When social media turns Sherlock, finds lost pets

Sharon Buteau, executive director of a research organisation, turned to social media when her pug went missing in August. “The first 24 hours were crucial. I posted photos of Gemini and details on Facebook groups related to pets and created a WhatsApp group. I found social media very helpful. The word spread rapidly and we got some leads about Gemini. I also searched sites like Olx and Quikr, where dogs sometimes turn up. It took me a month to find Gemini. We live in Besant Nagar but Gemini was found in Perambur,” said Sharon, who also put up posters of her missing pug with contact details. 

Padmashree Srinivas, an entrepreneur from Nungambakkam realised her Miniature Pinscher named Aggie was missing one day last month. “On investigation with the neighbours, we discovered that it was a person who claimed to be a domestic help, who had taken Aggie away in a bag. We immediately approached the police and used CCTV footage to get a picture of the suspect. The police caught the person and interrogated after which, Aggie was left at our street. After I shared the news of Aggie missing on social media, many people volunteered to go doorto-door, distributing pamphlets. Some people called and kept reassuring me. It was such a great moral support,” she said. 

However, Padmashree pointed out that she also received many false leads from social media. Samudra Gupta, who founded The Pound, an animal welfare Facebook group, said social media’s power of reach has helped spread the word. He added that an increasing number of pedigree dogs are being stolen. “A pedigree dog can fetch anywhere between Rs 5,000 to 20,000, which can be lucrative for someone who is earning that sum in a year. Now, every family wants a pedigree dog and these animals become soft targets. If the animal is not neutered, it can be used for breeding – which can generate a sizable revenue for a few years,” he concluded.