¢ Call in a lost report to the local shelter.

Also ask if they’ve received any found reports, and be careful how you interpret them; people may not describe your dog the way you do. And be sure to call shelters in neighboring districts as well.

¢ Get out and talk to people.

¢ Make large, eye-catching posters, and smaller fliers to hand out.

Include a picture, contact information, and where the dog was last seen. And make sure to offer a reward.

¢ Use the Internet, including neighborhood listservs, your own e-mail contacts, any way you can think of to get local publicity. You can also use the Web to see if there’s a pet detective for hire in your local area, but remember that the first few hours are crucial, so don’t waste that time talking to people long-distance when you should be out pounding the pavement.

¢ Be persistent.