Guides and tips
What to do in the first hours, where to search and how to use every channel. Short, concrete, grounded in studies and real cases.
Has Your Cat Gone Missing? What to Do in the First 24 Hours
In the first 24 hours, follow this checklist: where to search, who to notify and mistakes to avoid. 75% of cats are found within 500 metres of home.
Updated: August 26, 2026Has your dog gone missing? A plan for the first 48 hours
An hour-by-hour plan for the first 48 hours: where to search, who to call and when to widen the search area. 93% of lost dogs are reunited with their families.
Updated: August 26, 2026How far does a lost cat travel?
The real numbers: the median distance is 50 meters, and 75% of cats are found within 500 meters. The distance varies greatly between indoor and outdoor cats.
Updated: August 26, 2026How far does a lost dog travel?
Most lost dogs are found within a 1-3 km radius. What affects the distance: size, fear, terrain and how quickly the search begins.
Updated: August 26, 2026Where a Missing Cat Hides and Why It Stays Silent
The places where lost cats hide, in order of likelihood, and why they do not respond when you call. Plus how to coax them out of hiding.
Updated: August 26, 2026Sounds That Call a Lost Cat Home
Which sounds really work when calling a lost cat, when to use them, and which mistakes can do more harm than good.
Updated: August 26, 2026Does a lost dog come home on its own?
Only approximately 1 in 5 lost dogs find their way home alone. The rest are found because their owners actively search. Here’s what to do instead of waiting.
Updated: August 26, 2026How to catch a scared dog without making it run away
The golden rule: never chase it. A step-by-step technique to help a panicked dog come to you on its own: your position, food and patience.
Updated: August 26, 2026The perfect lost pet poster (+ free template)
What an effective poster looks like: a large photo, one huge word, the location and a QR code. Free A4 template, automatically generated from your listing.
Updated: August 26, 2026What are your chances of finding your pet? The real numbers
93% of dogs and 74% of cats make it back to their families. Here is how the odds change day by day, and what can concretely improve them.
Updated: August 26, 2026Have you found a dog or cat? What to do, step by step
The first step is to scan the microchip, free of charge at any veterinary clinic. Then: how to report it correctly, where to post, and what you must not do.
Updated: August 26, 2026Reward for a Lost Pet: Does It Help? How Much Should You Offer?
When a reward helps, how much people usually offer, how to display it without attracting scammers, and how to spot common scams.
Updated: August 26, 2026Has your pet gone missing in Poland? The exact steps to take
A step-by-step guide for Poland: the SAFE-ANIMAL chip registry, shelters (schroniska), straż miejska, local groups and online listings.
Updated: August 26, 2026Has your pet gone missing in Hungary? The exact steps
To find a lost pet in Hungary, check PetVetData, the gyepmesteri telep (animal control), shelters, Facebook groups and online listings.
Updated: August 26, 2026Where to report a lost pet in Poland: all options compared
An honest comparison of Reunika, Facebook groups, OLX, SAFE-ANIMAL and local websites. What each option does best and the order in which to use them.
Updated: August 26, 2026Where to report a lost pet in Hungary: all options compared
An honest comparison of Reunika, Facebook groups, PetVetData, jofogas.hu and shelters. What each option does well and the order in which to use them.
Updated: August 26, 2026Has your pet gone missing in Germany? The exact steps
A step-by-step guide for Germany: the TASSO and FINDEFIX microchip registers, the municipal Fundbüro, the local Tierheim, online listings and local groups.
Updated: September 16, 2026Where to report a lost pet in Germany: all options compared
An honest comparison of Reunika, TASSO, FINDEFIX, Tiermeldezentrale, kleinanzeigen.de and Facebook groups: what each option does well and the order in which to use them.
Updated: September 16, 2026Where to report a lost pet in Austria: all options compared
An honest comparison of Reunika, Heimtierdatenbank, Fundservice Wien, tiersuche.noe.gv.at, Petcard, Tierschutz Austria and Facebook groups.
Updated: September 16, 2026Has your pet gone missing in Austria? Exact steps
Guide to Austria: Heimtierdatenbank, Vienna’s Fundservice für Haustiere, Bezirkshauptmannschaft and Tierheim, Tierschutz Austria, local groups and online notices.
Updated: September 16, 2026Where to report a lost pet in France: all options compared
An honest comparison of Reunika, Filalapat/I-CAD, chien-perdu.org and chat-perdu.org, Pet Alert, Leboncoin and Facebook groups by department.
Updated: September 16, 2026Has your pet gone missing in France? Exact steps
Guide to France: reporting a loss to I-CAD, the Filalapat app, the town hall and fourrière, chien-perdu.org, Pet Alert and departmental groups.
Updated: September 16, 2026Has your pet gone missing in Belgium? Exact steps
Guide to Belgium: DogID and CatID, the local police (101) and municipality, shelters, Animal Search, Pet Alert, BinnenBeest, Vermiste Katten and Facebook groups.
Updated: September 16, 2026Where to report a lost pet in Belgium: all options compared
An honest comparison of Reunika, DogID/CatID, Animal Search, Pet Alert Belgique, BinnenBeest, Vermiste Katten, CAD Antwerpen and Facebook groups.
Updated: September 16, 2026Has your pet gone missing in Italy? The exact steps
Guide to Italy: report a lost dog within 3 days to the Polizia Locale or the ASL, check the anagrafe canina (SINAC) and the canile sanitario, and use Fiutoo, canismarritietrovati.it and local groups.
Updated: September 16, 2026Where to report a lost animal in Italy: all options compared
An honest comparison of Reunika, anagrafe canina (SINAC), Fiutoo, canismarritietrovati.it, Fidosmarrito, Petfocus and Facebook groups.
Updated: September 16, 2026Has your pet gone missing in Spain? Exact steps
Guide to Spain: report the loss within 48 hours, check REIAC and the relevant regional microchip register (RIAC, ANICOM/AIAC, RAIA, RIVIA, REGIA), contact the Policía Local and the local council (ayuntamiento) or its animal protection centre, and post on Pet Alert and Facebook groups.
Updated: September 16, 2026Has your pet gone missing in Portugal? Exact steps
Guide to Portugal: report the loss to SIAC (mandatory), contact the local council’s Centro de Recolha Oficial, PSP/GNR, encontra-me.org, FindMyPet and Facebook groups.
Updated: September 16, 2026Where to report a lost pet in Portugal: all options compared
An honest comparison of Reunika, SIAC, encontra-me.org, FindMyPet by OMV, council CRO pages and Facebook groups.
Updated: September 16, 2026Where to report a lost pet in Latvia: all options compared
An honest comparison of Reunika, the state register (LAD/LDC), Dzīvnieku policija, ss.com, ridzivnieki.lv and Facebook groups.
Updated: September 16, 2026Has your pet gone missing in Latvia? Exact steps
Guide to Latvia: the pet register (LAD, formerly LDC), reporting a disappearance within 72 hours, the local authority and shelter, Dzīvnieku policija, ss.com and Facebook groups.
Updated: September 16, 2026Has your pet gone missing in Lithuania? Exact steps
Guide to Lithuania: the GAR register (ŽŪDC), public microchip search, the police and local authority, shelters, “Pasiklydau. Noriu namo”, gyvunupaieska.lt and skelbiu.lt.
Updated: September 16, 2026Where to report a lost pet in Lithuania: all options compared
An honest comparison of Reunika, the GAR registry, the “Pasiklydau. Noriu namo” page, gyvunupaieska.lt, skelbiu.lt, municipal shelters and Facebook groups.
Updated: September 16, 2026Has your pet gone missing in Slovenia? The exact steps
Guide to Slovenia: Centralni register hišnih živali (CRHZ, formerly CRPsi), the municipal shelter and UVHVVR, Zavetišče Ljubljana, izgubljen.si, RTV Slovenija and Facebook groups.
Updated: September 16, 2026Where to report a lost pet in Slovenia: all options compared
An honest comparison of Reunika, CRHZ, Zavetišče Ljubljana, izgubljen.si, the RTV Slovenija bulletin and Facebook groups.
Updated: September 16, 2026Where to report a lost pet in Spain: options compared
An honest comparison of Reunika, regional microchip registers, Pet Alert España, gato-perdido.com, LostPets, Milanuncios and Facebook groups.
Updated: September 16, 2026Lost pet scams: how to recognise them and how Reunika protects you
Learn five common lost-pet scams, their warning signs, what to do after paying, and how Reunika’s safeguards protect you.
Updated: September 16, 2026