Lost Animal Prevention: Your Guide to Pet Safety with The Bond Between

Nandini Swaminathan
Oct 9
4 min read

We cherish the relationship we share with our pets—it's a bond of trust, love, and companionship. But this bond comes with a big responsibility: keeping them safe. Whether you're navigating the chaos of a summer holidays, trying to escape-proof your home, or just taking a simple walk, preparedness is key.

Our experience at The Bond Between has taught us that no one is immune to a pet going missing, and prevention is always better than a frantic search. Here's our essential guide to keeping your beloved dogs and cats safe, sound, and right where they belong—with you.

The Bond Between is not able to provide in-the-moment support for lost owned animals. If you are an adopter or animal owner, please see our Lost Animal Action Plan. This resource is intended to give you additional support in the event that your pup goes missing. It contains search strategies, doggie behavior information, and recommendations for phenomenal dog retrieval organizations who can help if your pup is missing from Minnesota.

Help! My Dog Got Away!

It’s every pet owner’s worst nightmare, and sadly, one in three dogs and cats become missing in their lifetime. If this happens to you, the most important thing to remember is this: DO NOT CHASE THEM!

Chasing them can backfire in two critical ways:

It can turn into a game: Your pup thinks you're playing and will run further, inviting you to chase them more.
It can cause panic: They may become scared and run into a less familiar area or, worse, into a road.

Instead, check out our Lost Animal Action Plan for search strategies and dog behavior information. For our local Minnesota community, we highly recommend reaching out to the dog retrieval organizations listed in the plan for additional support.

Fortify Your Space: Escape-Proofing Indoors and Out

At The Bond Between, we expect that all fosters and adopted animals are contained at all times—whether via a fence, a tether, a leash, or a playpen. No matter your method, you need to be diligent about security.

Outdoor Security Checklist

Be Present: Did you know that dogs can jump an average of six feet? That's one reason we strongly recommend you are outdoors with your pup ANY time they are outdoors.
Inspect Your Fence: Strong summer winds and, especially, winter storms can compromise a fence. After any major weather event, check your fencing for damage or weakness.
Beware of Snow Drifts: Winter storms are sneaky! Check for snowdrifts or snow piles on both sides of your fencing. These can create accidental "runway ramps" right over the top!
Check Before Every Use: This means checking fence gate latches, reviewing tether attachments, or scanning your leash for snags and wear before each and every use! Replace worn parts immediately—rust and tears can weaken quickly.

Indoor Security Checklist

According to our internal data, about 50% of our missing fosters escaped from inside their foster homes! Don't assume an indoor pet is a safe pet.

Double-Door Your Home: Use a baby gate or interior door to create a second barrier between your dog and the outside world. This is especially vital when your hands are full, like when carrying in groceries.
Have a Door Plan: During holidays or when guests are over, assign a family member to be on doggie watch whenever the door could be open!

Never Trust a Screen: Treat a screened window as though it is open—screens can pop off frighteningly easily. Only open windows that are fully out of your pup's reach and only far enough that their shoulders won't fit through the space.

Walks and Community Outings: Safety in Motion

Even a routine walk requires attention to detail.

Check the Fit: Your collar and harness can loosen over time, so it’s important to check the fit every week or so. For most gear, you should just be able to snugly fit two fingers under the strap.
Secure Your Leash: Carry your leash with your wrist all the way through the holding loop, and maintain a firm grasp along the flat portion of the leash.
Anticipate Reactions: Assume your pup will react to every sight and sound and plan accordingly. Start with short outings through quiet parts of your area, gradually working up to busier streets and times of the day. If you need support with a reactive dog, we encourage you to seek out a preferred trainer. Alumni of The Bond Between can always email us at training@thebondbetween.org.

How to Keep Your Cat Safe?

Cats, even indoor cats, become missing nearly as frequently as dogs. They need your vigilance, too!

Screen Check: Just like with dogs, we see many cats in MN go missing each spring and summer through loose window screens. Check them!
The Latch Check: Whenever entering your living space, double check that your door is fully latched before walking away. A strong gust of wind can both frighten your cat and blow open your door—a perfect escape scenario.
Cat-Watch: During parties and holidays, assign a person to be on cat-watch whenever guests are arriving or leaving. Always know where kitty is before opening the door for any span of time.

If Your Cat is Missing

If your cat does get away, they are likely to stay within a few blocks of home.

Set up a Lure: Set out their litter box and a small amount of food, ideally in front of a security camera so you can monitor if they come home.
Flashlight Search: At dawn and dusk, walk around with a flashlight, shining low to the ground under bushes and shrubs. You’re looking for your cat’s eyes to shine back at you!
Retrieval: Once located, you can use food to lure them out, or purchase/rent a humane trap from your local hardware store or county services.

Spotting a Lost Animal

If you see an animal who looks lost, the most helpful thing you can do is call your local non-emergency police or sheriff phone number and report the sighting. Provide a description of the animal, their location, and their direction of travel. We also recommend posting on Nextdoor, social media, and notifying local neighborhood watch groups. We have more details on steps to take when you find stray or lost animals in our other article about The Stray Hold.

If you have further questions or suggestions, please reach out to lost@thebondbetween.org and we will be in touch within 72 hours!

Are you a current The Bond Between Foster whose foster animal has gone missing? Call 952-373-1386 IMMEDIATELY for assistance!