When a dog or cat is missing for months or even years, the most effective search methods are not necessarily the same as those used in the first few days or weeks. This is especially true when there are few to no confirmed sightings of the missing pet.
The goal of this research project is help determine what search methods are most effective for conducting a long-term search. Some of these methods may work best if maintained over time such as online posting and posters. Others are perhaps new ideas to try when nothing else has worked so far.
The preliminary research for this project is published on the Lost Pet Research Blog. See Effective Long-term Lost Pet Search Methods.
If you have found a missing pet after a long-term search, please consider sharing your story in the comments and/or completing this short survey about your experience.
A long-term search is not specifically defined, but most pet detectives surveyed considered a search long-term after 2-4 months. However, anything over a month, especially without sightings, could be considered long-term for this project.
Lost cat Myrle finally caught after 1 year and 9 month missing.
One of my longest searches: indoor-only cat Myrle was found 1 year and 9 months after he fell through a loose screen.