Please see our Search team videos page to watch the search team in action and see a clip of our appearance on BBC1's 'The One Show' with TV vet Joe Inglis.

Every Animal Search UK staff team member will have a photo identification card. If there are volunteers participating in a search then, in most cases there will be at least one team member in full uniform and displaying their identification. If you are in any doubt about the authenticity of a caller at the door then telephone our headquarters to verify their details.

All members of our search team will be in full marked uniforms. This means that we are taken seriously by members of the public who we are speaking to. It can reassure elderly neighbours who can sometime have vital information or encourage people to come forward with information as they know we are a professional investigation team.

Our team members are all trained to be as thorough as possible when asking questions to people in your neighbourhood. The what, where and when approach can help link sightings and information and build a picture of where a missing pet could be. With police experience within the team we can conduct a pre-planned poster and leaflet campaign which combines with our door to door enquiries. This will ensure that the advertising we carry out, is as effective as possible. Simple procedures such as placing posters on street corners can make sure that house owners from both streets can see the poster rather than just members of the public in one street. Find out more information about our poster campaigns.

All of our team are fully insured so when we are given permission by a building owner we can search their shed, garage,cellar outbuilding etc. Often cats will be scared or hidden from view so whenever appropriate we carry a recording of the owners voice to play in these places so that the pet will hopefully meoww.

Often there is nothing that is more effective than good old traditional communication and questioning people. By speaking to everyone we see, our search co-ordinators can ensure that as many people in the area as possible are on the lookout for your pet. Very often owners won't feel confident about approaching a total stranger and asking them whether they might seen their missing pet. We on the other hand; have encountered thousands of people while making enquiries about missing pets so approaching people is never an obstacle.

All members of our search team carry long range 2 way radios to stay in constant contact wherever they may be in an area. Whenever pratical to do so they will also provide an owner with a handset/radio. This means while the search is in progress you will be informed of our progress and sightings as they happen.

The radios are simply to use so owners won't have any problems operating them. If the search is across a wide area then we can also keep in touch by mobile telephone and text message too.

Our search vehicles are all marked with high visibility decals to attract the attention of people in your area and to let them know that we are in your area looking for your pet. Whilst parked in the area of the search we will leave contact details of the team that are in the area (displayed in the van)so that members of the public can immediately tell us where they have seen your pet to ensure there is no delay in getting to your pet's location.

For many years organisations like Cats protection have been using cat traps to safely capture feral cats and strays. The search Team at Animal Search UK can liase with cats protection volunteers in your area to arrange for a cat trap to be left in an area that your cat has been spotted in. This is very effective with timid cats that cannot be approached by members of the public, yet still need to be caught. Your cat's favourite food is normally the bait, when they walk into the cage of the trap, then the door gently closes behind them. Here is information about where you can contact your nearest cats protection branch.

If an owner is some distance away from the location of the search- for example the pet was lost while the owner was on holiday, or they have unavoidable work commitments. Because they can't be in the area close to the search then we can relay photos of found pets to the owner to confirm their identity easily and quickly, whatever the distance involved.

Very often cats can become stuck in high places such as trees and rooftops. All search team members have access to ladders to enable them to rescue pets from these kind of places. If the pet is in a really inaccessible place then professional climbing teams or the local fire service can be called to the scene if necessary.

For those owners that take advantage of our very successful poster and leaflet distribution service. Our team of staff in either our Headquarters and call centre based in England will be at the end of the phone 24 hours a day 7 days a week 365 day per year. We receive information about your missing pet from members of the public, vets, rescue centres, police stations or indeed anyone who has news. Then we will make up to 3 calls to ensure we pass on the relevant details of the sighting. If you are on the move and don't have a pen handy, we can text or email details to your mobile phone immediately.

Every missing pet's owner wants to take any steps they can to find them. However unfortunately very often owners are restricted about how much time they can devote to finding their pet due to heavy work and family commitments. These often make finding spare time to do the 'legwork' of publicising a missing pet very difficult. Why not let our search team and/or volunteers do all the time consuming work? It is often a very emotional time too, so you can either come with us or wait at home for the important "sighting" telephone call. We specialise in printing high quality colour laser laminated posters about missing and stolen pets see below for details of how we can help.....

All our searches will normally be combined with one of our professional poster and leaflets campaigns. We have the latest colour laser printers available to us so that we can produce high quality colour printed A3, A4 posters and A5 size leaflets. They will have between 1 and 3 colour photos of your pet on them and the posters will be laminated so that they are protected from the weather. Posters and leaflets will also bear our 0800 free phone telephone number on them connected to our 24/7 call centre/HQ. Find out more information about our poster campaigns.

The good news is that Animal Search UK search co-ordinators can step in and print and deliver large quantities of leaflets to outlets in and around any neighbourhood where a pet is missing.

Shops, schools and post offices are great places to leave quantities of our leaflets all bearing colour photos of your pet and our FREE PHONE telephone number so people can call us 24 hours a day about your pet. We then pass on any important news to you immediately by text message,phone or email.