Chances of Finding a Lost Dog After 24 Hours: Stats Explained

ByLauren Jeffries

Last updatedOct 20, 2023

✓Fact Checked

Key takeaways

The odds of finding a lost dog are high. While most pups are found within 24 hours, it's still very likely you'll find your furry friend after this.

Factors like your dog's personality, where they got lost, and why they ran away can impact the chances of finding them.

We explore three ways to increase the odds of finding your lost dog, including utilizing social media through PetRadar.

Key takeaways
What are the chances of finding a lost dog after 24 hours?
What impacts the chances of finding a lost dog?
3 ways to increase the chances of finding your lost dog
FAQs
Final thoughts

What are the chances of finding a lost dog after 24 hours?

The good news is that 93% of dogs are found within the first 24 hours (source). This means you will likely be reunited with your furry friend soon after they go missing.

However, after 24 hours, the chances drop to around 60%. This may seem like a big drop, but remember, it still means you're more likely to find your dog than not!

This shows just how important it is to be proactive in your search as soon as possible.

A lost dog sits on its own in a park during sunset

What impacts the chances of finding a lost dog?

While statistics can offer some insight, we need to remember that every dog and every situation is different. There are things that can impact the chances of finding your dog. It's important for owners to be aware of these so they can update their search efforts.

Their personality

Finding them might be more difficult if your dog is shy, timid, and scared. If they have been spooked by something, they could run very far away. Once they have done this, they will find places to hide and wait rather than approaching people and other dogs. This will make it difficult to locate them and, therefore, could decrease the chances of finding them. Be sure to check the following places:

Hiking trails

Farms

Abandoned buildings

Outbuildings in gardens

Garages

Quiet streets

However, if you've got a fun-loving, adventurous pup, then they're likely to be drawn to places with a high volume of people and dogs, like parks, town centers, and shops. This will make it easier to track them down through reported sightings and increases the possibility they have been taken into a shelter.

An adventurous lost dog in a park making friends

Why they ran away

The reason why your dog ran away can impact how likely it is you'll find them. Many dog owners blame themselves. However, it's usually nothing to do with them! Below are some common reasons why dogs run away and the behavior that can follow:

They are scared: If a dog's fight or flight instinct is triggered, they can run away. This can be because of loud noises, big crowds, or busy roads. When scared, they can run very far and hide in very secluded spots, which can make it very hard to find them.

They are bored: If they're bored or just fancied an adventure, they are unlikely to wander too far. They may have just gone round the corner to make friends with the neighbors or chased a squirrel for a while! This means they're likely to be near where they left off.

Mating instinct: If your dog hasn't been neutered, then they will have a very strong instinct to mate. This means they can take off to find a suitable dog to mate with. This does mean that they are likely to travel far. However, they are also likely to return home.

A frightened dog looking at fireworks after running away

Where they ran away

Where they ran away can also affect the chances of finding them again. This is because dogs have incredible homing abilities, meaning they can find their way home from far away.

For this reason, if they run away from home or nearby, chances are they will be able to find their way back. However, if you were in a different area, town, or even city, it's going to be a lot more difficult to follow their tracks.

3 ways to increase the chances of finding your lost dog

We now know just how important the first 24 hours are when searching for your furry friend. To make these moments count, make sure you follow our expert tips.

1. Tap into their senses

As we mentioned, dogs' homing abilities are impressive. But why not give them a helping hand? They are able to find their way home because of their powerful senses, and you can tap into these.

Hearing: Dogs can hear a sound from a mile away (1.6km) (source). This means that calling their name, shaking a bag of treats, and using a dog whistle or other familiar sound can make your search a lot more effective.

Smell: Dogs are known for their powerful sense of smell. This is why they are used in plenty of industries like the police force and the army. They can smell your scent from very far away, and studies have shown that they will associate their owner's scent with positive things (source). This means bringing old blankets, toys, and even clothes could help make your scent more powerful. It could even comfort them if they're hiding nearby!

A lost dog being attracted to a bowl of food

2. Utilize social media

We understand how effective social media can be when searching for a missing dog. This is why we created PetRadar. With just a bit of information from you, our animal lovers team can create sponsored social media posts that can reach over 4,000 of your neighbors.

This means you can recruit as many people as possible to help your search. It also allows neighbors to report sightings easily, which we'll notify you of immediately so you can find your lost buddy as soon as possible.

You can also use social media to:

Join local groups on WhatsApp and Facebook. These can be a fantastic way of spreading the message quickly to people nearby.

Post on your personal accounts. Many of your followers likely live nearby and are family and friends willing to help.

The PetRadar team sat at their computers surrounded by dogs

3. Call local shelters and vets

If people see a dog wandering on their own, they're likely to take action. This means many lost dogs end up in their local animal shelters or even veterinary practices. While this can be a great safe place for your dog to be, it's important you find them soon.

Unfortunately, many shelters will euthanize pets that are not claimed after just a week. Having a microchip can help avoid this scenario, as they will be able to contact you using the data on the chip.

Even if you have chipped your dog, reporting them missing to as many shelters as possible is an important step and will improve the odds of finding your furry friend.

A busy animal shelter surrounded by dogs

FAQs

How far can a dog travel in a day when lost?

This depends on the type of dog and their age. Fit, larger dogs can run 5 miles (8km) easily in a day, whereas older dogs or smaller dogs may struggle to run just a mile.

How long is the average dog missing?

The average pet dog is normally only missing for 24 hours. Over 90% of dogs are found within the first 24 hours, and after this, the chances of finding them begin to drop.

What is the probability of finding a lost dog?

There is a high probability of finding a lost dog. 93% of lost dogs are found, which gives owners a huge chance of being reunited.

How long will a scared dog hide?

It's hard to determine how long a scared dog will hide. It can range from hours to days, depending on the reason they are hiding.

How long should you look for a lost dog?

You should look for a lost dog until you find them. However, the first week is the most important for thorough physical searches. After this, you should focus on reported sightings and calling local shelters.

What do dogs do when they go missing?

What dogs do when they go missing depends on the type of dog. An adventurous, outgoing, and friendly dog will likely find neighbors to socialize with and parks full of dogs. Whereas a more timid dog may choose to find a quiet backstreet or an abandoned building to hide in.

Do lost dogs stay close to home?

Dogs have great homing abilities. This means that most lost dogs will stay close to home because they will understand their surroundings. When they stop recognizing where they are, they will feel scared and uncomfortable.

What attracts a lost dog?

Sounds and smells can attract a lost dog because of their powerful senses. They can recognize your scent from very far away, so bringing blankets and toys can help them find you. Treats and food can also help attract them. Calling their name and shaking a food bag can also help attract a lost dog because they have a powerful sense of hearing.

Final thoughts

Losing your dog can be a devastating, heartbreaking, and stressful time. We understand how difficult it can be, so we're here to offer you support and personal guidance every step of the way.

Start a PetRadar search now, and we can help you reach thousands of people as soon as possible to help find your pup. Finding lost pets is our team's specialty. We have already reunited 8000+ pet owners with their furry friends, so you can trust us to find your dog!

Written by

Lauren Jeffries

In this blog, I combine my two areas of expertise: pets and writing. I share my personal experiences alongside plenty of animal behavior research to help owners look after their pets. I have always lived with furry friends and am now a loving cat mum to two orange kitties.