Seems like a small task that could help in many reunions while saving time and resources.

@ Suzy Q thank you for contacting our volunteer group as they forwarded your post link to me.

Although it is a great idea and assumed to be a simple task it is not very practical for our town of over 100,000 people.

We keep a log book of all reported missing animals and there can be as little as 1 reported a day to as many as 5. You may consider the numbers as very few but in reality the true numbers surpass that notion.

Just to give you an idea.... We had 3 Yorkies reported missing on the same day. It was reported that Mikey went missing in the early hours the PREVIOUS day, he was reunited 3 days later when the finder came to the shelter after having him in his possession since the DAY he went missing. The owner delayed reporting and the finder delayed reunification. We have not found the other two nor have we received any update from their owners. Last week we helped a gentleman locate his dog that had been missing since November 2013. It turned out that a bordering town had found his dog the week he originally went missing but did not contact us or make the connection when the owner previously called their agency. Last week he spoke with the right person in the bordering town that recalled having his dog who had since been transferred to a private rescue. I confirmed his diligent search with the private agency and he is being reunited with his dog. His dog was on our list for 3 months along with the hundreds of others that have no resolute status.

Our communications personnel have a great responsibility fielding thousands of calls per day,having to look through hundreds of animal descriptions for possible matches and calling potential owners would be very time consuming and would interfere with other emergency services they provide. Although we all want a reunion as quickly as possible the police departments emergency operations cannot be the resource to depend upon for that result.

Because of many people's increased reliance of the internet, we advise all callers to use resources such as seeclickfix, centralpetvet.com, craigslist, facebook, speak to neighbors, bordering towns animal control and vet offices to report their animals missing. We advise missing pet owners that they may possibly find that someone is already in the possession of their animal, has posted on the internet, but has not called the shelter or the police department. You called but many others do not.

Yesterday's reunion is a testimony that timely and positive results can occur when multiple resources are available.

And true to what I have said....This little doggy went home last night but the owner did not call the shelter to report her found. My kennel worker called her to confirm a little after 11AM today when one of the volunteers told her about the seeclickfix post.

Some tips for pet owners:

Secure all gates and holes in fences. Bring dogs outside on a leash in your private yard and release only when it is known there are no escape routes. Although believed to be secure do not leave animals outside unsupervised. Not only can they escape but they can also be stolen.

Use proper and secure restraints when walking your dog. Loose collars,loose harnesses,retractable leashes,sole use of head halties and faulty leash clips are accidents waiting to happen.

Owners need to discourage darting behavior when house and car doors are opened.

Advise contractors and technician's the presence of your pet. Check all gates and doors when they leave, do not depend on them to secure your property.

Do not assume your faithful pet will stay be your side when walked un-tethered.

Do not allow your pet to roam freely in parks NOT designated for dog specific play and free run.

Lastly but not least...When your pet goes missing report it IMMEDIATELY to all resources available and notify EVERYONE when the animal is found.

Thank you again and I hope this information has helped.

BTW @ RAY......It's WASTE not WAIST .....9am-5pm ALL stray dogs are accepted no matter our capacity level. Your false information serves to help no one here.

Officer Stephani Johnson
NHAS MACO

Stephani, its actually quite easy for you to post this in SeeClickFix. Many much larger cities do the same. I'll stop by and help you out if you'd like.

Yeti,
Once we are able to create a database for the shelter along with an interactive website, we should be able to incorporate a link similar to centralpetvet.com. At this time we have only just been "plugged in" for about two weeks with one laptop. I am still waiting for more equipment installation with greater storage and networking capabilities in order to set things in motion.

The offer of assistance is appreciated but we still have a way to go.

Officer Stephani Johnson
NHAS MACO

Stephani Johnson,

Have you ever checked into the FREE program called Shelter Exchange? Petfinder was so impressed with the application they partnered up with them a year or so ago. Their website does not share everything the application is capable of doing, but if you talk to Claire and Brian, the creators, they will answer questions. I know the application also has the ability to track repeated adopters. Once again, the program is FREE.

Hi Officer Johnson,

With the SeeClickFix tools that the City has at their hands you actually can use an online database without having to pay or set-up anything.

What is a good number or email to contact you at?

If the dog had a name tag it would have made it much easier for everyone involved. Petco and Petsmart have a vending machine that makes them..

We are trying to delineate issues that are current and need the city's attention to resolve. If your issue remains and needs to be addressed by the city, please either re-open or open as a new See Click Fix issue. Thank you.

Animal Control no longer monitors this site.

Animal Control phone number is 203 946-8110