How to make a lost pet flyer that works

A lost pet flyer has one job: make a stranger recognize your pet in a second or two and know exactly how to reach you. Most people see a flyer from a car window or while walking past, so a simple, bold flyer works better than one packed with details. Here is how to make one that gets noticed and gets calls.

What to put on the flyer

• One big word at the top: LOST. Use the largest, boldest letters on the page. Add the kind of pet: LOST DOG, LOST CAT, LOST PARROT.
• One large, clear photo. Pick a recent photo that shows your pet’s whole body and face, in focus, with good light. Fill at least half the page with it. One great photo beats several small ones.
• Your pet’s name and a short description. Size, color, breed or mix, and one or two features someone could see from a distance, such as a white chest or a curled tail.
• Where and when. The nearest cross streets or landmark and the date your pet went missing.
• Your phone number, large. It should be the second biggest thing on the flyer after the word LOST. Add a second number if you might not always pick up.
• Your listing link. Add the link to your free lost pet listing or a QR code to it, so people can see more photos and updates.

What to leave off

• One identifying detail. Keep back a marking, a scar, a tag color or a quirk. When someone calls, ask them to describe it. This is one of the simplest ways to spot a scam. Read more about lost pet scams.
• Your home address. A phone number is enough.
• Long stories and small print. Nobody reads a paragraph on a telephone pole.
• The reward amount. If you offer a reward, “REWARD” is enough. Stating an amount can attract people who are more interested in the money than in your pet.

Design tips that make a difference

• Use high contrast. Dark, bold text on a white or bright background. Brightly colored paper (yellow, orange or neon green) stands out from other notices.
• Keep the layout the same everywhere. Use the same photo and wording on your flyer, your listing and your posts so people recognize your pet across them.
• Test it from a distance. Tape your flyer to a wall and step back several steps. If you can’t read LOST, see the pet and read the phone number, make them bigger.
• Protect it from weather. Slip flyers into clear sheet protectors or plastic sleeves, open end facing down, so rain doesn’t ruin them.
• Make a few large posters. For busy intersections, a large poster board with LOST DOG or LOST CAT in huge letters, the photo and the number gets attention from drivers.

Where to post flyers

• Near where your pet was last seen, and then in a widening circle around it.
• At intersections and stop signs, at the eye level of drivers, where people stop or slow down.
• At places people visit every day: mailbox areas, grocery stores, pet stores, laundromats, gas stations, coffee shops, schools and community boards. Ask before posting inside a business.
• At animal shelters, animal control offices, vet clinics and emergency vets. Ask staff to keep a copy at the front desk.
• In your neighbors’ hands. Hand flyers to mail carriers, delivery drivers, dog walkers, joggers, school crossing guards and kids. They see animals every day and are often first to notice a stray.

Check your local rules about posting on utility poles and public property. Some areas don’t allow it or require you to remove flyers after a set time.

Share it online too

• Post a photo of your flyer, along with your listing link, in local social media groups, neighborhood apps and community lost and found pet groups.
• Ask friends and neighbors to share it. Reply to comments and check messages often.
• Browse lost and found pets in your area every day in case someone has already posted your pet as found.

Keep your flyers working

• Check them every few days. Replace flyers that are torn, faded or covered by other notices.
• Update them if things change. If your pet was seen in a new area, put flyers there and add “Last seen near…” with the new location.
• Take them down when your pet is home. Mark your listing as home too. People appreciate knowing a story ended well, and it keeps the area clear for the next lost pet.

Reach more people faster

Flyers work best alongside other steps: calling shelters and vets, updating the microchip and searching at quiet times. If you want more people in the area to hear about your pet, our alert packages add phone calls and faxes about your pet in the area where it went missing, starting at $49.95. Questions? Call us at 1-877-875-7387.

More tips

Questions people ask

What should a lost pet flyer say?

LOST and the kind of pet in big letters, one large clear photo, your pet's name and a short description, where and when it went missing, and your phone number.

Should I put the reward amount on my flyer?

Writing REWARD is enough. Leaving out the amount helps avoid calls from people who are more interested in the money than in your pet.

What should I leave off a lost pet flyer?

Your home address, long text, and one identifying detail you can ask callers to describe to check they really have your pet.

Where should I put up lost pet flyers?

Near where your pet was last seen and in a widening circle: intersections, mailbox areas, stores, vet clinics, shelters and community boards. Check local posting rules first.

How do I keep flyers from getting ruined by rain?

Put them in clear plastic sleeves with the open end facing down, and replace any that get torn or faded.