A pet care expert has some advice for people who lose a dog.

"Finding your beloved dog is difficult when you are under duress, but it is important to act quickly," says Charlotte Reed.

She offers seven strategies for finding a lost pet.

Search your property. Conduct a thorough examination inside and outside of your home during the day and at night. Start inside by looking behind furniture and appliances, under beds, in closets and in boxes. Finish outside by checking drain and sewer pipes, the garage, other buildings and shrubbery. Also, consider where you live. Do wild animals such as coyotes come down to your neighborhood looking for food? Look for signs of a struggle or blood at the property line.
Make a flyer. Use fluorescent paper for higher visibility. Use a recent picture of your pet to make it easier for someone to spot her. List the date and place your dog was lost, breed, sex, age, weight, color, markings and a contact number.
Never give out all the identifying features, so that if someone claims to have found your pet they will be able to convince you by providing you with a full description. Offer a reward. Post flyers at eye level on utility poles within a one-mile radius from your home. Also, place them at veterinary offices, pet shops, grocery stores, grooming shops and neighborhood restaurants and local businesses.
Walk the neighborhood. Take turns with family members and walk around during day and night hours. Carry a flashlight to check in dark places. Also, bring your pet's favorite toy and treats. Call her name and make familiar sounds that she regularly hears.
Tell your neighbors and those working in your neighborhood. Go from house to house and introduce yourself. Give a flyer to neighborhood staff and municipal workers.
Visit your local animal control office, humane societies and animal shelters. Control agencies usually keep an animal for only three days. Visit these organizations by taking turns with family, friends and others. Leave flyers so that they can look for your pet, too.
Contact a breed rescue group. Usually, pure-bred dogs are rescued from shelters or animal control by breed rescue groups. These volunteers save dogs and try to find homes for them quickly.
Check if your pet has been killed on the road. Call city, county and state departments of transportation to see if they have any information. Dogs are generally picked up every 24 hours.

Reed also warns that people should never wander around the neighborhood alone looking for pets. Also, she says, be cautious if someone calls claiming to have your pet. Have them meet you with a family member or friend at a public location.