What to do in the first 30 minutes when your pet goes missing

Act fast — the first half hour matters most

When a pet goes missing, the instinct is to panic. That's completely understandable. But the pet owners most likely to be reunited quickly are the ones who act methodically in those critical first minutes. Here's exactly what to do.

Step 1: Search the immediate area first (minutes 1–10)

Most lost pets are found within a quarter of a mile of where they went missing. Don't drive off immediately — walk the local streets calling their name calmly. Panicked shouting can cause a frightened animal to hide further.

Check under cars, in gardens, inside sheds, and behind bins. Bring a favourite toy or their lead — familiar sounds and smells can coax a scared pet out of hiding.

Step 2: Activate Lost Mode on their tag (minute 5)

If your pet wears a PawLink tag, switch on Lost Mode from your dashboard immediately. This transforms their public profile into a prominent alert page — anyone who taps the tag or scans the QR code will see a clear "This pet is lost" banner and be prompted to contact you directly.

Lost Mode also unlocks social sharing so you can instantly send your pet's live profile to WhatsApp groups, Facebook, and X with one tap.

Step 3: Contact your immediate neighbours

Knock on doors within a two-street radius. Ask neighbours to check their gardens, garages, and sheds. Leave your number with everyone you speak to. More eyes are worth more than more miles of driving.

Step 4: Share on local social media (minutes 10–20)

Post in local Facebook groups, Nextdoor, and any community WhatsApp groups you're part of. Include:

• A clear recent photo
• Your pet's name, breed, colour, and any distinguishing features
• Where they were last seen and when
• A contact number or a link to their PawLink profile

Sharing the PawLink profile link is particularly useful because the information stays live and up to date — anyone who clicks it later will always see the current status.

Step 5: Alert the professionals (minutes 20–30)

Contact your local vets, dog wardens, and nearby rescue centres. Give them your microchip number — if your pet is brought in, this is the first thing they'll check.

If your pet wears a PawLink tag, vets and shelter staff can tap it directly to access their full profile, including your contact details, medical history, and microchip number. No phone call needed.

After the first 30 minutes

Create a lost pet poster using the PDF download in your PawLink dashboard — it includes a QR code linking to your pet's live profile so any information you update is always current, regardless of when the poster was printed.

Post in local Facebook lost pet groups (search your town name + "lost pets"). Register your pet as missing with local councils and the microchip database.

The vast majority of lost pets are reunited with their owners. Acting quickly and systematically in those first 30 minutes gives you the best possible chance.