What to Do If Your Dog Goes Missing in Minnesota: 3 Resources Every Pet Parent Should Save

As a proud dog momma of two, the thought of one of my babies getting loose is my worst nightmare. If you didn't know, I have a Husky mix who loves to open doors and also a rescue dog who loves to run away, so unfortunately this has happened to me before. Thankfully I was able to get them within an hour or so but people close to me haven't been so lucky. Thankfully all of the missing dogs have been found and the following resources were extremely helpful. I hope these resources help a fellow dog parent if they need them—and I pray you never do. 

Here are three Minnesota-based resources worth bookmarking right now.

1. The Retrievers — Search Strategy & Humane Capture

The Retrievers is an all-volunteer Minnesota team that specializes in helping owners organize an effective search and, when needed, humanely capture skittish dogs who are too scared to come when called. They offer free search strategy consultation once you're in touch with them.

Before you even need them, grab their free resources — all found on their Resources page:

• Action Plan (PDF): exactly what to do in the first minutes and hours after your dog goes missing
• Flyer & phone-insert templates for intersection signs
• List of Minnesota impound facilities and animal control contacts
• Tips on trap-building for skittish dogs, if it comes to that

Bookmark this now: theretrievers.org/resources

2. Horizon Adventure Media — Thermal Drone Animal Recovery

Based in Osakis, MN, Horizon Adventure Mediaoffers a Thermal Drone Animal Recovery service — using thermal imaging drones to help locate lost pets, especially useful at night or in wooded/rural terrain where a visual search on foot just isn't going to cut it.

Their listing is clear on one thing: if your dog is missing, call right away rather than waiting.

📞 (320) 766-4282

3. Lost Dogs Minnesota (Facebook)

Lost Dogs Minnesota is a free, 100% volunteer-run Facebook page with over 125,000 followers dedicated to reuniting lost and found dogs with their families. To get your dog's listing posted on their page, you'll fill out a form through Pet FBI — which also pushes your listing to a national lost-pet database and generates a printable flyer for you.

This is one of those "the more eyes, the better" resources — their network is genuinely huge across the Twin Cities and greater MN.

Losing a dog is one of the most helpless feelings a pet owner can experience — but Minnesota has a strong, generous network of people ready to help. Save this post, or better yet, print The Retrievers' Action Plan and keep it somewhere handy. You hope you never need it — but if you do, you'll be glad you didn't have to search for these links in a panic. 

With love, 

Bethany and her two fur babies Nova and Yuka