FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Click on each question to expand the answer.
What is ROAM?
ROAM is a 100% volunteer run non-profit organization, dedicated to reuniting lost and found pets with their owners.
Who are we?
ROAM was formed when a team of 5 administrators and senior searchers decided to form our own strong, cohesive, community-friendly team. We have collectively put in thousands of hours of volunteer work and have successfully reunited countless pets with their owners. We wish to continue to provide this service, but felt it would be best for us to form our own group based on our own ideals and visions for our organization and our ability and desire to work with all groups.
What do we do?
From the moment we are alerted with a lost or found pet, our admins begin to work behind the scenes to get the details necessary to post a pet to our website. We have two numbers dedicated to ROAM and there is always someone to answer calls from worried pet owners.
We give advice and support to owners of lost pets to get a search started, or in the case of a found pet, to locate the owners.
If an animal seems to be settling in one area, we may set up a feeding station and infrared/motion ‘trail cameras’, followed by a humane, live-trap.
Why do we need another animal search organization?
We feel that the ‘need’ necessitates organizations like ROAM. We are a group of extremely passionate people who work extremely well together and share the same ideals when it comes to finding pets. For the welfare and best interests of the animals, it is our endeavour to work alongside other local animal agencies and groups. Our goal is to always put pets first.
Have more questions that are not answered here?
You guys are amazing and I’m so happy that we could find Fletcher within 1 day!! Your system seems to work awesome and I am so thankful.
Courtney B
This is a very sincere thank you to ROAM for the excellent and immediate response I received when I contacted Lesli to report that my cat Mugsy was missing. After my week of fruitless searching, Lesli, through her contacts, already had a picture of Mugsy on the ROAM web site and I was able to focus my search where he was last sighted. Getting him back that night was wonderful. Thanks again to ROAM and everyone who contributed to his return with their words of encouragement.
Gail G
My family cannot possibly thank all of you enough!!!! ROAM admin & volunteers were so truly amazing through this whole experience. Working so closely with Victoria Animal Control Services who were also absolutely wonderful! Passing out posters, Tigo ‘chits’, driving, walking, sharing on social media and with people in the neighborhood. Working with our family and friends who were stressed and scared and had no idea what to do. You all were so calm, reassuring, present, knowledgeable, and patient with us. We are truly overwhelmed by how our community came together for us, perfect strangers, on Christmas (!!), to find our lost puppy. Tigo made his way home because of all of your hard work over a solid 24hr period. With all of our hearts we thank you!!!!
Bonnie L
Reuniting Owners with Animals Missing
I have loved and had dogs all my life. My partner and I just last week acquired the most beautiful standard poodle named Lena. She is three years old and she came from a lovely horse farm in Nova Scotia. Her former mom has been a breeder of standard poodles for over 30 years and she is one of my best friends. Lena had been selected to be a breeding bitch but it didn’t work out. Apparently she didn’t like male dogs! So my friend knew I was wanting a new dog after our beloved standard died a few months ago. And she offered us Lena and we jumped at the chance. Lena had only been with us for TWO days when she was lost. On Thursday Nov 2nd she flew from Halifax to Vancouver. She had not only a 4,000 mile plane ride BUT she had a 1.5 hour drive from her former home in NS. And most importantly, she was left by her obviously very sad former mom of 3 years. What an incredibly stressful day for a dog. Then on Thursday evening she was handed over to us in Vancouver and we drove to a hotel. Lena had never been in a hotel before and the sweet natured jet lagged dog quietly settled down on the bed. She even had a small supper! Next day, Friday, we departed for the ferry terminal and she had her first ride on the ferry. We stayed in the car with her and she enjoyed the ride. Once back home in Victoria we introduced her to her new home and that night she slept for hours. ROAM came into our lives Saturday morning. I had taken her out for a pee break and naively–when she hadn’t peed for 14 hours–I took her off the leash just to pee. We were in an enclosed fence park, very small with two exits. A strange dog SUDDENLY out of nowhere bolted up to her JUST as she finished peeing (she was literally off the leash for no more than 2 minutes) AND she froze, jumped backward and then ran. Her fear of the dog was so great that nothing I could do worked. I ran after her for three blocks down a city street but I lost sight of her. Everyone in the neighborhood called out encouragingly as I ran down the sidewalk in search of her. In about 10 minutes I reached Beacon Hill Park, across the street from my home. I ran home hoping she might have come to our front door. No luck. I then ran back towards the park realizing it was the first walk I had taken her on and IF she was as smart as I thought she was–she would remember it. I also thought it most resembled the pastoral area where she grew up. Fortunately for me I met the most lovely woman and 3 dogs number in her contact list. Terry, the acknowledged search wizard at ROAM, got the call from his dispatcher, and apparently dropped everything at home and bolted out the door so quickly his wife Barb didn’t know what was happening! Meanwhile I was desperately retracing my first walk in the park with Lena hoping to spot her. As I ran through the park, I heard from many people Lena had been running from everyone who tried to help catch her. I even saw her with my own eyes and called out to her and she ran AS FAST AS SHE COULD in the other direction. I was devastated. Then I realized she was so traumatized that nothing could calm her down. At some point in the 4 hour search for Lena, my partner, Darrell, ran to the fire department in James Bay behind our house. The fire men jumped in their truck with the largest ladder and drove to the highest point in the park. They put up the ladder (which I think extends 10 stories) and they had a perfect outlook and actually spotted her heading for Dallas Road. For those who don’t live here this is the most beautiful dog park in the city and it runs along the water.This turned out to be the next piece of good luck in a day that started in a very bad way. Between the Victoria Animal Control (VACs) (Matt) and ROAM (Terry and countless volunteers) they managed to finally locate and corner Lena at one end of Dallas Road. She was so scared of them she ran down a huge embankment but lucky for us, the beach meant she couldn’t run into the streets anymore. With more skill than I could imagine, Matt and Terry worked together like a well oiled machine and closed off Lena’s possible escape route from the beach. Total strangers walking along the trails stopped also to help block her from coming back up the hill into traffic. By this time she apparently was too tired to run up the embankment (thankfully!) and within minutes Terry had safely and securely captured her. To think that one frightened dog–so far from its original home–ran through traffic for almost four hours and escaped unharmed is nothing short of a miracle. Except that in reality it was the training, love of dogs, and common sense of many people that brought us to this happy conclusion. We will always be so grateful to ROAM and all the good people of Victoria who came together to save our dog. Lena I’m happy to report is unscathed by her terrifying adventure. She is now wearing a HALTER and I have a 20 foot training leash. She has been back to the park in my company and she is also enjoying her walks on Willows Beach. Because of her ordeal we’ve been spoiling her just a bit :). I can’t tell you how many times Saturday night I looked down to see her sleeping beside us and pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. I could never imagine a dog surviving what she did–and totally unharmed. Thank you Terry and Matt and all the fabulous people at ROAM and all those kind strangers who pitched in to help us. Cindy T and Darrell B Victoria BC
Cynthia & Darrel
Our heartfelt thanks to your amazing team! We just can not express the true feelings of support and positivity you provided while being so organized, and amazingly effective! And thanks to Joe at Fort Victoria for keeping him safe overnight. We are forever greatful you were there for us and Cooper.
Christina Lloyd-jones
Thank you so much ROAM for helping me find my boy. Within no time the ad was up and you were giving me advice and support. I can not thank you enough for the efforts you put in and getting out there in the middle of the night to search! You are wonderful people and you’re doing an amazing job. Thank you from me and Kiedis! Time for a long nap 🙂
Kori R
Words cannot express how grateful I am, you guys are absolutely amazing! Thank you thank you thank you! Saban is safe and sound and I couldn’t be more relieved.
Ella B
Ryder is safe and at home with us. Thank you to Terry and Rachel and all of the ROAM volunteers who contributed to the safe return of our dog. We had several sightings early this morning following the route I took while looking for him today. We found him at Ash and Edgemont and with Terry’s exceptional guidance were able to reunite with our boy. We cannot say thank you enough to all who helped and sent messages of support. ROAM as an organization was outstanding start to finish. We could not have done this without ROAM. I cannot praise them highly enough. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! 💕💕💕🐶
Deb H
I just want to say thank you so much to the Lesli, Roam team, the couple who found him and everyone who helped. Frankie is such a sweet boy, and is loved by all of us at the Rescue. It is so great to have the support of Roam and the community when something like this happens. Frankie is a tired little boy and is resting after his big adventure today!!
Angela G
ROAM – Reuniting Owners with Animals Missing is an absolute dream! I cannot thank everyone enough for the help provided – from the organizers to the volunteers to the Facebook friends. I didn’t know where to start, and you pointed me in the right direction, with the support and care that I so badly needed. I was overwhelmed with the help I received – I don’t ask for help easily and to have so many willing, caring strangers step up was more than I could’ve imagined. Thank you, thank you, thank you for bringing my love home! I’ve been telling everyone about ROAM and am so thankful to have learned about this amazing group of people.
Katie W