Lost Pets IOW is a Facebook page which focuses on reuniting pets with their Isle of Wight owners by providing a forum for Islanders to post their lost and found pets.
Founded by Lindsay Mould and managed by a dedicated group of admins; Shirleyann Jones, Jacqui Arnett-Jones, Mark Haxell, Emma Urry, and Vicky Mould. The group administrators work hard to provide advice and comfort to distressed owners, and help to showcase images and descriptions of pets that have gone missing on the Island. The group is very busy, with more posts added each day, and has become an initial reference point for Islanders who have lost or found animals.
Happy Endings
The appeals on the group range from cats and dogs through to tortoises and parrots, the odd bird of prey and even, in one case, a lost lamb. The success of the group is undeniable, as seen by their ‘Happy Endings’ tab – which updates group members on the outcome of many cases.
At the beginning of this month a grey Cockatiel was found in the Priory Bay Hotel in Seaview and returned safely to his worried owner – all due to the efforts of those posting on the Lost Pets IOW page. The page has so far managed to reunite over 200 pets with their owners, and this number continues to grow each day.
Missing Pet Advice
The group, which currently has 1,811 members, posts advice alongside the ‘lost and founds’ about what to do when you fear your pet may be lost or if you have found an animal, including the numbers to call straight away, and ways to best write your ‘missing pet’ advert.
They have even made a template ‘Lost Animal’ poster, so that owners can quickly download, fill in the details and print off a poster to display in their local area. The Facebook group now has the support of all of the rescue centres; Island Roads; Dog Wardens; and Island media outlets.
Administrators
Administrator Jacqui Arnett-Jones works very hard to ensure that she does everything she can to assist people posting on the group,
“I became a member of lost pets ten months ago, not because I had lost a pet, but wanted to help in some way. I have several pets myself and would be devastated if any went walkabout.
“With over 200 happy endings, the group is not only for reuniting; it gives hope and support to members. When it started no one knew what to do when losing or finding an animal and now 80% of members know what to do and who to call because of the information we provide.”
Members
It’s not just the administrators that make the group special. It’s also the general public who keep their eye out for animals posted on the group and offer kind and helpful support to each other.
Jacqui recognises that the members often go beyond the ordinary call of duty to help others, and that’s what makes the group so successful.
Birthday Wishes
Jacqui has a birthday coming up on 27th August, and her birthday wish is for the Lost Pets IOW Facebook group to reach 2,000 members by that date.
The more people that can get involved, the more animals the group are likely to be able to reunite with their owners, so if you are an animal lover head over to Lost Pets IOW and join today.
The site
Lost Pets IOW
