Using Posters

Posters are an important tool for letting the world know that you have accidentally lost your pet AND that you seriously want him/her back.  Not only does it help inform everyone to be on the lookout, but it lets them know that you did not abandon the pet.  Remember, there are good Samaritans out there who may have found your pet and, thinking that he/she was abandoned or unwanted, “rescued the poor thing” from an “undeserving” owner.

This section provides information about:

• How to create an effective poster

• Sample Poster 

• Tools needed for putting up your posters, and 

• A list of suggested locations for where to post your information. 

Qualities of a Good Poster

Click here to see example posters.

Follow these steps for making effective Lost Animal Posters and Flyers
 In addition to posting flyers (8 ½ X 11 sheets of paper), you will also want to make highly visible giant, florescent POSTERS that have your lost cat FLYERS attached to them. Florescent posters are highly visible, effective, and they are harder for people to tear down. They have proven highly successful in the recovery of lost pets. Your goal with these poster boards is to make them very big, very noticeable, and very brief.

ITEMS NEEDED: 

• At least 10 giant (28" X 22") florescent orange poster boards; 
• 2 large black magic permanent markers ( do not buy water soluble markers); 
• 10 sheet protectors; duct tape; 
• 10 flyers with color photo of your lost pet.

CREATING THE POSTERS: 
Use giant (28" X 22") florescent orange poster board available at most office supply stores. The size and florescent color will attract the eye of everyone who drives by-this is your goal! You will hang this vertical (not horizontal). At the very top, in 5-inch black letters , print the words REWARD. At the very bottom, in 5-inch black letters, print the words LOST CAT (or appropriate animal species). In the center of the poster, use clear packing tape to secure a plastic sheet protector. This is where you will slip your FLYER in and then seal the top portion with more tape to protect it from weather.

Above printed by permission of Kat Albrecht, Missing Pet Partnership.

Where to Post

Remember to display your poster at eye level for each situation.  For example, if posted on:

·        a telephone pole, the poster should be visible to someone driving by in a car

·        a bulletin board, the poster should catch the eye of someone walking by

Below are a few suggestions of locations for your posters.  For more ideas of people and places to call—and specific local establishments—thumb through your yellow pages.

Bear in mind that some towns may have local laws about hanging posters.  You may need a permit and should establish some kind of relationship with the police, a selectman, or the town clerk.  The more friendships you make, the more support you will get. 

Mobilize friends and family members to put up new posters every few days, as the old ones fall down or get weathered.

Your Private Property

Your car window – side and back windows.  If you have tinted glass, put poster on inside.

Your front door

Your front yard

Your mailbox, if it is on the street

Local Businesses

Banks

Coffee shops

Convenience stores

Child day care centers

Fast food restaurants

Gas stations

Grocery stores (pet food aisle)

Hotels

Restaurant windows

Taverns

Pet-Related Establishments

Dog trainers

Groomers

Humane societies

Kennels

Pet stores

Pet day care centers

Rescue groups

Shelters

Veterinarians

Prominent Public Locations

Church bulletin boards

Libraries

Office building bulletin boards

Park entrances

School bulletin boards

Stop signs

Telephone poles

Police station

Cars  

See under Your Personal Property, above.  Also consider putting posters on cars in parking lots, but be aware of local laws. 

Using Handouts

In addition to the large posters that you have put up all over town, you should prepare flyers that you can pass out to everyone.  Here are some suggestions for distributing your handouts:

Door to Door

Knock on every door in your neighbor and give them a flyer.  At the same time, be sure to:

• write down the name of the person to whom you spoke.
• leave your name and contact information, which should be on the poster.
• ask your neighbor to
• look and listen for a dog (or cat) in their area.
• call your animal's name and listen carefully for signs of distress.
• check their garage, sheds or other buildings.
• look in their trees, bushes and gardens.
• check their basements and bulkheads.
• ask permission to enter their property to look for yourself (the animal might be too frightened to respond to a stranger).
• ask whether they have noticed a new dog (or cat) in the area.
• ask neighborhood kids if they have seen anything.  Kids can be a great source of neighborhood goings-on.
• ask neighbors if they are aware of any cat trapping in the neighborhood.  Don't rule out neighbor malice.

Delivery Services

• Give your postal carrier a flyer or a photo with the dog’s or cat's name and your name/phone on it.
• Contact your newspaper delivery people, give them a flyer, and ask them to be on the lookout for your pet

In the Park

Give copies of your flier to people that walk their dogs in the area. They are more likely to spot animals than most people.  If you go to the parks early, you may find people who regularly walk their dogs together as an informal group.  Dogs on leash notice and want to investigate all kinds of things, even strange birds, lizards and turtles. 

At the Office

Give flyers to your friends and office mates and ask them to pass them along.

Email

Send it to everyone in your Contact List and ask each contact to do the same.