Image supplied by Parker Maclellan / Pictured: Chester, a rescue who was caught in 11 days.
Pet Searchers Canada

This business helps people find their missing pets-sometimes with the help of bloodhounds

Sep 26, 2022 | 6:00 AM

SURREY — Al Maclellan is the owner/operator of Pet Searchers Canada—a unique business that helps people find their lost pets, sometimes with the help of his three bloodhounds. His son, Parker, and Arianna also assists with the business.

“We get hired to look for lost dogs, lost cats, and lost animals,” Maclellan said. “We used to look for lost people, but we don’t do that anymore.”

The Surrey-based business was founded 15 years ago after Maclellan lost his own dog.

“I was living in Abbotsford, and we had a huge storm, and a tree fell down and broke our fence, and one of my Shar Peis took off,” he said. “It took two weeks to find him.”

Soon after, people that needed assistance finding their lost pets reached out to Maclellan, and then it turned into a business. Prior to Pet Searchers Canada, he was in the financial world.

“We probably get three to five calls a day from Ontario,” the pet detective remarked. “We do a lot of cat searches—some days Parker will go out and do two or three cat searches in one day.”

Maclellan has advice for cat-owners—keep them inside.

“If you let them out, they’re going to roam, and there’s lots of danger out there,” he said. “You wouldn’t let your dog run around outside all the time, or your children. If you love them, you’ve got to treat them like children.”

Using proper harnesses and a GPS is another tip to keep track of your pet’s whereabouts at all times.

“When we take our bloodhounds out, we have GPS on them at all times, and a proper harness,” he said.

For more information, people can visit www.petsearcherscanada.com.