The moment when you realize that your dog is lost is a scary one. So many horrible things can happen to a lost dog.

Contrary to the television shows, most of the times you do not die instantly from being run over. When a car runs over a dog, it can break the rib cage, squash organs like a hammer hitting a watermelon or both.

If the dog is small enough, the truck is big enough and the truck rolls over him right, a truck can actually flatten the back half of a dog into the pavement, leaving the top half in agony as he tries to get away. If the rib cage is broken, often the lungs are pierced. Then they fill up with liquid and the dog drowns. If it is the internal organs, read intestines and stomach, which are squashed, a dog can take hours of screaming pain to die while trying to crawl home.

If a dog is lucky enough, a slow speed accident may simply leave the dog with broken bones. You are old enough to know the consequences. Never let your dog roam freely.

Another fate of lost dogs is dog fighting. Your dog not being mean or large will not protect him. There are people, even in places where it is illegal, who drive around looking for stray or lost dogs to use in dog fighting.

The “collectors” sell them for a few pounds to the people that run the dog fights. Large and aggressive dogs are paired against less aggressive dogs to kill them. The aggressive dogs are intentionally starved and beaten to make them mean. Small dogs are used as appetizers to get the crowd worked up.

A common favourite is feeding a Pomeranian or a Toy Poodle to a Pit Bull. For some reason, some people pay to bet on dog fighting as a sport. If you hear about dog fighting in your area, call the police. It is not a matter of pet dogs letting out their aggression, it is cruelty.

Anyone that participates should, and usually does, face long jail terms. But jail terms do not bring your dog back to life.

Stray and lost dogs are also picked up to be sold for experiments. Even with all the bad publicity about the practice, many companies still test products on animals.

Some of these companies are not too picky about where the animals come from. Next time you see a pesticide that advises you to “wait 24 hours before allowing pets in the area”, ask yourself how they found out this information. Do you want your dog to die slowly from poison?

Speaking of poison, a dog wandering loose can easily eat poison. Antifreeze is a favourite treat for lost dogs. It tastes sweet and is deadly. A part of a bottle in a rubbish can can be the end of your dog. Or rat poison hidden in a barn can be eaten. Or even a couple pounds of old chocolate thrown out by a candy maker. Or… You get the idea.

Perhaps the best fate for a lost dog is for the authorities to find him. If he has tags or a radar implant, they will give you a call to come get him. You may have to pay a fine, but at least the dog is safe. If he does not have these devices, you will have a few days to find him. Almost all dogs with identification find their way home.

Very few dogs without it do. Which will yours be? Remember, if he gets his collar off, then he does not have identification. A radar implant is your best bet.

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Author: National Missing Pets Register

That is why they have GPS collars now on Dogs where you can track if they get lost.

You can prevent this also by putting the invisible fence in your yard so dog doesn't run away.

Thanks for the eye opener. If I do get a dog later on, I will find a way so that he won't be able to run away. That invincible fence sounds good.