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I lost my cat... I have a question

Helen LHelen L Los AngelesMember Posts: 132
edited 29 March, 2007 in Laws & Legislation
Hello, I wasn\'t sure where to post this. I hope this is the place. I live in a 3-story apartment building and lost my cat last week. I have a feeling that someone in my building took him in. So I really want to make small flyers and slip them under everyone\'s door. But I was wondering if this was illegal? (Because I heard putting stuff in peoples\' mailboxes is illegal). If you are wondering why I just fdon\'t put up posters, it\'s because it\'s against the rules. I tried and maintenance staff yanked them down within hours.

Comments

  • Tony BlackwellTony Blackwell Cardiff, WalesMember Posts: 1,019
    edited 23 March, 2007
    That must be as frustrating as hell. Have you tried knocking on the doors of the other apartments? What about mailing the flyers to the other occupants? That surely wouldn't be illegal. Where does the mail go for the rest of the building? If you have a wall of mailboxes, could you post your flyers in each box/ I can't see why anyone would object. It's one thing getting flyers for the local pizza place in your box, but a one-off note from a concerned fellow resident would surely not be objectionable. What I find confusing is that anyone finding a cat in the building would take it in and not try to find who it belongs to. Please let us know how this turns out - I'm sending you Puuurrrs that you find your kitty. Leida.
  • Pet SerranoPet Serrano Member Posts: 156 ✭✭
    edited 23 March, 2007
    Putting flyers in mailboxes is illegal because technically your mailbox is government property. That's why the newspaper and UPS packages can't go in there. It's unlikely putting a flyer under a door is illegal unless you live in a town that makes odd rules for lack of anything better to vote on, but who knows with these humans sometimes! It may be against the rules of your building, but undoubtedly if you're not one to blast music while people are sleeping, everyone who has ever loved a pet will come to your defense if you get in trouble with the management, especially if you apologize for the flyer first. Put a big picture and LOST on the page just like you would for a poster, and then in normal type something like: Please, please forgive me for resorting to the flyer approach, I know no one likes to receive a surprise like this under their door first thing in the morning. My name is ___ and I live in apartment ___, and as you can see I have lost a very affectionate and outgoing cat. It is my hope that someone in this building has seen her, or better yet, taken her in and cared for her. If you have any information or think you heard an unfamiliar meow on your floor, please contact me. My number is ___ and my email is ___. She has been missing since ____ and her sister cat ____, and I are sick with worry.
  • Tony BlackwellTony Blackwell Cardiff, WalesMember Posts: 1,019
    edited 23 March, 2007
    I didn't know that about US post boxes Loki. :-O Any old junk gets put through our letter boxes over here. Your wording on the flyer sounds just the ticket.
  • Pet SerranoPet Serrano Member Posts: 156 ✭✭
    edited 23 March, 2007
    The whole thing is very silly if you ask me. According to postal regulations the carrier has to empty the box of all undelivered items when they open it, so we often have a mail box with some hooks for a newspaper or boxes on posts with an extra box for the newspaper, etc. UPS has to leave packages in my car! I've seen some people nail up small rubbish bins for delivery of junk mail, but it ends up in the mailbox anyway. (Fortunately I get Todd's newspaper in the mail so I don't have to install hooks or an extra box.) Yoshi and Kitty Mongoose, I hope you are reunited soon!
  • Helen LHelen L Los AngelesMember Posts: 132
    edited 23 March, 2007
    Hi Leida and Loki, thank you for your responses I really think that posters are the best way to go, so I called the apartment manager today to ask her if there\'s any way I can put them up again. After talking to that awful b**** (she was very rude to me), she told me I can go ahead with the posters! Loki, your example of the flyer sounds great! However I\'m not sure whether I will do the flyers now that I can do the posters. I don\'t want to annoy my neighbors and be too intrusive. Most of my neighbors aren\'t the nicest people. When we asked out downstairs neighbor to stop smoking in their balcony because the smoke rises up to us, they had the nerve to tell us we should close OUR balcony door. UGH. Anyway, I am trying many more techniques in addition to the poster, hopefully Yoshi will come back soon.... Please send happy thoughts our way
  • Michele AshleyMichele Ashley Chattanooga/HixsonMember Posts: 3,161
    edited 23 March, 2007
    Yes putting things in a mailbox is not legal but hanging on or taping to a mailbox is legal. I hope you find your kitty very soon.
  • Lorelei MartinLorelei Martin Philadelphia areaMember Posts: 2,919
    edited 24 March, 2007
    The posters may well work if someone has taken the cat in. But if not, depending on what sort of building you live in, if there are common areas or outdoor areas, you may want to try setting a humane trap for Yoshi as well. This can be the quickest and most effective way of getting a missing cat back. The cat is usually in the immediate area of where he lives (i.e. probably hasn't left the apartment building property) but may be too afraid to come if you call him. Cats that are used to living inside can become terrified if they can't find their way back to their homes, and quickly revert to semi-feral behaviors, including hiding from people. He won't be able to resist food though ... especially if he hasn't had regular meals. More info on lost-cat behavior here: http://www.feralfriends.org/lostcat.php You can buy a humane trap at Home Depot or similar stores for @$35.00, and bait it with wet food or tunafish. Just keep an eye on it once you set it - you don't want him to be stuck in a trap in a hallway or courtyard for hours. The best of luck in getting him back.
  • martha ciatteimartha ciattei Member Posts: 3,158
    edited 24 March, 2007
    don't forget to check your local humane society or shelter in case someone found him and took him there. we are rooting for you!! good luck!!
  • Tony BlackwellTony Blackwell Cardiff, WalesMember Posts: 1,019
    edited 25 March, 2007
    Please keep us updated. We are all puuurrring for him to come home. Leida
  • MrD_Sam_RazaMrD_Sam_Raza New ZealandMember Posts: 2,511 ✭✭✭
    edited 26 March, 2007
    Good luck, we are purring for you. :^:
  • Tony BlackwellTony Blackwell Cardiff, WalesMember Posts: 1,019
    edited 28 March, 2007
    Any news about little Yoshi Mango?
  • Diana GabaldonDiana Gabaldon PortlandMember Posts: 5,607
    edited 28 March, 2007
    Hi guys, I saw on another thread that Yoshi had been found safe and is back at home. Yay!!!;c;
  • Tony BlackwellTony Blackwell Cardiff, WalesMember Posts: 1,019
    edited 28 March, 2007
    Oh thank goodness! Thanks for letting us know Diego. That little feller has been on my mind recently. Great news! ;c;;c;;c;
  • Tammy RiveraTammy Rivera gadsdenMember Posts: 466
    edited 29 March, 2007
    Some folks love to take others pets so I think I would do a pet detetive but be careful.. Knock on doors and be nosey as you do it... If they have the kittie they may not want to give it back and not to mention that they may take it some where else. So I am not sure that I would want to place anything under anyones door and look up at windows kitties love to sit in windows. This may not be the best advice but its worth a try. Always becareful in what ever choice you make.. Please let us know what is going on I pray that you get your babie back..................Someone stold my cat once so I know how you feel about your missing baby.. I am so sorry.. Mz Isis Mom.... :((
  • Tammy RiveraTammy Rivera gadsdenMember Posts: 466
    edited 29 March, 2007
    Oh my I should have read the whole things there I got beside meself when I seen kittie missing..........you know like wanting to race where ever the kittie lived and help search.. I am crazy like that.. SO HAPPY THE BABY IS HOME SAFE....A BIG PAW CLAP TO YOU..=D>|$|;c; WE LOVE HAPPY ENDINGS... Mz Isis
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