If your pet runs away
Keep your dog on a leash in built-up areas
According to the Public Order Act, the owner of a dog, or the person in whose possession the dog is, shall:
1) keep the dog on a leash in built-up areas
2) ensure that an unleashed dog has no access to exercise tracks or other similar running tracks, and that the dog has no access whatsoever to a public beach, a children’s playground, a market place during trading hours, or a ski track maintained for public use or a sports field, unless this is specifically allowed.
Especially during the holiday season, many dogs and other pets run away. In the summer, dogs may leave the cottage and follow interesting scents, and a cat or a pet bird may sneak out of the window. There is a risk that a pet may be hit by a car, for example.
Do this if your pet has wandered off and you can’t find it:
- The first hours and following days are critical. For search instructions, you can, for example, call the helpline of Etsijäkoiraliitto (Search dog association) on 040 724 8614 or Vainu – eläinetsijäkoirat association on 041 805 9423. The instructions depend on, for instance, whether the animal was frightened or hurt when it ran away, or whether it simply ran off after some interesting scents.
- Stay at the site of the disappearance. If there are more people involved, one person should stay behind, another should go home, and the rest can start making scent marks and spreading the word Don’t chase the pet with a large group of people. It’s important that the search is carried out by a few people who are familiar to the animal.
- You should make scent marks at home or in some other safe location. Put some smelly wet food, such as tuna, in a pair of tights, and drag them over to a safe bait location. You should leave a window or a door open for a cat, so that it can return home in peace.
- Put up missing pet posts on online forums (karkurit.fi, local groups on Facebook and groups for strays) and call local animal shelters. Give a detailed description of your pet (not just e.g. the breed). However, don’t share the name of the pet! Why? Because, for example, if a dog’s extendable lead gets caught on something, it can get caught even worse if the dog’s name is called out.
- If necessary, you can also use a trained animal search dog that has been taught to track other animals by scent. For this purpose, it is a good idea to keep a small sample of your pet’s fur, which the search dogs can use to pick up the scent. Dozens of strays are caught each year with the help of animal search dogs.
Sources: Etsijäkoiraliitto (in Finnish) & Etsijäkoirat (in Finnish)
Calm the situation down. Don’t run around shouting the name of the pet.
If necessary, you can also use a trained animal search dog that has been taught to track other animals by scent. For this purpose, it is a good idea to keep a small sample of your pet’s fur, which the search dogs can use to pick up the scent.
What to do if you see a stray pet you don’t know
- If you see a stray pet that you don’t recognise and that won’t let you to catch it, if possible, leave some food out for it and look for a missing pet post online.
- If you find the post, call the person who made it. If they don’t answer, text them the location where you saw the pet and the direction in which fled if it left the scene. Post a sighting report only if you cannot find a missing pet post for the stray you saw.
- If you see a pet on a motorway, report it immediately to the emergency number 112. The sooner you make the report, the more likely it is that a police patrol will arrive to stop an accident from happening. When cars swerve to avoid animals, it’s possible for rear-end collisions to occur.
Source: Karkurit.fi (in Finnish)
Can someone steal my pet? Is it safe to leave a dog outside the store?
The theft of dogs is rare, with only a few cases reported each year. If your pet has disappeared, it is much more likely that it has wandered off.
Guidance and instructions
Karkurit.fi
On the Karkurit.fi website you can check for posts about missing pets, sightings and captured pets, or make your own post. You can browse the posts by location and animal species.
Etsijäkoiraliitto
Help and advice for when you’ve lost your pet. Helpline: 040 724 8614.
Vainu – eläinetsijäkoirat association
Helpline: 041 805 9423.