Did you know that if you “smell,” it may not please everyone, but it could help in locating your lost pet. Nor should you look a lost animal into the eye, but off to the side. Also, it would be a good idea to sit on the ground. This is less threatening. Many pets will come to you slowly if you are calm and quiet.

At a loss of what to do, if your pet goes missing ... chances are they are, too. Lost Pets of Omaha Area, a local nonprofit, just may have the answers for you. In the last 10 years, they have successfully brought over 25,000 lost pets back to their owners, according to their recent stats.

From years of experience, they suggest:

• Place a piece of your worn, unlaundered clothing and a bed or blanket of the pet’s outside where lost (these are “scent articles”). Dogs can detect familiar scents from a great distance.
• For cats, place a used litter box outside in a sheltered spot. Cats can detect their own scent from great distances.

Also, take smelly food with you during your search.

“Hot chicken works great, or even a can of tuna. The smell carries well. Toss small pieces towards the pet, making each piece land closer to you,” they added.

And above all, although tempting, never chase a loose pet.

“They are scared and quite often will even run from their owners. Chasing can cause them to run into traffic, getting injured or killed. Unfortunately, we have literally seen this happen; all because people think they can catch a pet by chasing it,” they advise.

These handy tips could save you time, energy, not to mention stress, and even lives, no matter how many your cat allegedly has.

“At Lost Pets of Omaha Area, our mission is to reunite lost pets with their owners. Ideally, we would prefer not to have this necessity. We are a unique organization that aspires to be unnecessary,” said Cathy Eaton, its founder.

“Regrettably, over the past decade, there hasn't been a single day without a lost pet report. Our team consists of many volunteers, all of whom are pet owners. We all bear in mind that it would be quite disheartening for any of us at LPOOA to post about our own missing pets. Nevertheless, we recognize that some pets are natural escapees, and unforeseen events can occur,” she said.

Therefore, they suggest:

• “Neuter your male pets to decrease their tendency to roam.
• If your pet is prone to jumping fences, use a long line when taking them out – even though it may be inconvenient, it's less so than paying impound fees or veterinary bills should your pet be hit by a car.
• Ensure that your pet passes through multiple doors to exit the house when entering or leaving.
• Inspect your gates and fences after windstorms to ensure they remain intact.
• Following heavy snowfall, particularly drifting snow, check for any drifts that could facilitate your pet jumping over the fence.

All these tips, and more, are posted on their website, run in conjunction with their Facebook page, where images and descriptions are posted via Messenger, for lost, wandering, or found pets.

“The loss of a pet can be as devastating as the loss of a family member. We aim to offer a series of recommended steps, derived from the successful experiences of our team and others, to aid in locating a lost pet. Naturally, having someone assist you with these steps, while you search, can be beneficial,” Eaton said.

After sending LPOOA a “Lost” listing, she recommends:

• File a Lost Pet report with the Nebraska Humane Society or the Midlands Humane Society if in Iowa. Although many people will look at our Facebook page, there are just as many people who will contact the animal shelter to see if their pet is there.
• Get posters, flyers, and signs out. (Signage tips are listed on their site.)
• Get a flyer to local pet groomers, vet offices, pet stores, and pet day cares. People often take a lost pet to those places.
• Get flyers into the hands of regular drivers in your area, such as postal workers, bus drivers, UPS, Amazon, etc., asking them to call if sighted.
• Post on your local NextDoor and local neighborhood pages. These services often have a more focused reach.
• And, yes, there are at least 15 other area Facebook pages that you may want to place a post. We have seen countless cases in which a person loses a pet and posts it on one site, and another person finds the same pet and posts it on a different site.
• Very importantly, check with your local humane society daily. Do not depend on calling in. The NHS holds pets for 3 days before starting the process to get them ready for adoption, if in Douglas County. Sarpy County is 5 days. Midland is also 3 days.
• Take a look at the services that we offer to assist in getting your lost pet back home.

Also, please note, it is illegal to rehome a found pet. One must file a Found Pet report with the Nebraska Humane Society or the Midlands Humane Society if in Iowa, she said.

“Although many people look at our Facebook page, there are just as many people who will contact the animal shelter to see if their pet is there.”

If found, she suggests:

• Walk the pet around the neighborhood. People may be out searching or driving around slowly, looking for the pet.
• Check to see if the pet is chipped. Most vets and pet stores can scan, as well as your local animal shelter. Also, LPOOA has a large network of volunteers across the city that will come to your location to scan the pet. Our moderators will usually ask you if you want us to come scan the pet.
• Look on your local NextDoor and local neighborhood pages to see if anyone has posted a similar lost pet.
• And, if you are unable to hold the pet, please contact your local Humane Society to pick it up. In Nebraska, call (402) 444-7800, Ext. 1. In Council Bluffs, call (712) 328-4656.