As pet detectives we look at all possibilities.
We zone in on possible search areas and behaviours of highest probability based on the animal, its nature and the circumstances of its loss.
Ironically, there is a danger in becoming set in concrete on one theory right from the start. It’s a balancing game working on the highest probabilities first, yet not missing something important by becoming polarised by one theory only.
A common theory that freezes action is the belief a pet was stolen when there is no evidence. This means a pet owner may not check the obvious places for a lost stray such as the SPCA or pound – possibly missing finding their pet. The reality is it is uncommon for people to steal dogs and quite rare to steal cats.
A very sad case that illustrates this was a large dog who was not in the yard when his owners got home. The gates were locked, and the property was fenced to a height he had never scaled. Presuming the only possibility was that he was stolen, they started a large-scale advertising campaign.
Sadly, a week or so later they became aware of a smell and discovered that their dog had passed away of natural causes under the house… Assuming he was stolen, one of the first basic searches, the intensive property search, had not been done much. While nothing could have saved their beloved dog from electing to go under the house to die, it was devasting that they had to suffer a terrible week of pain and worry before he was found.