As animal lovers, pets are like our furry children. They are our babies and when one of them goes missing, our world basically comes to screeching halt. While your first instinct might be to panic it’s important to stay calm and collected. What you do in the first 24 hours are imperative to finding your pet and getting them back home safe and sound.

Here are some essential steps to take that will help give you the best chance at finding your missing pet.