The most effective use for Flyers.
Flyers are to give to people.
The photo to use... full body from the side.
All ads and printed materials should include a full body photo of your dog center stage. There are no exceptions to this rule. If you do not have this type of photo of your dog, go to Google Images and find a dog that looks similar. Professionals use depiction photos about 50% of the time.
The DUCT tape nightmare...
Duct taping poster board or other such material to light poles is time consuming, unattractive and not effective.
They always fall off the pole if the city does not take them down first because they are trashy looking. There are effective alternatives to duct tape.
The effectiveness of bringing flyers to veterinary offices...
This is a secondary activity and it is an awareness tool aimed at people who are bringing their animals in for treatment so keep this in mind when developing your flyer for a vet office.
An FYI - In most states, a veterinarian has a client~patient responsibility to the individual bringing in an animal for services or treatment. Unless the client alerts the veterinarian that they have found a dog, in many states a vet could lose his or her medical license for telling a pet owner with a missing dog that an animal brought in for services by someone else, might be the missing dog on their flyer.
Do not plan on a veterinarian or member of the staff to call you if they see a dog that looks like yours brought in by someone else.
NOTE: If a dog goes missing at night... Contacting Emergency Veterinary hospitals in the first 48 hours is a suggested activity however.
The Truth about Flyers, Posters and Signs
A great location is one where your lost dog poster is the only sign.
Location, Location, Location...
The placement of public awareness tools is paramount to a search. Do not place strategically designed tools near other signs or the number of potential witnesses reached will be decreased.