When Becky Morris’ black Labrador retriever, Olive, went missing Jan. 17, she posted a picture and information about Olive on her Facebook page. Then, she called the Allen County Animal Rescue Facility and checked their Facebook page. That’s when she saw someone had posted a picture of a dog found near China Palace restaurant, a few blocks from Morris’ home. It was Olive.
“I figured somebody would have seen her or posted on ACARF’s Facebook page about her,” Morris said. “There are usually a lot of missing dogs that turn up found on the page.”
ACARF often uses Facebook to help reunite lost pets with their owners. In addition to the rescue facility’s own posts, they encourage those who have lost or found pets to share their posts on the ACARF page. With about 26,000 followers, chances are someone will recognize the animal. Director Janice Porter and volunteer Robyn Porter, who manages the Facebook page, estimate they post or share information on one to five lost pets each day.
“We get a lot of people on Facebook who say it looks like Allen County has the most missing dogs ever,” Janice Porter said. “We’re really not any different than other communities.”
The difference is visibility. Robyn Porter dedicates a great deal of her time to the social media effort. Many people, like Morris, have learned to turn to the shelter’s Facebook page when their pets go missing. It’s also become the go-to spot for people in other communities in southeast Kansas that don’t have animal shelters, like Chanute, Yates Center and Garnett.
“It helps us because the animals that don’t go home could end up here (at the shelter),” Robyn Porter said. “We want them to be with their families.”
ACARF staff doesn’t track how many of the lost and found posts result in reunions. Not everyone provides a follow-up. They’re also concerned because Facebook has announced plans to change its algorithms to show more posts from friends and families and less from business pages; ACARF isn’t sure how that might affect its visibility.
Before social media, people who lost or found pets typically would call police, animal control officers or the animal shelter. They also might contact radio stations or newspapers, and post flyers.
“We still suggest those things,” Janice Porter said.
“But time is of the essence when an animal is missing,” Robyn Porter added.
It’s important to remember that, according to state law, an animal turned over to the shelter becomes the shelter’s property after three days. If an owner comes forward to claim an animal after that point, the shelter uses its discretion to decide whether the animal should be returned. Because of that, it’s important to submit proof of ownership such as photographs and especially veterinary records, Janice Porter said. If the animal has been adopted, the shelter will not release information about the new owner. Fortunately, they haven’t yet encountered such a situation, the director said.
Posts about lost and found animals are shared dozens, if not hundreds, of times. One post helped reunite a dog that had been missing from the Kansas City area for several months.
“God bless the people who follow us and share. Once they start sharing, it’s exponential,” she said. “You may not think it matters, but you are doing something so instrumental for that animal. You truly, truly help these animals get home,” said Robyn Porter.
