The Tamaqua Area Animal Rescue had an escape artist on its hands recently.

The dog, according to rescue volunteer Amy Paules, broke away from his new owner and was on the run for days.

“He went from Tuscarora (state park) to Tamaqua. He was caught two times, and both times he got away from the people who were trying to catch him,” Paules said.

Eventually - and thanks to the help of the animal rescue and others - the dog was captured and its owner was found.

Paules said reunions are always heartwarming - but losing a dog or a cat is heart wrenching.

Having been with rescue organizations for some time, she offered suggestions on what to do if you lose your pet - or if you “find” a cat or a dog.

“When somebody loses a pet, they really have to bust their butt and reach out,” said Paules, of New Ringgold, who noted that the animal rescue serves Tamaqua and beyond.

She suggested that they call police departments and veterinarians, and print and post flyers with the pet’s photo and information.

“Word-of-mouth is always the best, of course,” she said. “If you are out looking for your pet, ask whoever you see if they saw them - especially people who are out and walking their dogs.”

Photographs of the animals help, too, and you should have them with you when you’re searching.

“Facebook is a great tool but you have to remember that not everybody is online so sometimes you are better with flyers,” Paules said.

But you should post on social media if possible, because there is a good chance that others will share information about lost pets.

Paules recommended having an animal microchipped. The chips are scanned to reveal the owners’ information.

Identification tags attached to collars, along with rabies vaccination tags are helpful, too. Laws require dogs to “wear” the rabies tags, and they can help identify the owner or veterinarian.

“You want to have as much identification on the dog as possible,” Paules said.

Unfortunately, even the most responsible owner can lose a dog or a cat.

“Sometimes they break loose, sometimes they slip a collar or a leash with a collar - all kinds of things can happen,” Paules said.

If you find a lost dog or cat, you might want to check with your neighbors, she said. From there, check with your local police departments to see if any pets were reported missing.

And if it’s a dog, calling your county dog warden is a must. The wardens are employed by Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement.

“You should tell the warden where you found the dog, where you picked it up, or whether it just showed up in your yard or what have you,” she said. “And usually they will come out and get the dog.”

She advised against bringing an unknown animal into a home because it might have rabies or other diseases.

She cautioned against keeping the animal because its owner might be actively searching for it. They’ll never know what happened to their pet and will never have closure.

The Tamaqua Area Animal Rescue can always use volunteers. Some, like Paules, hit the road to try to find lost animals and two others are animal cruelty officers. But people are needed in other capacities.

For example, they might want to check social media sites for reports of lost dogs and cats, and relay that information to others. Or maybe they’d prefer posting flyers of lost pets or fielding calls about them. People are always needed for fundraisers, too, Paules said.

“There is so much someone can do that may not be taking out a large part of time during the day,” she said.

The Tamaqua Area Animal Rescue can be contacted through Facebook. Paules said potential members will find the work rewarding.

“It’s awesome. It is so awesome to be able to bring a cat or dog back to their owner. It’s such a great feeling,” she said.