If you lose your pet, start searching for your pet immediately. Pets will usually hang around the area where they disappeared for 12-24 hours. Also, most shelters will keep unclaimed animals for just THREE days before euthanizing them or offering them for adoption. Some animal control facilities will hold animals for at least 6 days if the animal is wearing tags. After that, however, they are sold to medical research labs, offered for adoption or killed. If your pet does not already have tags, get them NOW. You can purchase I.D. tags from your veterinarian or a pet store. Tags are also given out with rabies shots. For added insurance pet owners have their pets tattooed with a registration number or injected with a microchip.