There are a lot of places you can put your posters. Start where your pet was last seen. In the are where your pet was lost, put up a poster at every corner.
When hanging posters, make an effort to talk to people you see–people walking or running, even folks working in their yards. Bring mini-flyers that you can hand out with your phone number.
Google Earth can be helpful for planning where to put posters. The key is to put them where the most people will see them. When you look at a neighborhood from overhead (in Google Earth or Maps), look for where people gather, perhaps a common passageway. Stop signs exiting onto main roads or major traffic light intersections are good places.
After you have put up posters exiting onto the main roads from the point of loss, cross those main roads and repeat in the surrounding neighborhoods. Keep expanding by at least one block in every direction every day the dog is not home.
If you hang posters at busy intersections, ask a friend to drive. Get dropped off, post at one corner, cross carefully to the next. Do this until all four corners are done. Then get picked up at a pre-arranged spot. If you have to do it yourself, leave your car at a nearby business rather than trying to put up posters while stopped at red lights.
- Put posters at stop signs at every exit from a neighborhood onto a main road using either
- Zipties to secure through the holes in stops sign poles or
- Neon duct tape: Tape the poster flat to the left side of the pole when facing stop sign so that folks stopped in cars looking right for traffic will see your poster.
- Bring rag to wipe down posts as needed.
- Bring stapler and/or tacks for use as needed.
I recommend carrying supplies in a backpack so you have them with you rather than left in a car. There’s always a chance that while putting up posters you might see the dog you’re looking for, so it’s worth being prepared for that potential. Have these items with you when hanging posters:
- Treats
- Leash
- Something to take notes with in case someone has seen your pet
Poster Distribution
It is a federal offense to put posters in mailboxes, so don’t.
___School bus drivers
___UPS & FedEx & USPS drivers
___Chugach Electric workers
___Port-O-Potty deliverers
___Taxi drivers
___Newspaper carrier
___Meter readers
___Lawn companies
___Roofing companies
___Your car. Advertise your lost dog everywhere you go. Use bright florescent tape. The more people you can get to tag their cars, the more sighting calls you might generate.
___Schools. Talk to the principal and see if teachers can show their classes the poster. Or if you email the poster can it be emailed to all the parents?
___Sporting events and venues (baseball fields, soccer fields, etc.)
___Parks
___Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs
___CampFire
___Farmers’ markets
___Garage sales
___Churches. Ask if you can put an ad in the weekly bulletin or if an announcement can be made at the end of service. Handout flyers at departure time.
___Local restaurants. Your pet might show up looking for food. Ask if a flyer can be shared with employees.
___Local pizza and food delivery. Ask if they would be willing to give out flyers with the food they are delivering.
___Dog parks
___Coffee shops
___Coffee kiosks
___Park trailheads
___Libraries
___Pet groomers
___Dog trainers
___Dog walkers
___Pet stores
___Doggy day cares
___Dog kennels for boarding
___Local rescues. For whatever reason some people don’t report found pets to a local animal control because of a usually mistaken fear that something bad will happen to it. Instead, they take it to a rescue where there is a chance it will be re-homed, so get in touch with rescues in your area. Do it in writing if possible and send photos and/or a poster.