Writing finder instructions on your pet profile: 6 lines that matter

Quick answer: Keep it under 6 short lines. One line on how to approach. One line on behavior (shy / friendly / scared). One line on safety (escape risk, fear of loud voices). One line for any temporary context (traveling, recently moved). Skip the personality essay. The finder needs actionable info, not biography.

Finder instructions are the most underused privacy-safe field on a public pet profile. They cost nothing to add, they take five minutes to write well, and they meaningfully change how a stranger approaches your pet. The trick is the discipline of brevity — short notes get read; long ones get scrolled past.

What a good finder note looks like

Three examples that show the pattern:

• For a shy dog: “Shy with strangers — please crouch sideways and wait for her to come to you. Do not chase. Loose body, soft eyes = approach OK.”
• For an indoor cat: “Indoor cat. She will hide rather than run. Check porches, decks, and under cars first. Please call before reaching for her.”
• For a friendly dog who escapes: “Friendly, will come to almost anyone. Please leash before bringing inside — he will bolt out an open door. High prey drive for squirrels.”

The six lines worth writing

1. Approach line. “Shy — let him come to you.” or “Friendly — will approach.”
2. Containment line. “Please leash before bringing inside — will dart out an open door.”
3. Behavior risk. “High prey drive — not safe loose near small pets.”
4. Stress signal. “Scared of loud voices — please speak softly.”
5. Medical or safety note, if essential. “On medication — please call before feeding.”
6. Temporary context, if applicable. “Visiting Portland through May 28 — backup contact is Maria 555-0123.”

Most pets need 2-4 of these, not all six. Pick what is actually relevant for your pet, not the full menu.

What to leave out

• Your home address.
• Your daily schedule (“I’m usually at work 9-5”).
• Long personality stories.
• The pet’s detailed medical history beyond immediate-handling relevance.
• Your microchip registry account login.
• Your pet’s full name including last name.
• Photos of your face or family.
• Anything you would not be comfortable having visible to anyone with a phone camera who scans the tag.

Why brevity matters specifically here

A finder is often standing on a sidewalk, holding a phone, with a confused or frightened animal nearby. Their cognitive bandwidth is limited. Short notes get acted on; long notes get skimmed and forgotten. The neighbor who reads “Shy — let her come to you. Loose body OK” is more likely to crouch sideways than the neighbor who reads a 200-word essay.

For cats specifically

Indoor cats are statistically less likely to be recovered than dogs in part because finders treat lost cats like lost dogs. A few cat-specific notes:

• “Indoor cat — will hide rather than run.”
• “Check porches, under cars, and inside open garages.”
• “Speak softly. Crouch and let her come to you.”
• “Has not been outside in years — please do not chase.”

For more on cat body language, see cat body language for finders and family.

For dogs specifically

• “Shy with strangers — crouch sideways, do not loom.”
• “High prey drive — secure area before unleashing.”
• “Friendly but bolts at open doors.”
• “Comes for treats — offer something from pocket.”

For more on dog body language, see dog body language for finders and family.

Privacy-aware writing

Anything you write in finder instructions is public when scanned. Treat it the same way you would treat a sticky note on your front door — useful to a friendly visitor, but visible to anyone. Practical info that helps a finder. Nothing more. For the broader privacy framing, see why pet privacy settings matter on a scannable tag.

Where Driyu fits, honestly

Driyu’s finder-instructions field on your pet profile is purpose-built for these short notes. Six lines, on the public scan page when populated. Update twice a year, or whenever the pet’s situation changes. Pair with current phone number, emergency contacts, and a recent photo — the finder gets a useful page in 20 seconds.