Don't let your pet become one of the many unclaimed lost pets surrendered regularly to the local pet shelter.

Ensuring your pet is appropriately identified and registered will greatly help its chances of being reunited with your family rapidly. Micro-chipping is a permanent method of identification and allows your personal contact information to be stored on a central database, accessible only by registered personnel. Couple this with a pet collar and identification tag and the chances of a rapid reunion are increased greatly. Council registration provides another means of identification, provided the registration tag is firmly affixed to the pet's collar.

Obviously preventing your pet from escaping from its home is a vital component of ensuring it doesn't wander or become lost. Regular checks of all fences and home security screens should be done to identify any potential holes or weaknesses through which your pet could escape. Maintaining the integrity of these barriers will greatly reduce the risk of your pet escaping from the premises.

Pets may also escape whilst on walks. All dogs should be restrained on a firm dog lead suitable to withstand a strong pull if the dog sees something it wishes to chase. The pet lead should be of solid construction and suitable for the size and strength of the dog it is being used for. All collars, leashes and walking harnesses should be fitted firmly to prevent the animal from slipping free.

If your pet does become lost, inform all local veterinary clinics and the local animal shelters immediately. Providing leaflets with your pet's picture and details may also be of benefit and many local shops are often willing to display such information. Advertisements can also often be placed in your local newspaper's lost and found pet section.

If you personally find a lost pet, it is recommended to surrender it to the local animal shelter as soon as possible or to a local veterinarian if it is injured, to aid in the animal's quick reunion with its family.