What if your beloved cat goes missing? Preparing in advance: An interview with a Lost Cat Poster Specialty Shop [Lost Pet.net]

Hello, this is Kuriyama from Poponeko.

If your beloved cat were to run away... rather than searching blindly, it is extremely important to gather eyewitness information using lost cat posters and flyers.

However, conducting search activities alone is too much of a burden for owners. The service that can create lost cat posters and flyers on behalf of such owners is called "MaigoPet.net".

To help find lost cats as quickly as possible, I asked Masaharu Shimizu, who runs MaigoPet.net at City Life Co., Ltd., about how to effectively use lost cat posters and flyers.

Cats are overwhelmingly the most common pets to go missing

Kuriyama:
Could you tell me what inspired you to launch a specialty shop for creating flyers and posters for searching for lost cats?

Mr. Shimizu:
Our company has published local community newspapers for many years. That was the starting point, as we used to post information about lost dogs and cats within those newspapers and on our own website.

As someone involved in this kind of business, I wanted to see if I could be of more help, so I launched a dedicated site for lost pet flyers.

Kuriyama:
I see. According to our survey, the number one concern for cat owners is "anxiety about running away or getting lost." Do you actually receive many orders from cat owners?

Mr. Shimizu:
Yes. Cats are indeed the most common. Dogs follow next. Besides them, there was even a person who created a flyer when their parakeet went missing.

Kuriyama:
If you live with a cat, you should definitely prepare for the possibility of them running away. Are there times of the year when more pets go missing?

Mr. Shimizu:
This year, we had many orders during the rainy season in June and July. It seems some pets ran away after being surprised by sudden thunder or due to the stress of abrupt weather changes.

Kuriyama:
You truly never know what might trigger it. The owners must have been so worried.

Take clear, high-quality photos of your cat

Kuriyama:
MaigoPet.net has a wide variety of designs, but do you have any special techniques to help find lost pets?

Mr. Shimizu:
We are often asked to provide urgent assistance, and we want to deliver them as quickly as possible. If the design is too complicated, it increases the risk of delays or errors in production, so we focus on "ease of creation."

Kuriyama:
The designs are very easy to read and make the missing pet's characteristics clear.

Mr. Shimizu:
We try to include a photo of the pet as large as possible within the limited space. While we provide design templates, our designers adjust each one to match the specific photos and amount of text provided.

Kuriyama:
Is that so! Which design is the most popular?

Mr. Shimizu:
The designs chosen most often are the Standard Type-E or Standard D, and red is a common color choice.

▲Design list page. You can order 100 A4 flyers starting from ¥9,000.

Kuriyama:
So all you have to do is choose a design and enter the necessary information, right?

Mr. Shimizu:
That's correct. It's designed to make selecting the number of copies, number of photos, and colors easy, so once we confirm the order, we proceed with the design creation. We want to deliver them as fast as possible, so if you confirm the design draft by around 2:00 PM, we can ship it out that same evening.

▲Once the procedure is complete, you will receive an email explaining how to send the photos.

Kuriyama:
That fast! What kind of photos are best for the pet?

Mr. Shimizu:
Some customers only have photos that are blurry, out of focus, or in poor condition. For lost pet flyers and posters, the "photo" is truly vital. Nowadays, smartphones can take high-resolution photos, so I recommend taking photos of your pet occasionally just in case. Also, I suggest taking close-up shots of distinguishing features like their tail or unique markings. In fact, our design templates include space to list these specific features.

Kuriyama:
You should take clear, cute photos of your cat! You'll want to remember to take a photo whenever you buy a new cat collar.

Effective ways to use lost cat posters and flyers

Kuriyama:
Could you tell me some effective ways to post lost cat posters or distribute flyers?

Mr. Shimizu:
For instance, since dogs and birds move over a wider range, it's effective to expand the search area and ask shops or bulletin boards to post your flyers.

Cats and small animals like rabbits often hide in nearby gardens, so it is effective to not only post flyers but also distribute them into neighbors' mailboxes.

In places where dogs gather, such as dog walking routes or parks, you might be able to get information from many other owners, so asking for their cooperation is also a good idea.

Kuriyama:
You have to share the information about the lost pet with as many people as possible.

Mr. Shimizu:
Exactly. Even when posting, there are three patterns of placement. "Circular Posting" involves placing them in all directions centered on the point where they went missing. "Radial Posting" centers on a location where valid information was found and branches out. "Spot Posting" involves targeting specific locations where information is likely to be gathered, such as shopping streets or dog walking routes.

It is effective to use these according to the terrain and situation, or to combine them.

Kuriyama:
About how many copies are usually needed?

Mr. Shimizu:
Ordering 100 copies is most common, but some people order over 5,000. Some have even arranged for them to be inserted into newspapers, and you can really feel their passion to find their pet.

Make it a habit to prevent your pet from getting lost

Kuriyama:
Other than taking photos of your pet regularly, what else should owners be careful about?

Mr. Shimizu:
I believe it's about making it a habit to prevent them from getting lost in the first place.

If you are raising a pet indoors in a single-room apartment, it's relatively easy to take measures, but in a detached house where multiple family members live, cases often occur where someone lets their guard down and opens a window, allowing the pet to escape.

In such environments, I think understanding and daily awareness from the entire family are necessary.

Kuriyama:
I'd also like people to have them wear "cat collars" and "ID tags" at all times.

Mr. Shimizu:
Cat collars and ID tags are items that require preparation in advance, but they are useful once your pet actually goes missing. Ultimately, the most important thing is how to prevent them from getting lost in the first place.

A dog I used to have once escaped because the chain I used to tie him up had deteriorated. Those items are also consumables, so I regret that I didn't replace or check them regularly.

Kuriyama:
That is so important. Thinking of the owner's feelings, a pet running away is truly heartbreaking.

Mr. Shimizu:
When a pet is found, we receive happy reports from many customers. Every time that happens, it's truly encouraging and makes me realize the joy of this work.

I've even had people tell me, "It felt like I had a partner working with me, which gave me courage," which made me very happy.

After all, I think everyone feels intense anxiety and loneliness when their precious pet suddenly disappears. It reaffirms that pets really are as important as family.

Kuriyama:
In such times, having a specialty site like MaigoPet.net is truly reassuring.

Mr. Shimizu:
We want to provide as much help as possible when a pet goes missing. However, the owner's daily caution and awareness are always key to ensuring a pet doesn't get lost.

If your beloved pet were to run away, you would likely be so worried and anxious that you wouldn't be able to sit still.

At such times, "MaigoPet.net" can create lost cat posters on your behalf. With highly visible posters that clearly convey your cat's features, you can gather valuable eyewitness information.

The key point is the cat's "photo".

Since you don't want them to be mistaken for another cat, you need a photo that isn't blurry. It's okay to do it just occasionally, but you should take photos that clearly show your cat's face and their full-body markings.

While measures like escape prevention fences are necessary, taking photos of your cat is also a way to prepare for them potentially getting lost. Please try to make photo time a part of your fun playtime with your cat!