Lost a pet? Try turning to the Web for help

It's traumatic losing a pet, but there are a more options nowadays to help find them.

At Web sites such as findtoto.com, petharbor.com, petfinder.com and craigslist.com, pet owners have all sorts of tools to use to get the work out, including e-mail blasts, phone alerts, postcard blitzes and faxes.

"There are a lot of different things available," says Brenda Mitchell, an educator for Central California SPCA. "People need to just do the steps while using them."

Pet owners, Mark and Lori Ruh, are currently trying some of the options while searching for their son Jimmy's 11-month-old white lab, Colby. The dog was last seen in the family's backyard in east Fresno, Calif., on Sept. 15.

A lot of tears have been shed.

The Ruhs first searched by posting 130 fliers near stop signs and at businesses in their neighborhood and running ads in The Fresno Bee newspaper. They continue visiting the Central California SPCA to see if Colby is among the strays or injured. They also check with animal control workers, who can hold animals for just five days.

Then, the Ruhs turned to the Internet.

"It opened our eyes to how the process works," Mark Ruh says.

But still no Colby.

Kelly Joos, director of Valley Animal Center in Fresno, says it is important that pet owners try the various options.

"Petfinder.com and findtoto.com are wonderful avenues for people to use," she says. "You can reach a lot of people."

Findtoto.com, for example, uses the phone alerts to help find lost pets, charging a fee. Users declare how many neighbors they want notified, fill out the missing pet information and enter the ZIP code that can reduce neighbors' phone numbers to within a mile radius. Findtoto.com says it finds seven out of 10 lost pets.

The Ruhs paid $70 for 250 neighbor phone alerts. However, they received just two callbacks, including one from a relative.

Craigslist.com provides a pet discussion forum. The Ruhs chatted about Colby, his appearance, where he was last seen and how much he meant to the family, particularly Jimmy. A couple of people responded that they thought they had spotted Colby.

"With every lead, Lori combed the area," Mark Ruh says.

Still, no Colby.

Lori Ruh says she has been amazed at the compassion people show toward her family.

"They just want you to find your pet," she says.