitting the description.”  

According to Karina, even if she located her dogs she would have no authority to act. 

“I can’t just go up to someone and say, ‘I think you have my dogs’. There is no way they will allow me to prove or disprove my claim.  

“The real eye-opener though was when I discovered the micro-chip number on one of my dogs did not match the number on the certificate. I don’t know if it was a mistake or there was a mix-up, but it is worrying to think that I could have inadvertently bought a stolen pet myself.’’ 

It is always best to buy a pet from a legitimate source. Puppy mills exist in the country, and it is best to do proper research before purchasing a pet. Reputable breeders tend to stick with a particular breed of dog they specialize in. If a breeder has various breeds in his stable, be alert to possibilities. 

It has been a year-and-a half since Karina’s dogs were stolen. Her remaining dog, Sole, has become very weary of strangers. “I’ve got new dogs,’’ she said. ‘’And they are big and fierce-looking. No more cute little ones for me, but I’m still keeping them as far away from the front gate as I possibly can.’’ 

If you’ve lost your pet 

Canvass the neighbourhood. Flyers in post boxes are good but speak to people if you can. Not just neighbours but the postman, street sweepers, the local shopkeeper, and especially the children as they seem to notice roaming pets more than adults. 

Visit your local pound, animal shelter, veterinary clinics and pet shops. Have a good, close look at the abandoned pets they may have. With permission, you could even post a flyer on their notice boards.  

Post a notice on one or all of the pet-related websites and forums to help alert other pet lovers. At the very least, you will have educated a few people on how to avoid the same predicament. 

Place an advertisement in the paper and pet magazines. It’s not really as expensive as you may think and helps you reach more people. Along with your notices and advertisements, you could offer a reward for the return of your pet. However, I’m a little paranoid about this. Money may encourage some to steal pets in the first place in anticipation of a reward.  

If it’s an exotic pet you’ve lost, you may also want to contact Animal Control or the local City Council to alert them of the potential public problems that could arise if it isn’t found soon. 

If you’ve found a pet 

All the above can help you locate the owner of a lost pet you may have found. But if it’s all to no avail and you decide to keep the pet, here are some things to keep in mind: Not all pets are lost. Some may be strays or abandoned.  

There are usually obvious signs that you can look out for. For instance, pedigrees are not normally strays, although some may very well be lost or abandoned. A collar or license, more often than not, is a sure sign that the animal is someone’s pet. 

Look out for signs of illness because you don’t want any other pet you may have to be infected. These may include skin irritation, wet or dry noses for cats and dogs respectively, listlessness, lack of appetite, difficulty moving around and bad temperament. In the last instance, it’s best to call PAWS or SPCA and ask them to take the animal away. 

Even if the animal appears healthy and good-natured, you should take it to the vet immediately for a check-up and, if necessary, vaccination. This may help you to decide on whether or not to keep it. At the very least, you will know how best to care for it. 

Read up on how to keep a pet if you’ve never had one. There are plenty of books, magazines and websites that offer advice on how to care for different kinds of pets.  

Finally, consider the feelings of others in your household, human or otherwise. They may not take kindly to a new pet and their displeasure can manifest in illness and temper tantrums. You should also check yourself for allergies.