Lost pet recovery success stories

Pet disappearances tend to spike in July, due to three factors in particular: Fireworks, vacations and open windows.

The week before and after the 4th of July tends to be much louder and more frightening for pets, as people test out fireworks displays for the holiday. Meanwhile, warm weather leads to more people hitting the open road, where pets may become anxious or disoriented in unfamiliar environments.

People who opt to stay home will often leave windows open to catch a summer breeze, but that can lead to pets pushing through screens or slipping through partially latched doors.

No one expects their pet to go missing and many take preventive measures, but as we've seen in our annual Hambone Award campaign, when it comes to pets, anything can happen.

Lost pet recovery success stories

Everyone loves a happy ending, which is why these Hambone stories about lost (and found) pets connected with so many people—and brought home a ham-shaped trophy for these families along with their pets.

Take for example Zeus and Ziva, who escaped from the backyard and ended up trapped in an abandoned missile silo for 21 days. Their harrowing adventure, inspiring rescue and recovery netted them top honors in the 2018 Hambone Award celebration.

Then there’s Minnow, whose mysterious disappearance captured the attention of our Hambone editorial team (and then the voting public, who selected her as their 2019 favorite). Minnow’s family did everything they could to find her over the course of three long weeks until she miraculously reappeared back on her own front porch and in need of a veterinary visit.

2021 Hambone Award recipient Bruin slid out the back gate one day and was last seen walking up a nearby fire road. When a helpful bystander tried to bring him home, Bruin reacted fearfully and tumbled 400 feet into a canyon. This led to a four-day search that involved local police and firefighters in addition to numerous concerned neighbors, before his eventual rescue.

Once found, all of these pets got the care they needed to make a full recovery, and their eligible veterinary expenses were covered by Nationwide.

Steps to find a lost pet

If your pet gets out, there are strategies for finding them that will improve their odds of returning home quickly and safely.

Start by posting lost pet listings on social media with your location, recent pictures and a description of your pet. Helpful neighbors are often the most valuable resources in helping a lost pet return home. In some areas, dedicated lost pet social media groups can add considerable person-power to the search.

Using this same information, create flyers to post in high traffic areas around your home. Because a frightened pet can cover significant distance fast, it helps to expand the range of your search—report your lost pet to all area shelters and veterinary practices, not just the closest, and check their websites regularly for found pets. If your pet is microchipped, many microchip companies have programs to assist in pet recovery including reporting, poster design and lost pet alerts.

Above all else, keep looking! Lost pets, especially microchipped ones, can be found days or even weeks later.

Veterinary care for lost pets

The world can be dangerous for missing pets, due to wildlife encounters, traffic and illnesses related to poor diet, dehydration and stress. Behind these incredible lost pet reunion stories were veterinary healthcare teams and treatment programs dedicated to bringing them back to health.

Nationwide pet insurance offers reimbursement for eligible veterinary expenses so lost pets can get the care they need when they need it most. Get a quote today at petinsurance.com.

In addition, our voluntary benefits plans—available only through workplace- and membership-based benefit packages—include a benefit that can be used to cover expenses related to finding lost pets. See if your employer offers Nationwide pet insurance at petinsurance.com/employee-benefits/company-search.