Losing a pet is every pet parent’s nightmare. Before you panic, take these steps to increase your odds of finding your dog or cat before they get too far away.

What to do first

• Alert hotel staff that your pet has gone missing in case anyone reports seeing them or they make their way to the lobby.

• Be sure the pet isn’t hiding in your room. Cats especially tend to sneak into small spaces like behind the headboard of the bed. Look around thoroughly.

• Put a bowl of food and your pet’s carrier or bed in the hallway outside your room, to help lure them back. Put a note on your door alerting neighbors to what’s happening.

• Walk the halls of the hotel calling quietly for your pet.
  • For cats, shake a treat bag as you walk around and quietly call to them.
  • For dogs, try treats or carry their leash; call to them and ask if they want to go for a walk.
  • Keep your voice calm and friendly. Lost cats especially may be very frightened, so you want to make them feel safe.

• If you spot your pet, don’t chase them. Dogs see chase as a fun game and are likely to sprint away. Cats are likely to be scared off by you running toward them.

• Instead, sit down where they can see you from a distance. Talk to them, continuing to offer enticements like a treat.

• Keep in mind that while a dog might see getting out as a game, a cat is likely to see it as very scary. Cats often find a place to hide until dark, so you may need to look very carefully and keep looking until it’s very quiet.

If you don’t find your pet in the hotel

• Contact local animal shelters, rescues and animal control to report your lost pet. Visit them daily to ask about your pet in person.

• Contact the microchip company for your pet and report that your pet is lost.

• Talk to your neighbors at the hotel and in the community to see if they’ve seen your pet. Pass around flyers with your contact information.

• Walk around the neighborhood several times a day with a leash or carrier in case you spot your pet. Keep calling for them and enticing them with treats.

• Post “lost pet” flyers around the hotel and the neighborhood, including a photo of your pet.

• Use social media to post about your pet and where they were last seen.

• Consider a paid service like FindToto or Lost My Doggie to send out e-blasts about your missing pet.

Most of all, don’t give up. If your pet has a collar and a microchip, there’s a good chance they will make their way back to you.