7/1/2014
Massachusetts Animal Coalition:
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 creating an effective poster, a 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. In addition to posting flyers (8 x 11 sheets of paper), you will also want to make highly
visible giant, florescent POSTERS that have your lost dog or 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.
Posting posters and flyers
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
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.
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7/1/2014
Massachusetts Animal Coalition:
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.
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Massachusetts Animal Coalition:
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.
MEMBER LOGIN/SIGN UP CONTACT US HOME
The mission of MAC is to take a leadership role in strategic collaboration within the Massachusetts animal welfare community
and to maximize and measure the success of humane initiatives statewide.
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