Search your neighborhood several times a day. Call area vets. Injured pets are often brought directly to a vet for care before being taken to a shelter. And if you're lucky enough to be reunited with your pet, immediately license the animal and place a collar, I.D. tag, and a license on him or her. That's your pet's ticket home.
Many pets drown each year in backyard swimming pools, especially puppies and kittens.
If you have a pool, or if you live alongside a body of water, it's best to put up a fence to keep animals out. Do this repeatedly until the dog can find its way out of the pool unassisted. And review the lesson twice a year. Remember, too, that not all dogs are natural swimmers. If you take your dog to the lake or out on a boat, consider getting it a doggy life vest.