If your dog is missing or if you’ve ever had a missing dog, you know how heartbreaking and stressful it can be. Dogs are curious creatures and like to escape whenever possible. Creating a missing dog poster can help you locate your dog as quickly as possible.

First, purchase several large poster boards. Stick with either a solid white or a bright neon color so that people can clearly see the poster. Turn your poster board vertically and at the very top write “REWARD” in large, black, and bold letters. The word reward will get people’s attention. The reward doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg; even $10-20 is a perfectly reasonable reward. The fact that there’s a reward will give people an initiative to keep their eyes peeled.

At the bottom of the poster, write “LOST DOG” in big, black, and bold letters. In the center of your poster attach a large picture of your dog, preferably a color photo. If you have neat handwriting, you can write out the next part, but if your handwriting is sloppy then be sure to type out vital information. Write or type out a few key sentences; include a phone number at which you can be contacted, the color and breed of your dog, your dog’s name, and any other major facts about your dog.

When making this poster, don’t include your address. It’s safe to put your phone number down, but there are too many unsavory people in the world to be putting your address where everyone can see it. After you’ve created a few posters, hang each poster up at a busy intersection where you know a lot of people will drive by and see the poster. You can create missing dog flyers as well and hang those up at the same time. Getting the word out all over your area so that many people know that your dog is missing is vital if you want someone to find your dog. After you put up the posters and/or flyers, there’s not much left to do but wait and hope for the best.